Do you have a particular favorite locomotive that you just enjoy running on your layout; one that brings a smile to your face whenever you see her?
I pulled one of my Trix Mikados out of the storage box this past evening and plunked her down in front of a line of tank cars. She is one of the sweetest and smoothest runners I have, as far as steamers go. It was just a joy to see her stretch her legs again for a few laps before she parked in front of the freight depot for the evening.
This was the first “serious” (i.e. quality) locomotive purchase for me and - thankfully - I got it at a heavy discount a number of years back.
Your favorite locomotive doesn’t have to be the biggest or the fanciest. Just whatever one brings you the most enjoyment.
These two P2K S-1s never get rotated off the layout. Smooth and reliable. Then, in June, I picked up an undecorated Kato drive Atlas RSD-5. Needs painted, but talk about smooth and quiet!. (no pix.)
May I enter another picture? In 1986 My wife bought me the starting point MDC 2-6-0 kit (after some very specific hints) so I could build the 4-4-0 that I always wanted. It uses a shortened Mantua-Tyco boiler and a few other items Thus the road number 86. This was a little golden spike ceremony for when the layout loop was first completed. I think this one gets the vote.
I need to get better pictures of all the fleet, huh? Dan
I can’t speak of one specific locomotive…but more so pairs.
I have a pair of Athearn SD40-2’s painted Conrail…I think they could pull my 5500 pound Ford F250 out of a ditch. Not really, but I think you get the meaning.
They run exceptionally well, noisy to scaring my dog and cat into a closet, and can pull a well laden 75 car train around my layout with mainline grades of 1.5%.
Since I run DC, they can trip the breaker @ 3 amps.
The Jewel of my fleet is a CN U2-g a friend of mine gave me. It’s made by Trueline Trains and is number 6213. It’s a replica of the one that was at the CNE grounds in Toronto before it was moved. When I was a kid I remember taking pictures of it.
This started out as a Mantua Pacific. Working from pictures and articles I made her look like a B&M class P4 Pacific. I put in a can motor, spoked drivers replaced the boxpox drivers she came with. I put in a cast brass pilot, and airpumps on the front deck. The paint is dark gray auto primer. The prototype was displayed outside the Boston Science Museum for years before going to Steamtown. She pulls most of my passenger trains and she went to a couple of Ammonusuc Valley Railway Association open houses and ran all day on the modular layout.
Nope. I can’t do it. Want a picture of my favorite child? That’s easy. But favorite locomotive? No way.
Each and every one has a reason it’s special, steamers, diesels, road engines, switchers, subways and trolleys. I’ve painted, weathered, renumbered, added decoders and speakers. At the very least, I’ve tweaked the sound levels on every sound-equipped engine. They’re all mine, all personalized.
That favorite child is our daughter, Annie. She’s a one-and-only, and that’s the only way I could pick a favorite.
I have a modest, but varied, collection of steamers and two modern diesels. As others have stated, I haven’t purchased a locomotive that didn’t appeal to me greatly. In that sense, they’re all favourites.
I love my BLI Pennsy J1
Those who have one know they are fantastic, about the best puller there is in non-brass. A PCM Y6b
I also love my Niagara, also a BLI
An suprisingly good locomotive, reliable, powerful, strong tractive effort, the BLI Pennsy T1
Another great runner, reasonably capable as a scale model, the BLI N&W J Class
To keep this short, I’ll add only one more (remember, I looove all my stable!), and even tho’ they didn’t get great reviews, and even though Lionel left HO shortly after their production, perhaps forever, this Challenger has been incredibly strong and reliable. It isn’t the most detailed loco I have, but I love it as a true rail tracker and tonnage hauler.
Picking one over another is a near impossible task. From the first Bowser I built and detailed to the last brass steamer I super detailed and rebuilt. If I had had to pick only one to keep forever it would have to be the Overland brass 0-6-0. I love to switch this little gem.
Well, you guys that know me probably ;think that I’d post one of my big articulateds, but actually, when it comes down to “jewels”, I’ll have to go with my stubby little Rio Grande C-48 2-8-0. She’s a brass Trains, Inc. import–have no idea how old she is–she’s been re-motored and re-balanced and is definitely a jewel when it comes to running. And I think she’s cuter than all get-out to boot.
