eBay

modelrr_hobby · ‎01-18-2006

Hey gang! My name is Tom and I have been in the hobby for about 17 years now. I had a HO set when I was 11 that my brother built (he was into quite a lot of scales growing up). It was great to have the detail in HO. After high school my Dad bought a LGB train for Christmas...and I thought it was a waste of money. But the train was made really well, they took great care in building it, and it ran great for years. Since then I have collected LGB trains and love how they run...I don't like locos that perform poorly, and am willing to pay a little more for quality. For the last 5 years I have read Model Railroader magazine with a renewed passion for trains in all scales...I like to see whats out in HO, N and I really love the size and values in O gauge. My sister just got me a On30 Bachmann set for Christmas, and now I am working on a track plan for this scale as I really am excited about the new metal locos they offer (Climax, Shay and Consolidations,etc.) It seems model railroading just keeps getting better - the models run better than I was a kid, the value is better (price/performance) and the details are outstanding. Bachmann has come a long way from the early 90s toys r us junk. So...lets hear what your TOP 5 greatest runners are on your pike. Be sure to name the scale/gauge too. I would be interested to know how the newer Bachmann spectrum steamers in HO hold up to say, Broadway Limited. I don't have much HO yet, I have several "3rd production era" series Athearn "growlers" and these are fantastic runners. The shells just lack the detail you would expect nowadays. I wish Athearn would re-do the molds for the body and I wouldn't mind sticking with these for my "special" engines (for example, FP45's aren't something that other firms come out with!) I know Atlas locos are excellent, perhaps that has to do with a Roco drive (I love Roco European too). Warm Regards, Tom M.

flaretired · ‎01-18-2006

Hi Tom. Welcome to the group. I have 8 Atlas Diesels and 2 Bahman steam. One is a 4-8-4 Northern Santa Fe and a 2-6-2. I have no favorites since they all run fine. I am into N scale and DCC. My layout is still under construction, but I do have a test track set up. Chuck 🙂

ginzokid · ‎01-19-2006

Hi Tom, Having been in this hobby for almost 60 years now, I have had a bunch of different scales to play with. You want the top 5....here goes. My old Lionel F3s from the 50's My old Mantua HO 4-6-0 Ten Wheeler My old Rivarossi Big-Boys in N (all three of them) My old KATO 2-8-0 Mikados in N (all six of them) My new On30 Bachmann Climax and Shay; and my 2 new On30 BLI 2-8-0 Consolidations OK. So I cheated. More than 5, but this might answer your questions about the On30 equipment. They are all smooth and the sound is great in DCC. B-)

dl85vette · ‎01-19-2006

Only had portions of layout for past 2 years and couldn't really run much on it. Until Now where my layout is almost done as far as track laying and I can run locos for 40+ feet (yard to yard) So needless to say locos are barely broken in; everything I have is N scale. 1)I'm guessing my Kato SD40 would be a great loco except it is torn apart for paint job. 2) Atlas GP38 (DCC) 3) Atlas C630 (DCC) 4) L/L GP20. I haven't run mine but what little I saw while testing Doug's after their paintjob I liked a lot. Remaining to be opened and run; Kato SD40, (2)Atlas SD60, Atlas B23-7, (4) L/L SW9, another Atlas GP38 and (3) L/L gp20s dave Not a good report, only good locos are the ones that I am playing with 😛

ginzokid · ‎01-19-2006

Notice how the last two posts reflected the ages of the posters.....Dave = diesel. The CodFadda = steam. Hmmmmm... B-)

beastranger · ‎01-19-2006

I guess that puts me in the middle age wise. All N-scale Pulling power--Hands down the Con-Cor (formerly owned by Pete and now mine) Challenger. Any L/L E or P. I have several powered A-B consists. For MU ing together, the L/L Gp-20. Stick ten of them together and they will all run the same. I have 20 of them, 10 still NIB ! They look great especialy when Ol Doc Loco paints and weathers them! Unfortunatly it takes all ten to pull as much as the PA A-B consist. A pair of L/L BevBel GP-18s Mued together. 3 Atlas GP-7s in Rutland green and gold. Steam-- Can't beat the Kato Mikado with traction tires. Love to watch my L/L 2-8-8-2 Mallet run, it just won't pull anything. I've gone over five so I'll stop now. All are DC. Layout is a 200ft double loop 300ft plus if you count the yards and spurs. I've also got about 200ft of G-scale track if I ever get around to garden railroading. Punk

alcotrains · ‎02-10-2006

Hello to All, My name is Pete, have both "toy" and scale trains for the past 50+ years. Now I model mostly H.O. Traction so any of my "Best Running" power units would be interurbans. No layout YET!! but have a test loop with overhead, that is the only way my trains will run overhead only. Most of my equipment is Pacific Electric,but have a large roster of Illinois Terminal with some North Shore and South Shore, Piedmont and Northern, Sacramento Northern, Northern Electric, Oregon Electric and others. I have a lot of FUN getting all this stuff to run well, remotor,weight, and other things. Pete

alcotrains · ‎02-10-2006

Best Running, #1 Illinois Terminal Class"C" 4-truck loco, #2 Illinois terminal Class"D" loco, #3 5 car train Suydam Pacific Electric 400 series Blimps,#4 Oregon Electric #50 4-truck Loco, #5 P.E. 1624 series loco.

ginzokid · ‎02-11-2006

Hey, Pete, Do your interurbans come ready for cantenary or do you have to convert them? Any of these brass? Tell us more as you are our first member who has indicated traction as the principle motive power. B-) Pete also....:D

beastranger · ‎02-11-2006

Hi Pete Welcome aboard, start a photo album and post some pics of those beauties. Doug (punk)

alcotrains · ‎02-11-2006

Well, Hello There, Most ( 90% ) of my interurbans are brass, Most of them are 2 rail from mfg. but are easy to convert. Just change 2 wires on 2 pole cars or 1 wire on a single pole car. Pantagraph conversion is a bit more difficult, you use the pan and body for power and insulate wheel sets for ground. Some of my more obscure traction line cars are scratct built ( Petaluma and Santa Rosa Rwy. #57), or Los Angeles and Redondo 700 & 701 are re-worked LaBelle kits. All cars have been re-motored with "can" motors and re-weighted for better running. I do all of my own work, building, re-working, and painting, in my SPARE time. I am retired now after 30+ years with the Postal Service. Had to turn in my AK-47 though, no more fun!!!!! I hope nobody mindes Post Office Humor! I am planning to take pictures and soon will start an album, then post for all to see. Well, time to go, Pete

alcotrains · ‎02-11-2006

Oh Oh, I forgot to add, All my equipment except for a few diesels ( P.E., I.T.C., C.C.T. and a couple of others, and 3 Steamers, 2 P.E., 1 I.T.C.) is OVERHEAD operation only, I have jumper wires form an electric loco to either a steam or diesel. At this time I donot have a layout, but my test track is all under wire except for s long spur for 2 rail. Most of my cars will take a 9" radius curve, with some have to take a large 12", and some take as small as a 6". Pete