I have three 2-8-2 Mikes (Athearn, BLI, and Trix) and everyone of them handles 18" curves and Snap tracks just fine. The Bachmann 2-8-0 that Crandell mentioned would also be a fine choice. As someone already mentioned, try and lay as big a radius curve as you can on your layout. I have a 4 x 8 and I have all 22" radius curves on my mainline except for a short 3-piece section of 18" radius. The 22" radius serves as easements in and out of the 18" radius section.
As far as visually, the 2-8-2s look OK going through 18" radius curves and, obviously, better through the 22" radius. Even the manufacturers have designed the larger 4-8-8-4s to go through 18" radius curves but they don’t look very pretty doing it. I’d stick with the smaller steam.
Actually, the one you have pictured at the bottom of your post is a 4-8-4.
Cudaken
If you don’t mind a quick lesson…
Steam engines… big smelly things that stand around cold until some poor guy creeps out of bed on a cold morning, climbs into an enormous firebox to light a very small fire which over the next several hours he builds up to be a massive lump of white hot coal that would melt the metal above it if the other side wasn’t several hundred gallons of water. That water gets turned to steam at 200lbs per sqare inch or more… so if things go wrong the whole lot can go BANG big time.
Then some other guy goes round a whole load of complicated machinery bits with an oil can. The thing is supposed to have forced feed lubrication but this is even worse than a Rice Burning Motorcycle [V][xx(][:(!] so he goes round and checks and tops up every time the monster has done a few miles.
Then another guy in a funny hat comes along and takes this nicely cleaned, well oiled machine out on the track, runs all the oil out, burns all the fuel, uses up the water AND GETS IT DIRTY!
[i]AND[/i**] that** guy don’t even park it when he brings it back! Some poor scmuck called a Hostler has to do all that… and a whole team of guys have to climb all over and under it cleaning the grit and dead bugs off it so that it shines like it did when the first poor guy climbed out of bed and went lit the fire.
Now a nice diesel engine you climb in, press the start switch, let the engine idle to warm up for a bit while you get comfy in a nice fully closed cab (with a heater, a cooker a water cooler and a john), then you pull up to the fuelling rack, top off the tank and off you go to run around for the day. When you get back you slide it through an oversized car wash (unless you work for SP when you get a few buckets of mud and through them at it) tuck it up for the night and go off to soak up a few nice cool beers of your choice.
It’s like with your cars… which did you prefer
Man I seams I started something here. Like Mopar guys and Chevy guys going at it.
First of all what is a tstage? Remember I am new to this game.
As far as my loacl train shop not knowing his stuff, I don’t think so. Do a keyword serack for K-10 trains. Ken from K-10 knows me now and my lack of skill at laying track (better with his help) so maybe that is the reason he told me they are a pain. Heck at ine point not to long ago a Athearn F-7 could not make it around my board.
Era, (Time frame) I am so new to this I would not know when a Engine was bulit. I mainly have round nose F-7’s Erie Bulit and E-6’s. It was till Ranchero told me they where mid 40’s that I knew they where that old and NO LONGER USED?
Is http://www.trainworld.com/ a places I can trust to buy from? War Baby is $69.99 #11323 ALL SO like there NYC Niagra #11305.
To steam, or not to steam, that is the question?[:D] OK cheap steam.
Dinwitty, in regards to steam engines going blat…SP GS, Mountains and cab forwards, Milw 4-6-4s, and 4-84s, NYC Niagaras and most certainly many others, but those are the ones I know about from personal experience.
One factor nobody’s mentioned is relative pulling power. I lust after big, modern steam but I like to run 40-50 car frt trains and they won’t do it. Major frustration in uncoupling a 3 unit set of old Athearn F-7s that agregate 4500 HP (in prototype) and replacing them w/ a model of a 5000 hp steam engine and that just sits there and spins its wheels. Of course, if you’re not planning on running 50 car frt trains this is all academic
If you are limited to 18 inch curves, I’d limit myself to nothing larger than a 2-8-0 non-brass model. You are courting problems (performance and appearance) otherwise. (Brass models usually require larger radii than others.) Actually, 2-6-0s and small-driver 2-6-2s would be best with your radius.
If you want to know when a particular type of loco was built, either do a web search, or post a ? in here. Your LHS may know. For more info, find the book “Diesel Locomotives: The First 50 Years”. Published by our hosts, Kalmbach. That’s where my info came from.
Trainworld has excellent prices, some of the best I’ve seen. Their shipping is super fast (product usually ships same day as ordered) and they use UPS. My only suggestion would be to do your homework prior to calling them. Know what it is you want. Its makes the whole transaction smoother when the customer is educated.
First of all Tom, I am sorry I messed up![:D] If I am posting I have a brew in my hand. With out the brew I am not that sharp anyway.[^]
Thanks to Areibel I will soon learn the pleasure or pain on steam. He should change is name to The God Father, he made me a offer I could not refuses I will post PIC of my new prizes as soon as I get it. AL 3 day Express mail kind sir.
As far as pulling power, I like a long freight train as well, but so far the max I have been abel to pull is 36 cars with out a problem, not do to like of power but lack of well laied track and cars not all right. I am working on that. E-6 A and Erie Bulit and dummy F-7 A hauling 30 cars and, well that is 20 feet.[^]
Any one eles used Train World, is there shipping fair cost fair? Beside the steam engines they have 100 pices of Model Power flex track code 100 for $119.99 + shipping. I know the name Model Power but never used anything from them. I have been using Atlas, is it better or the same quality as Model Power.
Thanks for all the time you folks have spent with your answers and the Steam Engine coming.
Cudaken–
Okay–steam: My Yuba River Sub is 100% steam, some of the locomotives dating back to the early 1960’s, so when I speak, I know of what I am speaking of, LOL!
Steam–prototype. Something goes wrong, takes five minutes to find out what, three days to fix it.
Diesel–prototype: Something goes wrong, takes three days to find out what, five minutes to fix it.
Okay, now we’ve got THAT out of the way!
Model steam: Don’t think of 18" radius, think of at least 24". The reason I say this is that once you get bit by the steamer bug, you’re going to want more and BIGGER locos, and a lot of non-articulateds, especially when you get into 4-8-4, 2-10-2 or 2-10-4’s are going to NEED that radius if they’re going to pull a train through without sounding as if they’re in Death Throes. And though some of the newer articulateds are ‘double-jointed’ in the middle, you might–JUST MIGHT–fall in love with that big brass Hunker that nobody does in plastic, and it’s going to be articulated just like the prototype, rear drivers fixed and front drivers swiveling. And it will NOT look kindly on 18 or 22" radii. Believe me.
So, first of all, if you’re going into steam (bless you, BTW) look for wider radii then your diesels. And if you go into steam, be prepared to do a little more ‘tinkering’ with the loco (periodic oiling of things like valve gear and worms), and realize that though your AC4400 or whatever can grind itself through dirty track spots, the pickup on steamers is a little more delicate, so that your track will have to be cleaned a little more frequently than you thought–that’s why Tomar makes track shoes for steam locos, BTW.
But if you’re willing to go through with all of this–and I’ve been willing since about 1964–you’ll find that you’re having an awful lot of FUN watching those steamers clack and clink over your railroad.
On the real railroads, steam was replaced by diesel for a reason. Doesn’t mean that we steam freaks have to follow sui
Tom, a new Tom you need to speak stupid too me, what are (Tomar makes track shoes for steam locos, BTW. )
On turns, well I not sure where I am going with that. I will be posting in the track section about board up grades. Track is aginst the wall and board is U Shaped at 45 " wide. When there is a problem in the wrong spot, I can hardly reach the derail.
Track cleaning, hum. Have not cleaned the trck all the way around, well never in 5 months, Cannot reach all of it at 6’4"?
As far as Brass, what little I know about there cost un less I win the local Lotto NO way, well I hope. I got into this hobby because it is cheaper than my main love. 1:1 Mopars. Nothing like a $12,000.00 K motor taking a dump after 85 miles.
I will stay with Proto 2000’s Max. If I go brass, I will tell the wife where I keep the hand guns.
My friends and associates (as well as myself) have been trying to figure that out for YEARS! [:D]
Trainworld is a terrific place to get things from - fast and cheap. Shipping is $7.95 usually. I bought a $110 Proto 2000 S1 from them for $29.99. [:0] From the time ordered till the time received: 4 days. (Course, that might depend where you are having it shipped it.) However, don’t expect the staff to be very knowledgeable about their stock.
M.B. Klein is also an equally good online store to find great deals. Lotsa locomotives are 50% off list. They also have the Proto 2000 S1 for dirt cheap. Here’s their web site link:
Now Ken… Every MR must have a Steam Engine, it’s the right thing to do so don’t put off any more[:D]
Fergie
Standing strong with over 25 Steam Engines on the roster. If you see any Diesels on the layout, they’re just passing through or being towed or belong to Dad.[:I]
The bottom line is: You have to decide for yourself what you want to model.
Many of us model an era and whatever was used in that era is what we try to use. That is why it is called a model railroad. It is a hobby and a fun one at that and you should have fun with it. When it stops being fun, it is no longer worth doing it.
If you take all of our advice, you will probably buy another $12,000 motor and give up this hobby.
Tom, the car is a 1969 Dodge Charger R/T. Or as I like to call it “THE MONEY PIT”.
Well I have a Steam Engine coming, here is the PIC Al sent me.
All so thanks for the link to Model Train Stuff. Only problem I have with there site and Train World is the lack of PIC. Like I said i am very new to this hobby and only know a few engines names. Heck I had no idea what a S-1 was. Had to do a keyword seach to find a PIC so I knew what it looked like.
Some of there prices looked great, some the same as my LHS. I have gotton some deals that are better off E-Bay, like Power set of Erire A & B for $60.00 with shipping. But then again, we know about the bidding wars as well.
An interesting read for sure. I got upset with diesels the day they started to replace the steam on the old Boston & Maine. Why you might wonder? Compare the two whistles. Nothing like a steam whistle.