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List of very small diesels recently available in HO north American

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Posted by Southgate 2 on Sunday, July 18, 2021 7:15 PM

A deciding line could be the 45 ton limit for one man crew. That would put the GE and whitcomb 44 tonners in the category. You see Keystone Locomotive Works GEs on the bay now and then. By replacing the rubber tube connectors with NWSL u joints, you get the best running 44 tonner ever made, IMHO. Dan

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Posted by Southgate 2 on Sunday, July 18, 2021 7:07 PM

A

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Sunday, July 18, 2021 5:19 PM

The P&LE sold you post cards by Howard Fogg

P&LE Postcards by Howard Fogg (silogic.com)

but the RV would give you girls by Vargas

paperwork_callingcard_cleopatra.jpg (1132×2688) (trainweb.org)

paperwork_callingcard_echo.JPG (312×746) (trainweb.org)

paperwork_callingcard_helenoftroy.jpg (291×709) (trainweb.org)

paperwork_callingcard_neptunesdaughter.JPG (291×700) (trainweb.org)

Railroading was overwhelmingly a man's world back then and RV President George Clark would have undoubtably had a loud and profane reaction to any attempt at changing it

 

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Posted by rrebell on Sunday, July 18, 2021 9:49 AM

Very interesting railroad.

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Sunday, July 18, 2021 8:01 AM

I'm not sure I'd call 65 tons "very small". I know GE intended its 70 tonner as a branch line unit for major lines, even though it ended up as a staple of short lines. It's a revealing glimpse into how short lines need to make every penny count, that when the Rahway Valley asked for a quote from GE for MU kits, they decided it was cheaper to double head with two enginemen and two firemen

Rahway Valley Railroad

Rahway Valley Railroad Co. (trainweb.org)

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Sunday, July 18, 2021 7:45 AM

tstage
Presumably something smaller than an Alco HH600/660 or EMD SW1?

ALCO HH660 was about 206,000 lbs and the SW1 was about 198,000 lbs

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Posted by BEAUSABRE on Sunday, July 18, 2021 5:07 AM

MisterBeasley
I still have my Athearn Hustler from the early sixties.  At some point I picked up a re-gearing kit.  But, I never got to put it together, so it sits in a some-day box.  Has anybody done one of those?  It probably needs a motor as well.

I just bought a re-geared Hustler with a Cary boxcab body and Kadee couplers that somebody did a nice job on. Runs nicely and that cast body sure helps tractive effort.  Trying to figure if I can stuff DCC and a stay alive into it.

carycatalog1983page07.jpg (740×1020) (hoseeker.net)

s-l300.jpg (300×225) (ebayimg.com)

Gonna be the plant switcher at my railroad tie manufacturing and creosoting plant (which was originally going to be narrow gauge until this beauty came into my life)

File:Photograph of Ties Awaiting Creosote Treatment - NARA - 2129633.tif - Wikimedia Commons

Also used to make bridge timbers (as in trestles, culverts, etc)

 

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Posted by snjroy on Saturday, July 17, 2021 7:11 PM

7j43k

 

 
snjroy

Bachmann also made a Plymouth at some point. Mine runs quite well.

Simon

 

 

 

 

Remarkably similar to this old one:

 

 

Ed

 

Lima and Mehano made similar switchers. I believe the Bachmann is a better runner, although the (crude) level of detail is similar.

Simon

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Posted by BigDaddy on Saturday, July 17, 2021 3:02 PM

My Lionel Hustler was the first sound loco. It sounded like a coffee grinder.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

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Posted by MisterBeasley on Saturday, July 17, 2021 2:31 PM

I still have my Athearn Hustler from the early sixties.  At some point I picked up a re-gearing kit.  But, I never got to put it together, so it sits in a some-day box.  Has anybody done one of those?  It probably needs a motor as well.

Or, it might be a static model on a factory siding somewhere.

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

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Posted by dknelson on Saturday, July 17, 2021 11:51 AM

If nothing else this shows how defining a word like "recently" becomes a matter of opinion!  And nobody mentioned Lionel's circa 1960 version of the Athearn "Hustler" which came with a rather nice small motor and gearing rather than rubber band drive.  And that Gordon Odegard showed in MR how to make the AHM HOn2 1/2 Plymouth switcher (2 axle) a standard gauge locomotive.  

Don't forget the neat little Mack BR switcher that SS Ltd offered unpowered as an all metal kit and which if memory serves NWSL offered a power chassis for.  It is even "truly" recent because it has been reissued by Wiseman!

HO SCALE MACK BR SPECIAL SWITCHER KIT (wisemanmodelservices.com)

https://wisemanmodelservices.com/HO-SCALE-MACK-BR-SPECIAL-SWITCHER-KIT

Jordan had a plastic Mack 15 tonner and there was also a brass import of a Mack switcher.  

Dave Nelson

 

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Posted by 7j43k on Saturday, July 17, 2021 11:25 AM

rrebell

I remember those, not great running quality. Hear the Walthers Plymouth is great if you can find one.

 

 

 

Of all the critters I listed, that's my off-the-shelf fave.  I do have one.

I am sure Walthers will do it again.  IF they put sound in also, I'll buy one of those, too.  And they HAVE to keep the keep alive.  Or no sale.

 

Ed

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Posted by JDawg on Saturday, July 17, 2021 11:24 AM

rrebell

 

 
7j43k

 

 
snjroy

Bachmann also made a Plymouth at some point. Mine runs quite well.

Simon

 

 

 

 

Remarkably similar to this old one:

 

 

Ed

 

 

 

I remember those, not great running quality. Hear the Walthers Plymouth is great if you can find one.

 

 

The walthers units are great. I'd check spring creek model trains and Hiawatha hobbies. They lost them on their site. 

JJF


Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing. Smile, Wink & Grin

Yesterday is History.

Tomorrow is a Mystery.

But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present. 

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Posted by rrebell on Saturday, July 17, 2021 9:57 AM

7j43k

 

 
snjroy

Bachmann also made a Plymouth at some point. Mine runs quite well.

Simon

 

 

 

 

Remarkably similar to this old one:

 

 

Ed

 

I remember those, not great running quality. Hear the Walthers Plymouth is great if you can find one.

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Posted by 7j43k on Saturday, July 17, 2021 9:24 AM

snjroy

Bachmann also made a Plymouth at some point. Mine runs quite well.

Simon

 

 

Remarkably similar to this old one:

 

 

Ed

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Posted by ckape on Saturday, July 17, 2021 8:34 AM

There's also the BLI Trackmobile and the Grandt Line boxcab

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Posted by snjroy on Saturday, July 17, 2021 7:37 AM

Bachmann also made a Plymouth at some point. Mine runs quite well.

Simon

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Posted by rrebell on Friday, July 16, 2021 9:49 PM

tstage

Presumably something smaller than an Alco HH600/660 or EMD SW1?

 

Got two of the HH660 by Atlas, run nice but rather large.

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Posted by 7j43k on Friday, July 16, 2021 6:22 PM

The SW1 is about a 100 ton switcher.  So it's a significant jump up.

Cute though it is.

And those Alcos are about the same.  Except not as cute.

 

 

When I read the topic title, some of the locos I cited popped into my head.  The OP mentions somewhat bigger ones.

 

Ed

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Posted by tstage on Friday, July 16, 2021 4:59 PM

Presumably something smaller than an Alco HH600/660 or EMD SW1?

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

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

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Posted by 7j43k on Friday, July 16, 2021 4:51 PM

said:   "...recently available..."

 

All of mine are available.  Some are more available than others.

A Penn Line is on Ebay right now.  The Lindsay will require patience.

Note that the Piko is not available at all.  And the Bachmann 45 ton hasn't been available from Bachmann in years.

 

Ed

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Posted by rrebell on Friday, July 16, 2021 2:58 PM

7j43k

VERY small:

 

Walthers Plymouth ML-8

BLI Plymouth W-series 35 ton 

Athearn EMD Model 40

Grandt Line GE 25 ton

Tyco Plymouth CR-4

Athearn Hustler

Penn Line Whitcomb D-2

Lindsay Vulcan Iron Works switcher

 

And for some real fun, consider that someone somewhere converted a Climax to diesel.  Why not you?

 

 

Ed

 

Recently, Linsay and Penn line have been gone for 50 years

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Posted by 7j43k on Friday, July 16, 2021 2:24 PM

VERY small:

 

Walthers Plymouth ML-8

BLI Plymouth W-series 35 ton 

Athearn EMD Model 40

Grandt Line GE 25 ton

Tyco Plymouth CR-4

Athearn Hustler

Penn Line Whitcomb D-2

Lindsay Vulcan Iron Works switcher

 

And for some real fun, consider that someone somewhere converted a Climax to diesel.  Why not you?

 

 

Ed

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Posted by Doughless on Friday, July 16, 2021 1:57 PM

- Douglas

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List of very small diesels recently available in HO north American
Posted by rrebell on Friday, July 16, 2021 12:58 PM

Looking to add to my fleet, Know of Bachmann 44, 45, and 70 ton and Model Pawers DTT but what else is out there.

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