Hi, i am about to get a steam loco for my logging rr, does anyone have any suggestions, i want something that is fairly heavy and not a pice of junk. this has to last a good long time with lots of use. Thanks.[%-)]
Bear,
If you are doing a logging RR then a Shay would be a good locomotive for you. Bachmann supposedly makes a very nice one in their Spectrum line. I could be wrong but they may make both a 2- and 3-truck Shay.
Tom
We need more information, such as:
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What timeframe are you modeling?
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Diesel or steam engine? (see #1)
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What location are you modeling? Are you logging the rugged terrain of the Pacific NW?, the Longleaf Pine forests of Louisiana, or the Black Forest in Germany?
As far as not buying a piece of junk steer clear of the “standard” (trainset) line of locos, stick to Spectrum, Genesis, Atlas etc.
For pulling log buggies into and out of the woods, you cannot beat a Shay. The Bachmann Spectrum Shay would fit right in. Be aware that Shays are slow, so slow that they don’t work out so well on the main line, but for making the run into the woods, they are great.
For a more general purpose steamer the Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation looks good, runs good and isn’t overly expensive. The Consolidation is a medium-to-small steamer that is at home pulling freight on weedy branch lines or a well ballasted double track main. Or try the IHC 2-6-0 Mogul for a small steamer, at home with short trains both passenger and freight.
In addressing inquiries of this nature you need to specify a scale; I will assume you are talking HO-Scale here.
Bachmann has a three-truck Shay on the market, the quintessential logger–this is a Spectrum® loke and I guess from reading here on the forum that owners are generally satisfied with them. And then there is Mantua’s --now owned and distributed by Model Power–2-6-6-2 in both the tender and tank-engine versions. A lot of your selection is going to be dependent on just what curve radius you are using–the Shay, of course, is going to negotiate tighter radius curves than the articulated.
Personally, if I were only going to have one steamer for my pike I would go with the 2-6-6-2, I suppose, when all is said and done, because of its mass; Shay operators, on the other hand, swear by them.
If you are talking true logging with light rail, steep grades, and sharp corners it is going to be hard to beat a geard locomotive such as a Shay or Climax. I believe Bachmann Spectrum line has both in HO.
If you are talking about modern logging / pulp wood operations there are a bunch of options from many vendors. This weekend I’m running the Oregon California & Eastern a west coast logging road from the early 1970s. The normal “log” train that moves the logs from the mountains to the mill on the mainline normally runs three GP38s on the point. The train that collects the logs from the camps and brings them to the main is an old GN 2-8-8-0. So going back in time to steam loco’s I would think a 2-8-8-2 would make a fine logger. Proto-2000 makes one. Bachmann Spectrum also has a 2-10-2 that would be a pretty heavy logger for the main line.
Steam, see subject line.
If your logging line is going to be a relatively well-used one with substantial rail like some of the logging lines that used to run out here in California, Oregon and Washington, then the Mantua Classic 2-6-6-2 tank mallet might be a pretty good option. It generally resembles a logging mallet that used to run here in Northern California on the Clover Valley Lumber railroad. I understand that it will run without any problems on radii as tight as 18". It could also be used for either branch or mainline work.
For ‘backwoods’ logging lines with lighter rail and more ‘temporary’ track, the Spectrum Shay would probably fit the bill just fine–either the 2 or 3-truck version.
Tom [:)]
I am modeling a late 1930s west coast logging rr in ho scale steam powered, with lot’s of inclines with mountains and hills and a large forested area with two trestle bridges on about 95ft of track,
Right now Bachmann has three truck Shay for HO but they are known to have a cracked gear issue. Your mileage may differ. Search the Internet for shay cracked gear.
Replacement trucks are available or send the loco back to Bachmann for a replacement.
Micro Mark and a couple others have good prices.
Rich
Heislers and Climax engines are also good back woods engines. However, they are getting scarce, and they are all light engines since they were small to begin with in the real world. You didn’t really want a large, heavy, long-driver-based engine on droopy back woods light tracks where curves were tight. Tank engines of the 2-6-2T and 2-8-2T were widely used in parts. You could add weight to a tank engine model to make it quite heavy. Unfortunately, engines of that configuration are mostly in brass, so expensive.
I would seriously consider the engine suggested by several people already, the Mantua engine. Be aware, though, that some users have found the power pickup to be iffy. You may have to add a couple of your own to improve performance.
-Crandell
You didn’t really define a prototype, or what a good model locomotive means to you - other than durability and weight. How important is prototype fidelity? Slow speed performance? Does it need to be quiet enough to install sound? What level of detail? Price range?
Probably the most important - how much work are you willing to put into this model locomotive to achieve the other goals? Is a kit acceptable? How about a true bash? Or building a Class A Climax from a bare mechanism? Are you willing to chase down out of production items, or outbid others on eBay for a particular model?
Some of the characteristics of logging railroads - California, Oregon, and Washington coastal. The 1920s were boom years; in the 1930s the nation was in the Great Depression. Not much new was bought in the 1930s, and many outfits went bust. Those that survived generally converted to truck (with a few exceptions) in the 1950s. The logs were generally pulled downhill to the mills; empty cars went back up the mountains to the landings. Because of gravity, tremendous power was not needed by the logging railroads. Mining railroads usually needed heavier engines than logging lines. A geared engine is/was pretty much limited to less than 30 miles each way out and back in a day’s work. Rod engines were used if a longer run was being made.
At the most expensive end are brass models of geared locos. These will meet your weight and durability criteria better than anything else. They may need painting and/or remotoring. I believe the PFM B-2 Shays were made somewhat oversized, but the others are more to scale. Shays
I don’t have one of these, but I’ve noticed an advertiser in the NG&SLG is selling steel replacement gears (about $25, I think). That’s an indicator that the cracked gear problem is a real issue, and that there is a solution.
All of my shays are brass. On ebay they usually sell for about $300, so that may be a little pricey. Still, they look good, run well, and the gears don’t crack.
From my experience, the mid-size (70T) brass shays seem to sell for less than the smaller ones (18-22T). So, you might get a decent 70 tonner for a little over $200.
Good luck.
“Have tender, will travel.” Here is a two-truck Heisler locomotive equipped for long runs. (Heislers were a bit speedier than Shays and Climaxes.)
Mark
I think the recommendations everyone’s made so far should give you a good idea of what to get.
I have one of the Spectrum 3-Truck Shays. It had the split gear issue pretty bad, so I replaced the gears with NWSL’s metal gears. It was a difficult process, but I’ve got one smooth running Shay now![:D] It’s also made mainly from metal, and has about as much weight as you can fit in a Shay. It should handle about a 15" radius while pulling a good string cars up a grade.
Rivarossi’s Heisler steam engines, old and new, are supposedly very good. Model Railroader reviewed the newer 3-truck version a few years ago, and had very positive things to say about it. The older ones are probably pretty light in weight, so if it’s a heavy steam engine you want, you probably won’t want the older Heislers.
The Mantua 2-6-6-2s are probably the heaviest logging steam engines you’ll find, and Mantua’s product line is known for its high reliability. I have one of their 0-6-0s from the early 60s, and it still runs great to this day![:D]
Oil, wood or coal? [^]
i have the b-mann spectrum series shay and climax the shay i put new gears from nwsl this is a must do, as the plastic gears break. they run real good, the climax is waiting for new gears the only problem with it is the motor is really weak it won;'t pull but one or two cars.the rivarossi heisler is a great running logging loco of which i installed tsunumi in it.
Ok, my 2 cents. I have had the newer Mantua 2-6-6-2, excellent runner, you have to watch your track work as the pilot and trailing trucks will pick switches and bad joints. I avoid the Roundhouse shays, to much fustration getting them to run well. If you can afford it, and want one GOOD logging engine, spend the $$ for a PFM/United shay. The valve gear all works, its driven thru the shay drive shaft and with some very minor improvements like hardwiring the trucks to the chassis, instead of relying on the front truck to transmit its power thru the bolster screw and spring, make them run like a fine watch. I have a large 3 truck PFM shay and have had several of thier other models. You can occasionaly find them for less that $300, usualy in the mid $200 range for the common B2 two truck. Watch Caboose Hobbies brass pages along with ebay. The Rivarossi Heisler is a good engine, newer versions in the red box are the best with a better motor and detailing. I think Trainworld still has some at excellent prices if you dont care what road name it is. If you want to go the brass shay route but cant fine tune it. I can offer that service, contact me via PM if you need help in that aspect. In closing, and having owned most every example and brand of plastic/diecast logging engines. I wouldnt buy anything but a brass one now. Just me, but the quality is there in a Japanese built brass engine. The finest from China, I dont know. Cheers Mike
tstage is right, Bachmann does have good shays, I have one myself.