How or Why do you purchase your locomotives?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Just for fun [:D]

Gordon

2

I usually buy mine on price & it fits my vision of my layout.

Gordon

3

I would like combo 2&3&5
the UP 1950-1960 era has many possible locomotives by many manufacturers
but I go for detail and manufacturer reputation, for I order most through the internet from the US, because I live in Holland, returning stuff you don’t like is not an option.
(it sometimes takes 6 - 8 weeks to get here )

4

if its a chessie or N&W i ll try to buy it.
stay safe
joe

5

I purchase for the era I model but only consider those locos that are as close to prototype as possible from a manufacture with a good reputation. I buy my MRR stuff from the internet.

6

Bit of all of the above. I buy locos that will look right on the layout, and usually try to create matched pairs when buying cab units. I’ve only ever bought Athearn, Lifelike Proto and Walthers locos - have a couple of Bachmann locos that I’m slowly working on to improve them.

7

The protoype is the first thing. Then, it it fill the nessesary functions, okay. Combo of 1, 2, 3, and 5. It must meet my criteria as a stock model. Very few cases have I have bought somthing I have to do hella work to. (besides weathering)

8

price and how if fits my plan, I would like to go for better detail but usually the price is out of my range. GO PATRIOTS[tup]

9

First, it has to fit my layout, in terms of railroads and era modeled. If the Southern or the L&N didn’t have it in the late '40s or early 50’s I don’t need it. Sticking to that eliminates a lot of truly cool locomotives but also saves a lot of money. After that I consider the manufacturer’s reuptation for quality, accuracy and value.
Tom Watkins

10

I am like Tom, but different railroad, though I do have some Southern E6’s for run through power, and…

11

i know what i want, so i check price,details and manufacturer, then decide.

12

1 & 2 i guess. i went to a show today and this guy was there who i bought a locomotive from last time and he always has a snow plow added and other really detailed pieces so i had to buy a GP40 BN Atlas loco from him for $45. if its below $50 i can usually afford it. but i can rarely buy them.

13

I look for quality first. If satisfied, I look at the cost. I usually purchase diesels two at a time, even if it stretches the budget a bit. I suffer from ‘I’ve-gotta-have-it-like-yesterday’ syndrome. I’m always happy in the end though, so I don’t allow myself to feel guilty about overspending for long.

14

For me it’s a combo of 2, 3, & 5. 5 first cause if it doesn’t fit into the layout it’s not going to get bought no matter what else it has. Then probably 2 cause if I have to add a whole bunch of stuff to it to make it look right then isn’t not going to get bought. I also won’t buy certain brands just because of bad reps.

15

It has to fit my layout. Basiclly if it’s UP or some other western road (like Santa Fe), i’ll buy it. It also has to be the right price.

16

Actually, I don’t buy engines because of ANY of the above. I buy engines because:

  1. they’re of a prototype I need.
  2. they’re engineered well, regardless of who made 'em.
  3. they operate and pull well.
17

I buy most of my stuff on mainly the just becasue factor. Which is usually when something catches my eye during the same amount of time I have the money to purchase it. I do take a more limited approach with my locomotives and passenger cars. Atlantic Coast Line E-6s would look mighty out of place hauling coal in the Powder River Basin.

18

combo of 1+2+3+4+5

19

Pulling power, effective electrical pick, heaviness, and detailing of a model are what I look for when I find my prototype has been made.

Price can cancel out all of these factors. Thats why I’ll probably never own a Lionel Veranda turbine!

20

This and 2,3 and 5 would be my motivators. I have put out big bucks for three of my locos but only because they were hard to come by, would be of benifit to my RR and fir the vision.