I acquired my older brothers' Marx O scale about 20 years ago. I had been allowed to watch them run it but never allowed to touch (probably a reasonable decision since I was about 3 at the time). They burned it out before I was old enough to operate it.
I had to find a new motor but other than that it still worked fine. Once I got it running it didn't take too long for me to realize that I was playing with a toy train ( no offense to the tinplate modellers) and I wasn't satisfied.
My very kind wife bought me Hogwarts Express for Christmas shortly after and the hook was set. I installed DCC with sound and lighting (first decoder install) and was pretty pleased. Problem was that the lead truck derailed at every turnout on my temporary track so I put it aside until I had the knowledge to solve the problem and a real layout to run it on. It is still on my 'to do' list but I think I know what to do to fix it.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
My first locomotive was a Tyco ATSF Pacific steamer. It stills runs quite well and the headlight still works! My second loco was a Tyco ATSF F Unit in chromed plastic that went at least 200 mph and survived numerous trips to the floor after careening around 18 inch radius curves. Surprisingly it still runs as well! - Mike age 56
Lifelike Union Pacific F40PH.
Modelling HO Scale with a focus on the West and Midwest USA
Didn't we do this once before? Or was that in the other forum? Anyway, I don't actually still have my first locomotive but I've got its cousin;
I have figured out what is wrong with my brain! On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!
One of these for Christmas, it stopped working the day after.
"The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination."-Albert Einstein
http://gearedsteam.blogspot.com/
Here she be, still have her... still runs. Lionel 027 from 1953.
Jarrell
I remember it well. It was around 1952 and I was given an old Lionel set, the track of which was nailed to a sheet of plywood. It was located in an unheated second story bedroom of an old farmhouse my parents bought outside of the little town we lived in at the time. I remember running that thing as fast as I could around that oval until it would fly off - then I would just pick it up and start over. It was indestructible. I can't remember what it exactly was but I know I wish I still had it.
There's never time to do it right, but always time to do it over.....
HO Model Power CN Geep...all black with the white "CN" noodle...hand-me-down from my Dad. My first new locomotive came for Christmas from my Dad, a Model Power Canadian Pacific FA2 He actually built me a small N scale layout that Christmas to go with the CP FA2. I still have the locomotive but no longer model N scale myself, but my young Son has an N scale layout in his room and the odd time he let's me run my CP FA2 (updated with knuckle couplers so that I can pull some of his rolling stock) on his layout . He (my Son) will have it handed down to him someday when I know that he will baby it as I do.
Happy modeling!
Don.
"Ladies and gentlemen, I have some good news and some bad news. The bad news is that both engines have failed, and we will be stuck here for some time. The good news is that you decided to take the train and not fly."
My first train set was at age 6 (1959) was a Tyco B&O F7 A-A, Diamond Chemical tank car, Crazy Water reefer ,DRGW stock car, C&O gondola with concrete pipe load, TH&B box car, and a B&O caboose. Shortly after that came the Athearn B&O passenger cars, CNJ camelback 4-6-0, a camelback 0-4-0 lettered for B&O and a pair of Athearn Budd RDCs. Out of all that, the only thing I still have is the reefer.
Just be glad you don't have to press "2" for English.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQ_ALEdDUB8
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6hqFS1GZL4s
http://s73.photobucket.com/user/steemtrayn/media/MovingcoalontheDCM.mp4.html?sort=3&o=27
Chuck - Modeling in HO scale and anything narrow gauge
My first was a Lionel 0-27 train set that had a 2-6-2 steam loco. I got the train set for Christmas 1946. I seem to remember the loco number was 1666. I sold the engine about 10 years ago.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
The same kind of model as my first loco (late 1970s) was featured in this month's MRR DCC column: Mantua 0-4-0 switcher & tender (mine was labeled for PRR, and I believe sold under the Tyco brand in a train set, but same idea).
Depending on how you look at it, I have two first engines.
The engine that got me started in railroading was a wooden Thomas the Tank Engine. I still have a sports bag that holds all the track and trains. (Darn new "Thomas" track doesn't clickity-clack any more - all the texture is printed on!)
My first model locomotive was an Athearn Santa Fe F unit that came in a passenger set. It has BB construction. I've upgraded it to DCC, replaced the headlight (more light came out the windows than through the headlight), added clear plastic windows, and weathered it.
S&S
Modeling the Pennsy and loving it!
My first engine was a Varney SW-1 switcher I had it for about 15 years then one Christmas I was running it around the layout and a huge puff of smoke came from the engine along with a strong burning smell and that was all she wrote.
John
I had "The Royal Blue" Tyco train set, sorry no picture. It ran for I think about one week, and just quit working.
My first identifiable train was a Lionel steam engine from the early 1950s. I sold my Lionels, and switched to HOs. I wish I had pictures of my O-gauge layout, but alas, there are none. I have one or two photos of my first HO layout, from back when I was a teenager, but I have no idea where they are. On the other hand, I did save the trains. To the best of my recollection, this is my first HO train set, all Athearns led by a rubber-band-drive GP-9 in Milwaukee colors:
The picture was taken a few years back on my current HO layout. The cars have been upgraded with Kadees and metal wheels. The engine, sadly, wasn't a candidate for DCC conversion because it didn't run well enough. On the other hand, it's now a dummy, or "honorary," locomotive and carries a sound-only decoder while being pulled around.
I figure these are 53 or 54 years old now. I'm really happy that I still have them.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
Long gone F 7 or something. Tyco train set , 1976. Wore out very quickly. No pix
My first was this Tyco F unit. I still have it and it still runs. It turns 50 this Christmas. The rest of the train came in the same set.
Phil, I'm not a rocket scientist; they are my students.
First train set,,American Flyer,4-6-2 Pacific,with smoke,1949,,switched,to HO,1951, Sorry no pics,of the Flyer.. I think my parents,may have had a Brownie though,a lot of old faded pics,,,but no train..
Cheers,
Frank
My first loco was a tin (actually galvanized steel) 0-4-0, Lionel O-27 cheap line, passed down to a cousin when I was still a toddler. No photo in my albums, and I have no idea what it might have looked like.
Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
1958 Xmas train set. Varney "Little Joe" Dockside, 0-4-0. Long gone and lost back in the late 60's. That was my one and only steam switcher engine, ever.
My dad had a full Lionel 0-27 layout on table from 1948 to 1954 that I was allowed to run when I was very young, but they were not mine. Even as a kid I thought Lionel looked "klunky". The HO Varney Dockside was my first personal engine.
Richard
If I can't fix it, I can fix it so it can't be fixed
What was your first locomotive that got you into model railroading? Post pictures of it here! Mine was a Model Power 0-4-0. Surprisingly, the locomotive still runs smoothly, though it was bought many years ago.
-Khang Lu, University of Minnesota Railroad Club