My active roster consists of the Spectrum 4-4-0, 4-6-0, 2-8-0 and 2-10-0 steam engines.
They are all fine running engines and picking a favorite is difficult. But there is just something about the 4-6-0 engines that makes them stand out from the rest.
They may not be the strongest pullers of the group, but with a bit of extra weight they handle all that I need them to pull.
my 2-8-0 doesnt eaxactly haul the mail but it looks so good pulling 30 old time freight cars with a little caboose
I got the 2-8-0 Rock Island,,since it IS my only Spectrum steamer , it wins by default.
It's between the 4-4-0 and 2-8-0
I like my Berkshire but the 2-8-0 is faster, pulling a heavier longer load with more rolling resistance (plastic wheels)...oh wait the Berk is not Spectrum but the 2-8-0 wins anyway
No contest - it's my three-truck Shay.
tac
www.ovgrs.org
My Richmond 4-4-0 (unlettered, pinstripes, wood cab, slide valves).
I waited forever for someone to make a good circa-1900 American.
I'm one of the lucky ones who still has a couple of operating HO Climax engines on the layout.
That's going to be my vote.....these little critters are amazing to watch.
Sid
In On30, the T-boiler Shay. In HO, the Richmond 4-4-0 as Ma and Pa No. 6, probably my all-time favorite steam loco.
Well, I will break from the pack.
My favorite Spectrum loco is by far the USRA Heavy Mountain.
My ATLANTIC CENTRAL now has eight of them and they are the backbone of our steam fleet.
They pull well, run smooth and look good. We have three different versions.
Two are oil fired for pasenger service with hicken tenders, two are repainted C&O versions with the long vandy tender and four are as built version with the long USRA tender.
We also have a number of 2-8-0's, 2-6-6-2's and large driver 4-6-0's with which we are also very happy.
Sheldon
the Climax or the Shay.. searching for coin to flip.
my UP usra light mountain, no contest
Easy - American 4-4-0...I feel Jeff and I are 'voices crying in the wilderness'.
Ray
I have no favourites. All engines were purchased to perform a particular function and to fill a need. I don't have any, "Must have one of those as they are cool" engines. Makes budgeting easier and reduces impulse buying. I feel this discipline also makes for a more harmonious and realistic locomotive roster.
Not sure of the numbers but I have a minimum of three each of the following. Not all are currently in service. These are the Spectrum engines: -
Heavy 4-8-2 used mainly for freight but equipped for passenger service - Slowly being kibashed with vestibule cabs and kitbashed Hicken tenders. The Hicken tenders all converted from from oil to coal and shortened by one water course ring to make them look more Canadian.
Light 4-8-2 used for passenger service - Some kitbashed with vestibule cabs. Those equipped with vestibule cabs have the tender kitbashed to match the vestibule cab. Because they are the premier GER passenger engines they have running board side skirts a la CPR. All will eventually have the vestibule cab and matching kitbashed tender.
2-8-0. Eight of them, or more, some still in boxes. Some with the original tender, but mostly with a kitbashed tender that's six feet shorter. This kitbashed tender will become the 2-8-0s standard tender but in two versions as the newer version is an easier kitbash. :-)
2-10-0. Three of them kitbashed with new steam domes, sand boxes and other changes to make them look less Russian.
4-6-0. Low driver. Still in boxes. Going to swap slide valve cylinders for piston vales and replace steam dome and sand boxes and other detail changes.
4-6-0. High driver. Still in boxes, changes planned as above.
In addition to any changes outlined above, every tender has had high coal rails added to the bunker as a minimum. All have tenders received step boards on the rear of the tender as this was almost a standard in Canada. All tender will also receive deck hand rails around the perimeter of the tender deck as I've recently found out this was standard in Canada. All engines have had bells added on the smokebox front if they did not come with them and other minor detail changes.
In addition, there are two Athearn 2-8-2s & two 4-6-2s, one P2K 0-8-0 & one 0-6-0 and three IHC 2-10-2, all have been kitbashed.
Then there are numerous diesels.
I love my 2-8-0. Did I say that I love it? ;D
I would say my 2-8-0 and 2-8-2 SY are my favorites. Followed by the 4-8-2, and 4-6-0.
My Heavy 4-8-2s are my favorites but my sons' Light 2-10-2s are a close second. After that, the 2-8-0 and the 2-10-0 are great engines, but not favorites (I'd hate to be without them, though).
Regards
I love my 2-10-0. It is just right pulling my "Old" passenger cars. My Shay is the BOMB!! I have NEVER had any of the problems that others seem too... Then there is my Light Mountain...(Waiting for more to be produced!!) I just received the Doodlebug for Christmas.
Did I mention I run my Shay more than any other of my engines.
I do have 15 other Bachmann Plus ones... I have enjoyed them ALL. I had to learn how to make them DCC ready.... I have many Bachmann engines, and they are all good dependable runners.
My absolute favorite engine of all 44 engines on my pike is the Spectrum 0-6-0 tank engine.
Now there it comes DCC Installed!
Thanks MR. Bachmann!!
Shay, without a doubt! 8)
Love my DCC ready Bachmann Spectrum J. It's a trooper!
Also love my shay. How about a 2 truck version? ;)
I think i have atleast 1 of every spectrum steamer, with the exception of the china mikados.
5 2-8-0's (4 B&O 1 C&O)
4 Heavy Mountains(2 B&O 2 C&O including George Washington)
1 2-10-0 (B&O)
1 4-8-4 J-Class (B&O)
4 0-6-0 Saddle Tanks (B&O)
2 2-6-6-2 Mallets (B&O)
9 4-4-0's (5 B&O, 2 Ma & Pa, 1 Southern and 1 Pepsi Cola which is about to become a funeral loco, you'll see)
4 2-Truck Climax's (B&O on all 4 for now, 3, maybe all4 only 1 truck drive)
6 4-6-0 (2 high boiler 4 low boiler, B&O 1 High Boiler 2 Low Boiler, Ma & Pa Low Boiler, Pepsi Cola High Boiler(to be repainted and repaired) and Southern Low Boiler
1 3-Truck Shay (B&O
Am I missing any steamers besides the Chinese locos?
Guess you can say I like em all!
Quote from: BaltoOhioRRfan on January 16, 2010, 10:45:16 AM
I think i have atleast 1 of every spectrum steamer, with the exception of the china mikados.
5 2-8-0's (4 B&O 1 C&O)
4 Heavy Mountains(2 B&O 2 C&O including George Washington)
1 2-10-0 (B&O)
1 4-8-4 J-Class (B&O)
4 0-4-0 Saddle Tanks (B&O)
2 2-6-6-2 Mallets (B&O)
9 4-4-0's (5 B&O, 2 Ma & Pa, 1 Southern and 1 Pepsi Cola which is about to become a funeral loco, you'll see)
4 2-Truck Climax's (B&O on all 4 for now, 3, maybe all4 only 1 truck drive)
6 4-6-0 (2 high boiler 4 low boiler, B&O 1 High Boiler 2 Low Boiler, Ma & Pa Low Boiler, Pepsi Cola High Boiler(to be repainted and repaired) and Southern Low Boiler
1 3-Truck Shay (B&O
Am I missing any steamers besides the Chinese locos?
Guess you can say I like em all!
I did not know that Spectrum had released a 0-4-0 tank. You seem to have missed the 4-6-2 Pennsy.
sorry 0-6-0 tank,
and yes i forgot about the K4, though the idea crossed my mind to get one and strip it of the keystone, replace it with a capital dome :) haha.
Quote from: BaltoOhioRRfan on January 16, 2010, 04:26:51 PM... and yes i forgot about the K4, though the idea crossed my mind to get one and strip it of the keystone, replace it with a capital dome :)
Ha, ha, I wondered when I saw Pacific Northern's post. From your user name, I had wondered if you were as indoctrinated as I was growing up in a B&O family. From earliest years, my grandfather (who worked as a steamfitter/boiler maker for Washington Terminal Co) would line me and my little cousins up and make us say "The B&O is the WAY TO GO!" And then he'd say "What about the Pennsy?" And we'd hold our noses and shout "NO, NO, NO!" ;D And I learned from others to "hate" the PRR although I was always fascinated by the fleets of GG-1's that I would see at Washington DC's Union Station. I have a Bowser / Penn Line GG-1 undecorated shell and have toyed with the idea of painting it in a B&O blue, black and gray scheme with logos and gold stripes just to see what it would look like. But I have resisted, thinking it would be kind of a crime against nature :o
Cheers,
Robert
I ALMOST did that once, i just couldnt find an IHC one to paint up.
Quote from: BaltoOhioRRfan on January 16, 2010, 10:45:16 AM
I think i have atleast 1 of every spectrum steamer, with the exception of the china mikados.
5 2-8-0's (4 B&O 1 C&O)
4 Heavy Mountains(2 B&O 2 C&O including George Washington)
1 2-10-0 (B&O)
1 4-8-4 J-Class (B&O)
4 0-6-0 Saddle Tanks (B&O)
2 2-6-6-2 Mallets (B&O)
9 4-4-0's (5 B&O, 2 Ma & Pa, 1 Southern and 1 Pepsi Cola which is about to become a funeral loco, you'll see)
4 2-Truck Climax's (B&O on all 4 for now, 3, maybe all4 only 1 truck drive)
6 4-6-0 (2 high boiler 4 low boiler, B&O 1 High Boiler 2 Low Boiler, Ma & Pa Low Boiler, Pepsi Cola High Boiler(to be repainted and repaired) and Southern Low Boiler
1 3-Truck Shay (B&O
Am I missing any steamers besides the Chinese locos?
Guess you can say I like em all!
Oh, you are also missing the Light Mountain and the 2-10-2
accully i have a 2-10-2 but it no longer has the spectrum boiler on it....but i may get one and keep the boiler on it
and forgot about the light mountain, want one but cant find one.
I'd like a couple of Spectrum 2-10-2s but I think the undec only comes with that odd ball "Southern" valve gear so that makes it a no go for me. :(
Quote from: pipefitter on January 16, 2010, 04:52:15 PM
Quote from: BaltoOhioRRfan on January 16, 2010, 04:26:51 PM... and yes i forgot about the K4, though the idea crossed my mind to get one and strip it of the keystone, replace it with a capital dome :)
Ha, ha, I wondered when I saw Pacific Northern's post. From your user name, I had wondered if you were as indoctrinated as I was growing up in a B&O family. From earliest years, my grandfather (who worked as a steamfitter/boiler maker for Washington Terminal Co) would line me and my little cousins up and make us say "The B&O is the WAY TO GO!" And then he'd say "What about the Pennsy?" And we'd hold our noses and shout "NO, NO, NO!" ;D And I learned from others to "hate" the PRR although I was always fascinated by the fleets of GG-1's that I would see at Washington DC's Union Station. I have a Bowser / Penn Line GG-1 undecorated shell and have toyed with the idea of painting it in a B&O blue, black and gray scheme with logos and gold stripes just to see what it would look like. But I have resisted, thinking it would be kind of a crime against nature :o
Cheers, :D
Robert
A late friend of mine used to say that his grandmother always said, "Nice people ride the B&O." If a room was a mess, she'd say, "This room looks like Pennsylvania Station."