It has been 3 years sines I bought a steam engine and think it is time for a new one. I am DCC and modeling HO. I want sound and there is one section left that has a 18 inch turn. It may or may not be replaced depending on a few things.
I have been thinking about another Big Boy or Y6-b. I have one of each (they our PCM’s) and love there Loksound 3.5 decoders. I have 3 BLI’s steamers with QSI decoders and the PCM sound way better.
My first pick would be a Allegheny 2-6-6-2 by Rivarossi (did I spell that right?) But I have not been able to find one on the web. Any links to where I can get one?
Second pick would be a Bachmann USRA 2-6-6-2. Does any one have one here at the site? I have heard they are not great pullers but some snot would fix that. Main thing is sound quality and decoder speed control.
Third would be a Challenger. If I where to buy a Challenger I would want a gray one with smoke lifters so it would not look as much like a Big Boy. I have forgot who made them, was it Athearn?
Fourth would be a Proto 2000 USRA. My LHS has one and it looks plain. Does the Bachmann have better detail, looks like it in the photos I have seen.
I would love a Yellow Stone (Thanks Tom) but as far as I know they only came in Brass.
You should have a idea of the look I like. Prices range is $300 to $500 and might go $600.00 for the perfect articulated. Road name is not important but sound and motor control is so.
Lionel made a very nice HO Challenger, but they go for brass prices on ebay. Otherwise, you are looking at Athearn…or MTH.
The Bachmann 2-6-6-2 is a nice engine, just released. No reports of dissatisfaction out there yet. Maybe in time, but not yet…
Finally, don’t forget the very handsome Walthers P2K Heritage Y3 2-8-8-2. I think modeltrainstuff would be the best place for price, but look around. (M. B. Klein’s), or perhaps trainworld.com.
I’m loving my new paragon 2 Y6b. There’s also a rivarosi big boy that is pre-weathered with sound and dcc. The weathering needs a good touch up but it’s at least started.
Crandell, they show the H 8 has sold out.[banghead] I will look at the Class A, but it looks a lot like the Y6-b.
Hamltnblue, I just cannot see at this point spending $350.00 for a engine that looks like my PCM Y6-b. I am sure yours will not pull more than mine (like I need a better pulling engine) and from what I have seen on U Tube, I like the sound better of the Loksound decoder. Not that yours sound bad. Only thing I don’t like my PCM is the yellow lights and the whistle.
The BLI/PCM N&W Class A is a very nice loco. While it looks a lot like a Y6b, from a prototype standpoint it is a completely different kind of loco. It is a high speed, high power loco like the C&O H8.
The H8’s are great if you can find one. I wouldn’t mind finding one or two more myself at the right price.
The H8 and the Class A both pull very well. I have pulled 65-70 cars up a 2% helix with each of them.
The new Spectrum 2-6-6-2 is a new VERSION, but is the same drive as their previous 2-6-6-2. I have four total, three of the earlier H5 and one of the new H4’s. Mine is less DCC/sound, but my understanding is that they have fixed the decoder issues that plagued LEE with his sound equiped H5.
As for pulling power, they are not bad, but not a BLI Y6b either. But as you said, Snot will fix it.
Both the Class A and the 2-6-6-2 are good choices for your tight curve situation with their fewer drive axles and shorter rigid wheelbase.
Ken, one other note I did not say specificly, my four Bachmann 2-6-6-2’s all run fine from a mechanical standpoint, so seperate from any decoder issues like LEE had, I would say they are a safe bet. Mine of course are all DC, decodeers gone, jumpers installed, motor capacitors removed and weight added to the tenders. Average price of mine - $150, current one with sound can be had for $250 - $300. And, on the off chance you get a bad one, Bachmann simply sends out another, no bothing to fix them.
Aaach…!! Sorry, Ken, usually their notices like that are in red font nearest their price. I don’t know why they put it nearer the top…where I wasn’t looking for it. I’ll keep scouting around.
The Lionel Challenger is currently in production, but is now sold by MTH. I think the PCM Big Boy will also be getting released by MTH eventually.
If you can find one of the Rivarossi 2-6-6-6s for a good price, I would definitely recommend getting one. I have one of the DC versions, and it is all around excellent.[:D] Smooth running, quiet, powerful, and very highly detailed. If you can only find a DC Allegheny, I would still recommend getting it. You could install the sound system of your choice fairly easily, since it’s DCC ready. A lot of them (like mine) have the PC board in the cab, so additional wires would have to be run to the tender.
Take a look at Proto’s latest USRA 2-8-8-2. No, not the N&W Y’s, but the latest ones as delivered to Rio Grande and Northern Pacific. The ones with all the nifty ‘guts’ hung on the front of the boiler. I picked one up a couple of months ago at my LHS, and I couldn’t be happier with it.
Normally, I wouldn’t touch Proto 2000 steam with a ten-foot pole, but this Rio Grande 3400 series 2-8-8-2 is a smooth, quiet runner–GREAT low speed control–, a pretty fair hauler, and has absolutely exquisite detail. I use it on 25-30 car trains up my 2-2.25% long grades, and it pulls without a whimper. If you needed a heavier hauler, you could dab a little Snot on one of the drivers, and it would probably pull the paint off of the walls.
Mine’s DC, but I’ve heard really good reports about the DCC model,also.
Do you know something that we missed about a possible Yellowstone?/ We certainly have asked many times for the B&O EM1 or DM&IR M3 to several companies and I hope your feeling is correct. I don’t see them making the NP 5000 class since they are much older.
MTH just keeping kicking out new products almost monthly but their prices seem to be higher overall than the competition.
CZ, do you know of any recordings of the EM1, I always wondered what the true whislte sounded like. I’ve heard Lionel’s, as impressive as it sounds, I doubt its close to the real whistle.
No, CZ, I just closed my eyes really tightly and willed it to happen. [(-D] It’s as good as gold. Watch for a summer 2011 release. Not sure if it will be MTH or BLI. I can tell you they’d sell every one before the ship left to go get them.
Well, If I can find one in SP colors I am going with the Bachmann H-4. I still waiting for the funds to be released so it depends on what is a available. Plus I am waiting on a slow payer HO Yard Sale, two weeks now!
I might get a Class A in there are any left when I get my money.
I have had two Bachmann Spectrum 2-6-6-2’s on the Grizzly Northern for several years, both usually operating like Swiss watches, despite a lot of handling between home and the club. One is without sound (82601) and one with sound (84801). The sound equipped one lacks a bit of bass to provide a nice deep woof, but my sounds demands are not great - I frequently run it without sound.
What are the physical differences, exterior and interior, and the sound/decoder differences between my two earlier releases and the new release?
The orignal releases, which you have, are USRA 2-6-6-2’s, which is also known on the C&O as an H5.
The new model is a C&O H4, it has a different tender, the H4 tender is a C&O vanderbilt design.
The H4 also has slide valves on the front (low presure) cylinders, a different cab and some other small detail differences.
Mechanically the models are both the same, but the new H4 does have a different lighting/interface circuit board unlike any previous Bachmann model.
I do not have a sound version and I do not use DCC, so I can’t really speak to any differences regarding DCC or sound.
I have three of the earlier version as well as one of the new H4. All four run well and pull well in my opinion. Two of my H5’s have been converted to Bachmann long vanderbilt tenders and lettered for my ATLANTIC CENTRAL. I have added weight to all the tenders.
Well if you wanna go big why not go all the way? One of my favorites the old Erie Triplex one heck of a great locomotive not to mention a great conversation piece when your friends see smoke coming from the tender.
