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How Many Engines does it take?

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Thursday, February 19, 2015 3:31 PM

twhite

Well, let's see, Fergie----

Rio Grande had 20 L-131 2-8-8-2 articulateds.  I've got 2

Rio Grande had 15 L-105 4-6-6-4 Challengers.  I've got 2. 

Espee had 195 4-8-8-2 Cab-forward articulateds.  I've got 2. 

I have some distance to go, lol! 

Tom

Tom, your way ahead of me!  I took a passing look at steam era D&RGW in the 80's and concluded brass articulateds were basically waaay out of my ability to afford.  A fellow modeler I knew at the time told me he was in the top 3% earning bracket of the US and he was building a modest collection of standard gauge D&RGW brass steam engines.  That was it ... I knew I was on a beer, er, diesel budget from then on!  Beer

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by jjdamnit on Thursday, February 19, 2015 1:52 PM

Hello All,

This question harkens back to the "How much is too much track" question.

As has been mentioned...just enough to keep some space between the motive power and the caboose!

I figure if I just buy smaller locos everything will be all right.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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Posted by BroadwayLion on Thursday, February 19, 2015 1:45 PM

LION does not even know how many locomotives him has.

Him not even know how to count them. Is a powered A-A unit one or two locomotives?

Is an A-B-A lash up one, two or three locomotives.

Do stripped out hulks stanidng behind the yard shop counted.

LION cannot count past twenty, because him runs out of claws.

 

RAOR

The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.

Here there be cats.                                LIONS with CAMERAS

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, February 19, 2015 1:28 PM

How Many Engines does it take?

 

...to change a light bulb?  None!  I use LEDs for all my locomotive lighting needs.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

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Posted by BRVRR on Thursday, February 19, 2015 12:51 PM

There are 57 locomotives on the BRVRR. Seven of which are either un-powered A or B units, but all of them have sound decoders installed.

Steam power runs from a Three-truck Shay to a UP Challenger. Diesels run the gambit from an S3, through numerous F7s, E8s to a SD-70-MAC.

In my defense, seven of the locos belong to my eldest grandson.

Not included in the number above are Thomas and half a dozen small DC steamers that also belong to my grandson.

Do I have enough? Nope. I would like to have a couple of sets of high quality E7s or 8s with sound and perhaps a few more F7s.

 

Tags: BRVRR

Remember its your railroad

Allan

  Track to the BRVRR Website:  http://www.brvrr.com/

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Posted by ricktrains4824 on Thursday, February 19, 2015 12:33 PM

You know you have too many locomotives when:

Your power lash-up takes up so much layout space that you only have enough room left for the caboose before you are coupled front to back the entire mainline length.

Laugh

Ricky W.

HO scale Proto-freelancer.

My Railroad rules:

1: It's my railroad, my rules.

2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.

3: Any objections, consult above rules.

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Posted by twhite on Thursday, February 19, 2015 12:22 PM

Well, let's see, Fergie----

In my case, Baldwin produced 18 M-3/4 2-8-8-4 Yellowstones.  I've got 3.

Rio Grande had 20 L-131 2-8-8-2 articulateds.  I've got 2

Rio Grande had 15 L-105 4-6-6-4 Challengers.  I've got 2. 

Espee had 195 4-8-8-2 Cab-forward articulateds.  I've got 2. 

I have some distance to go, lol! 

Tom

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Thursday, February 19, 2015 11:31 AM

Okay, Fergie. .... I am catching on. 

You know you have too many locomotives when your economics professor uses your locomotive fleet as an example to illustrate the law of Diminishing Returns. 

How did I do? Smile, Wink & Grin

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by Fergmiester on Thursday, February 19, 2015 10:59 AM

I was looking at this thread in a more whimsical tone. Probbly my fault for mis-labeling it.

The Banner should have read:

You know you have too many engines when:

Power company alerts Drug enforcement of spike in power usage

or...

 

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959

If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

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Posted by tomikawaTT on Thursday, February 19, 2015 10:47 AM

How many engines depends on just what you're trying to accomplish.

If your prototype ran its entire lifetime with a single 2-8-0 (Baldwin, 1896, bought used) all you need is that one Baldwin - and you can spend hours superdetailing it right down to the last rust stain.

If you're a finalist in the, "I have more than anybody," competition, it's one more than anyone else - like the collector who gathered up 26 Big Boys so he could claim one more than the UP.  (I wonder which number he doubled.)

In my case, it's enough to run all the trains of a rather hectic prototype schedule, with a few reserves for locos that are on the maintenance line.  Since I've achieved that, I'm a happy camper.  The last loco I bought replaced a much older specimen that was damaged beyond economical repair.  It was a Spectrum 0-6-0T - in for a Tsubomi 0-4-0T with a blown main driver.

Chuck (Modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

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Posted by riogrande5761 on Thursday, February 19, 2015 10:30 AM

I'm sure the answer is all over the map.  Some people are really happy with a very small roster of 10 or 20, with less than 100 cars.  Others have hundreds.  For plenty, and I am guilty too, they buy more than they can use just because trains are cool.

What limits me mostly is money - thats my bottom line.  When I don't have enough money, sometimes I'll go through my inventory and sell off a few to help me afford something new that comes along.  My roster was getting up near 150 engines but as I've bought some newer HQ models, I've sold off a similar number and it's probably down under 140 roughly now.

Rio Grande.  The Action Road  - Focus 1977-1983

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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Thursday, February 19, 2015 9:44 AM

Evidently, many people think the hobby is "model locomotiving" instead of "model Railroading". 

 

 

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by angelob6660 on Thursday, February 19, 2015 9:38 AM

Luckily I wrote this down on paper a year ago but haven't bought another locomotive since.

36 Amtrak diesels.

18 Transition Era locomotives.

17 Modern locomotives.

More to come. If you look at it, it's a small roster. I need more modern diesels to my collection. I would rotate freight and passenger trains like the real railroad without having the same locomotive number twice.

My future layout will be 116"x80"x40" a door to door modern layout in 2004-2007. But it be in 2007 when I start.

 

Modeling the G.N.O. Railway, The Diamond Route.

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

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Posted by crhostler61 on Thursday, February 19, 2015 7:18 AM

This is a funny one. Something I discussed with a friend recently. I have 108 at my most recent count and I'm sure (as long as my employer doesn't find an excuse to boot me out the door), I'll have many more by the end of this year. 

You can never have too many locomotives. My view...of course. 

I often think my layout is just and elaborate test track for my growing collection of locomotives.

Have a great day

Mark H

Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history. 

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How Many Engines does it take?
Posted by Fergmiester on Thursday, February 19, 2015 6:46 AM

Yah... bought another articulated the other day and came to the realization that the MESS is at its limit for motive power... NEVER! So the question is: When do you realize you have too many Locos?

Answer: When the layout legs start to buckle!

 

http://www.trainboard.com/railimages/showgallery.php?cat=500&ppuser=5959

If one could roll back the hands of time... They would be waiting for the next train into the future. A. H. Francey 1921-2007  

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