I have been having trouble deciding on, and once I’ve decided then finding a manufacturer. This is what I do know. I’m going to be creating a Northern California coastal mountain model.
I was thinking 1880’s but now maybe I’m thinking I can expand my possibilities a bit and raise the bar to 1920. I was thinking passenger train. Now I’m expanding to logging and freight.
I want something that performs on 18" radiuses and the more I look at it, the more cool DCC is looking. The railroad line I’ve picked is Southern Pacific and that seems to be where the problem lies.
4-4-0 don’t seem to exist with Southern Pacific Markings.
2-6-0 exist in Southern Pacific. But what I’ve found is either IHC Premier (which I understand is out of production) or MDC Roundhouse for $400. There is also a 4-train set by an unnamed manufacter for $140.
2-8-0 exists from MDC Roundhouse for $90.
2-8-4 Spectrum exists for the Southern Pacific at $255 and has DCC, but I’m worried about the 18" radius turns.
Can anyone give me any suggestions? Maybe a different line that worked the same area that might be availible in some of the options.
Get a Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 Consolidation and put your own decoder into it later if you decide to switch to DCC. The Spectrum engines run very smoothly, are well detailed, and are “DCC ready” meaning that there is a socket in the tender into which a decoder can be plugged.
If you can’t find a Spectrum 2-8-0, try a Spectrum Heavy 4-8-2 Mountain type. The come decorated for Southern Pacific and can take 18" curves with ease.
I didn’t say it was unavailible. I also heard that it was not of the highest quality–that for a little more I could get a better loco. I’m also looking for DCC ready. I was ready to jump on this a couple days ago but got talked out of it.
Does anyone know of another line operating in Northern CA in that period. I noticed a few logging trains companies, but I don’t know who worked there.
If you can afford it, I would try finding a brass Westside T28 or T31 Ten Wheeler, these were very common on the SP. I realize you would probably have to learn how to completely disassemble the model to paint it unless you found one that was already painted.
As a second choice the Bachman Spectrum 4-6-0 might work, it is a little small compared to the SP models. Again you could go with the MDC Harriman Ten-Wheeler, they can come with the correct vanderbilt tender the T-28 and T-31’s had. and the Harriman is correct for the SP.
Ever consider “Freelance”? If you can’t find what your looking for invent it! That’s one of the reasons I went that direction as I wanted to run what I liked and not have my hands tied due to availability or cost.
In Regards to Mehano. They are good clean engines. The detailing isn’t as crisp as some of the other manufacturers but you can always add your own parts. As for DCC ready. Well if your any good with a soldering iron there is no reason why you can’t wire in your own decoder. It really isn’t that hard, trust me! I just went DCC this past month and have installed three decoders to date and one went into a Mehano and took me under an hour to install.
Moguls and other early locomotives, dont sell in large numbers - watch for used proucts. Styles and sizes changed with era’s. 99% of track was laid in 1800’s.
I deas:? wai until Joe Fugate comes back online with his 'Siskiyou Llnes website.
