i, am new to the hobby an have serveral engines that i can not identfy, any way to get information as to engine idenefication
Posting a few pictures will help. Also look at engines in the local store or on line. here is one place that will help. http://www.modeltrainstuff.com/HO_Scale_Locomotives_s/1450.htm
Click on which type- steam, diesel etc you have. It will list each by type. Should get you closer
ratled
Are you trying to find the Prototype locomotive’s identification or the specific model manufacturer?
In general the first prototypical classification is usually steam, diesel, and electric.
From there steam drops into the Whyte Classification system by wheel arrangement.
Diesels are usually by manufacturer’s designation. EMD, Alco, Baldwin, GE…
its an N scale sight, but has numerous photos and descriptions of the locomotives by make model and year! hope it helps!
Some common steam classes, looking at wheel arrangement frm the side. Pacific 4-6-2…ooOOOo, Consolidation 2-8-0 wheel arrangemnt…oOOOO, Mikado (personal fav) 2-8-2 wheel arrangement…oOOOOo, Mowhawks (most commonly) 4-8-2 arrangement…ooOOOOo, Northerns 4-8-4…ooOOOOoo, Hudson 4-6-4 (personal favorite)…ooOOOoo, Mogul 2-6-0 (personal fav)…oOOO. Then theres the goofies, like 2-6-6-6 Allegheny’s (Al-a-gain-ee if I pronounce it right) oOOOOOOooo, 2-10-2’s…oOOOOOo, and the giants, Challenger 4-6-6-4…ooOOO-OOOoo and Big Boy 4-8-8-4’s…ooOOOO-OOOOoo. I heifenated those because they are articulated steamers. Diesels are easier, you basically have 4 wheel/2 axle trucks (designated 0-4-4-0, or B-B) and 6 wheel/3 axle trucks (designated 0-6-6-0, or C-C). There are also oddities here, such as the all-powered 4 axle trucks on EMD DD35’s and DD40’s, and 3 axle trucks with powered outter axles designated as A-1-A trucks, the 1 signifiying the middle, unpowered axle. These were used on EMD E-units and would look like this: A-1-A + A-1-A. Now to confuse you, Fairbanks-Morse made a hood unit series called C-Liners (Consolidation Liner) that could come in a 2400 hp version that had a 4 axle front truck and a 3 axle rear truck with non-powered center axle. It would look ike this: B-B + A-1-A.
I realize this is probably far from what the OP was asking, but I still wanted to share.
Two of my favorite oddball locomotives are the 2-8-2+2-8-0 (a Mikado with a Condolidated’s engine installed under the tender, model based on a Sourthern Rwy. prototype)
and a D locomotive (here a diesel-mechanical, note side rods, with 4 axles on a rigid frame, in this case a half-meter-gauge loco)
Mark
You didn’t say if you are looking for steam or diesel information or model or prototype so my advice is either one if looking for model information find a local hobby shop and ask away. If you are looking for prototype diesel info about the best source is a book from Kalmbach called the Diesel Spotters Guide. Lists every diesel used by railroads as to model, how to spot the differences and a lot of industrial engines. Steam engines were unique to individual railroads except for wheel arrangement. So studying is called for to identify individual engines.
Another single poster that moved hasn’t been back. [:(]
Meanwhile, the mice will play.