I’m going to start a new thread to continue the discussion of locomotives that are finding their way into my life. It’s great to be operational in this great forum again. With the downloading of iOS 26.1 the glitch that had been affecting me appears to have largely gone away, but for a while, I’m going to be waiting for the other shoe to fall.
I had mentioned three in the previous discussion. There were a couple more in that collection that really held my interest that I could get but neither one fits very well into my operational scenario.
The first one is a Hallmark Cotton Belt 4-4-2.
The Cotton Belt never was a road known for its passenger service. But this is the only small brass Cotton Belt steamer ever made that I know of. If I want a Cotton Belt locomotive it will have to be this one.
Plus. Atlantics were never known for their viability in freight service, especially low speed branch line freight service. So why would I be getting this engine? There’s one good reason. I like it.
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This is the other engine I am considering acquiring.
The 2-4-2 was a relatively unusual locomotive with not many prototypes. The model here was a very early import by LMB in the early 1960s. It is freelance but pretty typical for small engines used as industrial switchers at mills or mines, which is exactly what I have in mind for it on my layout.
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The only one of those locomotives I presently actually own is the T&NO 2-8-0. I’ll have to sell a kidney to buy the rest of them. 
The good news is that the collection is part of an estate that my attorney friend is in charge of liquidating and if anyone actually tries to buy one of the others I get first chance, so I don’t actually have to buy all of them right now.
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If I get this engine, I’ll probably letter it for a lumber mill named after my friend and fellow modeler who is nutsy-coo-coo about Mississipp lumber railroading.
The number for this engine, of course, will be….. 999
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Is that for the number of days it takes for the engine to reach 15mph?
No, no. You must be thinking of number of years.
Barney Oldfield wouldn’t have to explain it either.
I read about the controversy surrounding the 999 and its legendary speed run, which was not officially clocked. There’s also engineering doubts that the locomotive could’ve really done what was claimed. But the legend remains.
And that little brass Columbia locomotive would be hard-pressed to be better than about 30 miles an hour.
Especially with zero valve gear components modeled?
TOC
Those engines were not known for .their detail. Read up on Ken Kidder.
I recall it too. My first inclination was to think of the Marx 999, though. O the Great…
Enclosures? Enclosures! We don’t need no stinkin’ enclosures!
