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collecting HO big boys

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  • Member since
    May 2012
  • 1,855 posts
Posted by angelob6660 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 8:45 PM

I tried to collect every type of locomotive, than reality sets in. I managed to get 6 to 8 modern diesels like the SD90, AC4400CW, C44-9W, SD70 series. I'm okay with that.

I'm waiting for athearn to make #4004 Big Boy. 

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

Amtrak America, 1971-Present.

DrW
  • Member since
    January 2008
  • From: Lubbock, TX
  • 371 posts
Posted by DrW on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 7:17 PM

As I model the Santa Fe, they had a few locomotives of which they just had one or two.  Examples are a single Alco RS2 (I have that, made by Kato), an Alco DL107/108 AB set (I have that, made by Overland (brass), plus an additional Proto 1000 A unit), or the Fairbanks-Morse Erie-built ABA set (Proto 1000).  However, in my case, the winner is the only true articulated "doodlebug" ever produced, the Santa Fe M-190.  While the Santa Fe only had one, I have four (all brass).  Two were imported by Hallmark; they are OK.  The other two are imported by Key, one in green gullwing delivery, the other in Warbonnet paint.  While they are much improved over the Hallmark products, they are not on the same level as the truly excellent non-articulated Key ATSF doodlebugs.

To the OP:  You are not the first one to "collect" all 25 Big Boys, not even on this forum.  Around 2008, there was a poster, Magnus Lillen, who got 25 Big Boys from PCM, as shown in the exchange below.

 

___________________________________________

 

  Big Ugly Waz wrote:

 

Maybe you should ask Magnus why he has 25 PCM BBs and the PCM brass BB on order ?

I will end up buying a H-8 and an A class (love em both), I have a SP GS-4 and a PRR T-1 on order from BLI, I've got a couple of N&W Proto Ys and a PCM Y6, plus a number of other RRs equipment. I like BIG engines and streamliners and while these other engines will not be run on the layout all the time, they will be run.

I just like TOO many trains !

Cheers,

Warren 

Hi, I was wondering when my name would show up!    

 

For me, the Big Boy simply is a beautiful locomotive that looks impressive. The PCM version is a very nice model that I really enjoy running. Even though as Mr Poteet points out the Big Boy was not many of the superlatives that are often used to describe it. It was close to them all. I was a good all round engine, heavy, fast, strong, tall, long and was around for a interesting time. That fact, that it can be compared against the biggest, strongest etc. in so many ways I think is part of it's lure.

 

Why get so many then? Well, I like them and I like to collect entire series of things. The Big boys where an easy thing to get all of, had I gotten bitten by the Challenger bug there would have been problems, both financially and with the marriage!   

 

Just like Warren I like to many trains, I have some Y6b's, I've also ordered the GS-4 and complete set of cars just like Warren. But I myself is a collector, I will run them, but all 25 BB will never run, that is impossible.

 

I'm currently trying to decide, should I go all out B&O or UP or try to do what I've been thinking of doing all along, making my own world where the two meets some where south of Chicago.

 

As for BB being popular in general, I think the name helps, much sexier then H-8 and the UP public relations office have done a great job. The BB still today ads to their PR. Also, the number of videos featuring the BB alone must be the single most common engine to be seen.

 

Magnus

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 6:58 PM

I do not have a picture of it (shocking, because it is my favorite diesel), but I have the entire run of STRATTON & GILLETTE EMD SD-7 locomotives. All one of them, number 2600.

.

-Kevin

.

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
  • 11,439 posts
Posted by dknelson on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 4:35 PM

thomas81z

ok i see alot of guys that model smaller railroads will collect ,said run of certain locos

say guilford 500s

well I model union pacific transition era , so slowly i have decided that im going to collect the whole big boy run , all 25

so far im up to 12 i have 5 BLI, 1 athearn 1 MTH,5 rivarossi , & no im not going to collect high end brass but if 1 shows up on evilbay that is resonable i will get it .

does anyone else collect a whole run of locos of thier" road "

For a real rarity you should seek out the Bowser metal Big Boy which was not available for all that long (compared to their UP Challenger which they sold for decades).  The tender was an interesting mashup -- the plastic tender from the Monogram plastic unpowered Big Boy with a frame and metal wheels from Bowser so that it could pick up current.  You'd also want to seek out the Bowser detail set for the Big Boy because the unadorned kit was just that -- stripped down.

Just which series or order of Big Boy the Bowser and other models represent, I do not know.  I believe there were subtle detail differences.

Dave Nelson

Moderator
  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Northeast OH
  • 17,249 posts
Posted by tstage on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 4:19 PM

thomas81z
does anyone else collect a whole run of locos of thier" road "

Since I model the NYC and given the large expanse of its roster, there's NO way I'll be collecting an entire series of anything.  Like Mel - I'm not a collector, per say.  One to two pieces of primary power and switchers is all I need and desire for my layout.

Tom

https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling

Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.

  • Member since
    June 2003
  • From: Culpeper, Va
  • 8,204 posts
Posted by IRONROOSTER on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:57 PM

Well, I collect Maryland & Pennsylvania as they are available and reasonable - not that all 21 steam locomotives have been produced. 

Paul

If you're having fun, you're doing it the right way.
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Bakersfield, CA 93308
  • 6,526 posts
Posted by RR_Mel on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:39 PM

I don’t “collect” but I have a sack full of SP Cab Forwards (16), all Rivarossi.  The Cab Forward is my favorite locomotive followed closely by the AC-9.
 
I enjoy restoring the clunkers sold on eBay to better than new condition.  A real Clunker is bait for a kitbashed AC-9.
 
 
 
Mel
 
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951
  
 
My Model Railroad   
 
Bakersfield, California
 
I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: North Carolina
  • 1,905 posts
Posted by csxns on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:20 PM

thomas81z
does anyone else collect a whole run of locos of thier" road "

Not the whole run but i have several CSX locomotives of the same type.

Russell

  • Member since
    February 2012
  • From: CAPE CORAL FLA
  • 511 posts
collecting HO big boys
Posted by thomas81z on Tuesday, December 12, 2017 3:14 PM

ok i see alot of guys that model smaller railroads will collect ,said run of certain locos

say guilford 500s

well I model union pacific transition era , so slowly i have decided that im going to collect the whole big boy run , all 25

so far im up to 12 i have 5 BLI, 1 athearn 1 MTH,5 rivarossi , & no im not going to collect high end brass but if 1 shows up on evilbay that is reasonable i will get it .

does anyone else collect a whole run of locos of thier" road "

 

Tags: Big Boy

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