This has no right or wrong answer, and is more a personal opinion thread but, how many locomotives is too many for you?
Myself? I'm at a roster of 14 Wheeling diesels, and at least one for each class of locomotives represented (still need a 4000 series-non dynamic brake). So I'm just curious to hear what everyone else says.
(My Model Railroad, My Rules)
These are the opinions of an under 35 , from the east end of, and modeling, the same section of the Wheeling and Lake Erie railway. As well as a freelanced road (Austinville and Dynamite City railroad).
LION operates 12 six car subway trains on a run of 14 miles.
Him has more locomotives, but hose him not runs.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Jimmy_Braum This has no right or wrong answer, and is more a personal opinion thread but, how many locomotives is too many for you?
Too many!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
_________________________________________________________________
And furthermore:
HA
Ed
Cheers, the Bear.
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
When you no longer have any room for your locomotives on the layout or staging, and some have to be stored on a shelf, you have too many.
I have no set limit. The Maryland and Pennsylvania in the early 50's had 4 diesel switchers, 8 steam locomotives (2 retired in 1952), and 2 gas electrics. In S scale I have models of the 4 diesels and 3 2-8-0's. I have 2 0-6-0's that are not Ma&Pa but will do for standins. The others aren't available. What I have is more than sufficient for my future layout (I'm moving in 2 months).
I have more locomotives in S scale as well as some in HO and O from when I was in those scales. I buy more as they appeal to me. Eventually, I'll display them. But I admit that I enjoy collecting model railroading stuff that appeals to me, even if it will have no place on the layout. At some point I'll build a couple of small display layouts where I can run them.
Paul
SouthPennWhen you no longer have any room for your locomotives on the layout or staging, and some have to be stored on a shelf, you have too many.
Wrong! That means you don't have enough shelves!
I have the locomotives that I want, but like JaBear said, I could always use more to set up consists. I still watch eBay. You never know when a bargain will come your way.
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Darth Santa Fe Too many!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
When do you have too many locomotives?
Hmmm.....
It's one of two answers....
First option:
In the flavor of Jeff Foxworthy's "You might be a redneck if...."
You might have too many locomotives if.....
Your locomotive lash up goes from one end of the layout to the other, without room even for a scale sized person to fit between them....
Option two:
WARNING:
Can not compute. There is no known answer. Please rephrase the question.
My my brain now hurts and is shutting down to avoid further damage from this question.
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.
Ricky W:
Economists explain their thoery of diminishing returns. They say each additional item acquired will have less value than the one before it. If they are correct, you will get less pleasure for each new locomotive than the one before it.
They could be on to something. If a model railroader owns more locomotives than he can run on his layout, there is no point in adding another one as long as the primary goal is to have each locomotive running on the layout.
It seems to me there are individuals who are in the hobby of "model locomotiving", and they acquire more and more locomotives even though they don't have enough cars to be pulled by the locomotives not to mention enough track on their layouts to run them .
I see hope however. Model railroading is a diverse hobby. It can be just as much fun to make a model of a freight car or a passenger car as it is to make a model of a locomotive. As you construct a layout, you can build bridges, buildings and other structures which are also just as fun. Laying track and making scenery are fun too.
My philosophy with model railroading is I get much more pleasure from building models than I do from owning models.
You may have your own philosophies of course. It's your hobby. Do what you want.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
It really depends on your other hobbies or priorities. I have to make sure my kids get certain opportunities they want. One will have to play some travel baseball to get more playing time. His right arm might take him somewhere.
Right now my youngest son still has electric Thomas trains and a BLI hybrid GN 4-8-4 along with a Roundhouse 2-6-0...and a couple old Mantua engines from my youth. I have an Athearn 4-6-6-4 in service and another new in box. That is it. Other stuff up for sale or gone.
We are happy.
What does it take to be happy?
Song lyric from Point of Grace: "Have what you want but want what you have".
Sometimes I feel like I had too much.
John
When the reasoning behind owning them breaks down.
For instance, I have two Amtrak P42s for my Capitol Limited. I own no excess Amtrak equipment. There's no utility in owning a third one. I can only run two at a time!
When will I have too many locomotives? Right after acquiring the next one.
If you ak me, well, then the answer is clearly a must - no one can ever have too many locomotives! If you ask my wife, more than three (1 on the tracks, one in the shop, 1 on the shelf) is way too much. Does that "if you buy one more locomotive, it´ll be me or them!" sound familiar to you? If so, you definitively have too many engines!
Seriously, I am in age age when pairing down starts beginning to be the name of the game. I don´t have a great number of locos, as I had to sell most of them to buy food in bad times, but over the years, quite a few have again accumulated. Most of them are now earmarked to be sold - at least those which will never see the track.
1) All the above.
2) I am of the opinion we buyers are but 1/2 of an unbreakable symbiotic relationship....
We keep buying them, they keep making them.
3) If it wasnt a locomotive, youd just buy something else. Money is only printed to spend.
4) Team tracks and roundhouses arent as appealing - empty. This also applies to shelves.
5) If you could only eat ONE potato chip out of a whole bags worth, would you?
6) All else fails, see answer 1.
PM Railfan
How many is "too many"? This has no right or wrong answer
This has no right or wrong answer
Can I point out that inherent in the title of this topic is the assumpsion that there is a right or wrong answer.
Heartland Division CB&Q Economists explain their thoery of diminishing returns. They say each additional item acquired will have less value than the one before it. If they are correct, you will get less pleasure for each new locomotive than the one before it.
That theory needs to be modified for American mountain railroading because one freight train can have 4 to 6 or more diesels on it. Right from the git go, you are not devaluing the first diesel by adding a second because you need MU consists to pull a train, even considering selective compression. Just sayin...
Sure, but don't forget some modelers are building a roster with the notion of staging, which has been more and more popular since the 1980's. So if you stage trains and run them across the system, it means you may have quite a few trains, each headed by 3 or 4 or more diesels (remember SP and D&RGW and other roads need lots of power to get trains over the mountains).
It seems to me there are individuals who are in the hobby of "model locomotiving", and they acquire more and more locomotives even though they don't have enough cars to be pulled by the locomotives not to mention enough track on their layouts to run them.
Undoubtedly the above is a "bad" thing. Bad bad bad. And I'm sure you aren't guilty of too many engines - cause it isn't safe to throw stones from glass houses.
Anyway, don't forget there is an up side you may have forgotten about. With all the hand wringing about the hobby in decline etc. the more people buying too many trains and being naughty in that way, they are stimulating the model RR economy. And there are those who believe he who dies with the most toys, wins - so they say
I see hope however. Model railroading is a diverse hobby. It can be just as much fun to make a model of a freight car or a passenger car as it is to make a model of a locomotive. As you construct a layout, you can build bridges, buildings and other structures which are also just as fun. Laying track and making scenery are fun too. My philosophy with model railroading is I get much more pleasure from building models than I do from owning models.
It's a good philosophy for sure, one which is supported by ample hobby time. For those of us who are not retired and have long honey-do lists to boot, time is something we don't have copious amounts of. Of course building those bridges, building, laying track, benchwork, backdrops, wiring, scenery and many other things competes for that limited time for the pleasure of building models, so have patience with us who often buy models already built. Perhaps that may be considered by some as a necessary "evil".
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
IMHO as many as you need to operate your layout beyond that and again IMHO you're a hoarder or collector.
However..
Seeing there's hoarder or collector in all of us there is no escape from becoming a overstock hobby shop.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Oh hoarder or collector, it sounds so ... so dirty, sooo bad! And in a forum full of model railroaders who are so well known for it!
I think that is why I am constantly selling stuff I don't need, cause it salves my conscience of having too many trains, maybe. It also helps me fund more trains that I justify as fitting my "focus".
Yes it makes me feel better to get rid of stuff I dont need. I also remind the family of what gets paid for with the proceeds...but then more always accumulates, somehow.
I'll be a bit repetitive but maybe add a thought or two:
I have a small layout so I definitely utilize the 4 bookshelves dedicated to rolling stock temporary storage.
I model the UP (so far) with a very strict era bent (that seems to cover the entire 20th century). If I like a loco type that is available I tend to go for it.
For many diesels, I like to have two or three of a type to run together. If I had a large layout for longer trains I'm sure I'd justify four.
One of my current favorite activities is converting an acquired like-new DC loco to DCC and sound. The activity itself biases towards acquiring another. It's analagous to my like of freight car kit building. I'm sure I'll keep building them when I run out of room.
Modeling HO with a transition era UP bent
peahrens I have a small layout so I definitely utilize the 4 bookshelves dedicated to rolling stock temporary storage.
They might as well be collecting dust on shelves than no dust in boxes! At least you can look at them. Get a can of compressed air for the dust.
You are being very naughty! I used to have a quarter of a century era, and that was just eating my lunch. I'm trying desperately to narrow things down to 5 year period (~1977-1982) and getting more brutal about selling rolling stock later than 1982 but still have a way to go - hmm... those SD50's could be going on the block soon. I have around 25 F units that, of course fall out side of that time frame too - the only ones that fit are the Rio Grande Zephyr F9's. I am chipping away however ... things I was hanging onto a year or two ago have been getting sold so there is hope!
Thats why I have so many 2nd gen diesels. D&RGW typically ran 3-5 diesels MU's. So my 16 D&RGW tunnel motors, thats only 4 trains for example. Ok, I'm going to need a good sized staging yard! I have 11 staging tracks on the current layout and may need to increase that by a few more next time! We'll see!
I'm sure I'll keep building them when I run out of room.
Pfftt. I bet most here are already out of room. In my town house, I was cheek to jowl so I'm hoping for a bit more space.
How many locos are too many? That number would be determined by outside factors, like, "Do I have enough money to pay the rent?" or "Do I have enough space to store another loco?" Things like that.
I model the New Haven. My dream has always been to own one model of every NH loco, and just talking about the diesel fleet that's well over 500 locos. Throw steam and electrics in there, and the number is well into the thousands. Is this a realistic goal? No, but the fun is in the attempt, and I started with simple goals: First, get any NH engines; then when I learned better, get accurate NH engines.
My current goal is to have at least one of every NH loco type. I'm close, but there's still a few holes in my collection, some of which will most likely never be filled because they are too unique. The next goal after that is to get a loco in each paint scheme they wore, and if you know the NH, that's a bunch of locos. I have a long way to go with that goal.
The collecting is part of the fun for me. Just like when I was a kid with baseball cards, I collected Eddie Murray cards because I had found his rookie card which was worth some money at the time. So to have something to do, I collected any Eddie Murray card I could find. I still have them...somewhere... But it was harmless fun.
I'm reminded of a sign on a country and western bar in New York City (yes, they actually exist) that used to read, "Too much is not enough." But, they had a giant lizard on the roof, so I don't know how seriously we could take that.
Mike
Paul3 How many locos are too many? That number would be determined by outside factors, like, "Do I have enough money to pay the rent?" or "Do I have enough space to store another loco?" Things like that.
Yep.
I model the New Haven. My dream has always been to own one model of every NH loco, and just talking about the diesel fleet that's well over 500 locos. Throw steam and electrics in there, and the number is well into the thousands. Is this a realistic goal? No, but the fun is in the attempt, and I started with simple goals: First, get any NH engines; then when I learned better, get accurate NH engines. My current goal is to have at least one of every NH loco type. I'm close, but there's still a few holes in my collection, some of which will most likely never be filled because they are too unique. The next goal after that is to get a loco in each paint scheme they wore, and if you know the NH, that's a bunch of locos. I have a long way to go with that goal. The collecting is part of the fun for me. Just like when I was a kid with baseball cards, I collected Eddie Murray cards because I had found his rookie card which was worth some money at the time. So to have something to do, I collected any Eddie Murray card I could find. I still have them...somewhere... But it was harmless fun.
I sort of assume when someone askes if you can have too many loco's, it implies something less than harmless, but thats for the OP and others to wrestle with.
Part of my train hobby has been similar to you, regarding my favorite RR. Rio Grande had a (e.g. early 1980s) roster closer to half of what the NH had, so more attainable for a modeler. I'm not after every engine Rio Grande had in in the early 1980's but I have been shooting for a somewhat representative roster proportionally and enough to run a bunch of freight trains typical of that era. Thats still a pretty tall order and could but us in dangerous territory with some forum members here!
Hmmm there are operating locomotives and there are display locomotives.
Only 2 can be operated at the same time. Currently however the only loco on the layout is an Alco S - 4 in MOW service.
On display is
3 GP 38-2
1 GP 40
2 GE 70 tonners
2 0-6-0
1 2-6-0
1 F unit
And my Lionel O scale holiday train a walthe subway set an M & M hawthorn village train and a wedding train I made but did actually use at the reception
Now not all these trains could operate on my layout as some are dc only but of those than can they see service on a rotating basis.
Joe Staten Island West
MikeFF I'm reminded of a sign on a country and western bar in New York City (yes, they actually exist) that used to read, "Too much is not enough." But, they had a giant lizard on the roof, so I don't know how seriously we could take that.
You just can't get away from those C&W folks! I've listened on and off to C&W music for much of my life and was a bit surprised how many stations were on the air when I moved to upstate NY back in the late 1980's.
I have enough Kato Amtrak P42 in Phase III-V to model 1998-2007. I have a few BNSF locomotives but an average number of UP. Last time I counted as around 120 trains.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.