How do you like your locomotives?


jbaakko

jbaakko

Diesel Detail Freak
Since we got the time period thread, this one can be a little more open...

I'm wondering how you like your locomotives, as in:
Detailed/Plain
Weathered/Undec
RTR/Kit/Scratch Built/Bashed
DC/DCC/Dummy
Sound/no Sound

Anything else I missed?

We all know I detail custom painted units, I scratch/bash...
 
I'm wondering how you like your locomotives
Click to expand...
Well now that's a tall order. Let's see I'd like them to be highly detailed, in fact a miniature exact replica of the prototype paint weathering, the works! Surround Sound and computer controlled so all I'd have to do was rail fan in one spot.
Well that's what I'd like, but although I can dream up a storm, I'm not that good of a model builder so I'll settle for the best I can do with someone else's advice. (Actually my model building does improve each time as I use the tips given on the forums :D ) Surround sound is out, but I do have a couple of MRC sound generators and lot's of switches and speakers. I'll settle for DC as DCC is not in the budget at this time. I did keep an old XT 8086 computer for the purpose of computerizing some of the layout, but I know now I'll never have the time for it.
So in summation, Locos as detailed as is within my ability, painted, decaled and with light weathering. I like kit bashing them from whatever s close enough to fit the bill (like the trucks on my 630's are U33C. Building Dofasco 3 axle trucks for them is not beyond my ability but I doubt that I'll do it. Too much work for so little reward). I have no plans for dummys, they'll all be powered as DCC is not totally out of the picture. One concern would be finding a decoder small enough, and of sufficient current capabilities to run my RS18 s
Now in regard to sound, I'm quite hard of hearing, frequency losses the hearing aids can't compensate for. So I'd have to hear those wonderful sound decoders before I'd even consider investing in them.
Well that's my babbling for now So!
Next :D

Cheers Willis
 
I can count on one hand the number of models I've seen that meet my personal detail/paint standards nearly right out of the box. So, while I don't really go to the scratchbuilt level on my locomotives a la Liz Allen or Brian Banna, I do "Cannonize" them and do my level best to match them to a specific prototype at a particular time. Of course, once you've done that, you have to paint them, no matter how nice it is to see all that Cannon gray in all its glory.

And once you've done a couple dozen locomotives this way, you start looking at your freight car fleet with a more critical eye. The slope gets real slippery from there... ;)
 
I don't know enough to know if an engine has the wrong light or boiler, but I know I like sound, I like them to run smooth, and I like them to have a little mud on them.
 
Well you know I like my UP locos and some of its fallen flags.

Detailed/Plain Detailed
Weathered/Undec Weathered moderately and some heavily
RTR/Kit/Scratch Built/Bashed I like all of these no preference because usually the loco will get some detail added no matter what.
DC/DCC/Dummy DCC and I do have a few dummy units for now particulaly my slugs and B units
Sound/no Sound no sound

Anything else I missed? As for running I like the speed table set up to prototypical speed or as close as possible and not some outrageous screaming banshee like some race car or something.

thats about it for now:D
 
I have a weak budget, So, i can only detail the really important stuff for now. I mostly do the numberboards, strobe light, sunshades, and KD5's. I would love to do some weathering and proto specific detailing, but can't really afford to. So, it's minor detailling for me......for now.
 
Detailed/Plain: I don't usually go out of the way to detail every last part of my engines, but it's nice to have some detail.
Weathered/Undec: Very slightly weathered for me. Just enough to dull the colors a bit goes a long way IMHO.
RTR/Kit/Scratch Built/Bashed: I prefer RTR engines, I always like being able to run my engines right out of the box.
DC/DCC/Dummy: DCC.
Sound/no Sound: No sound. For me sound engines aren't worth the investment (yet).
 
I've only managed to dig up the lonley loco seen in the WPF pictures, but I'm eyeballin a couple new models, Mp15dc w/ sound and i dont know what else yet...still undecided.

I'll be sending the units off the Josh for paint and detail work. I prefer highly detailed, my layout is small, so having highly detailed units is important to me.
 
I like mine with simple details and not weathered except for the trucks and fuel tank.
I added the side mount bell and weathered the trucks and fuel tanks

Picture-004-2.jpg


On this unit I added horns,visors and weathered the trucks

Picture002.jpg


I added horns,painted the wheel faces and weathered the trucks.

Picture-003-9.jpg
 
I've gotten spoiled since I started buying Kato, Atlas and P2K. There are still a few Athearn BBs around, but either they've been "dummified" or had the shell put on a Kato drive.

IOW, I like locos that run smoothly and slowly.

While I prefer as much detail as possible, that is not as much of a priority as smooth operation. One of these years I'll be able to affford to have DCC decoders installed in all of them, but for now I'm perfectly content with "stone age" technology! As for sound, I'm really not very impressed with what's currently on the market so I'm doing without it. Plus, the [prototype] 3rd-generation EMDs with their turbochargers and Q fans are essentially silent (white noise don't count) compared with the Geeps and F units I grew up with!:D
 
I like mine running. Detailing will be minor, weathering also - the nice thing is my prototype trys to keep them clean.
 
I like mine detailed. The level of detail depends on how I feel about the project. My main power is more detailed then the lease and run thru power is.
I like my stuff to be weathered. Usually alittle too much weathering.
I like to kit bash and scratch build, but I also have lots of nearly out of the box power.
My new stuff is all DCC and I'm slowly adding some sound units to the mix.
 
I have mixed emotions about weathering. I know it's realistic, and in fact, I do like it when rolling stock is weathered. Because that's the way I see them.

On the flip side, if I spend $150 on a loco, or I spend all the time and effort to custom paint and undec, I don't like seeing them 'messed up'. It's like buying a new car and dinging it up because all cars are dinged up. Or, taking it to the car wash.

Now, I'll buy a preweathered loco; that doesn't seem to have that kind of connotation as adding weathering. Or, I'll initially paint something up in a manner which results in a grungy, weathered look without actually messing up a pristine paint job....

Kennedy
 
I like mine detailed and weathered. I would like to super detail once I get a little more GREEN. I haven't done much weathering yet but I will.

-Smoke
 
I love a mixed batch...Love the weathered and new look...But I too am afraid to weather a new one, especially when it took me so long to save up for it! :) Also I am hard to please when I do something. Everyone else says,"That looks great!" But I always think I could have done better...I am too hard on myself...I paint cars sometimes and am never happy with my work even tho others like it. I guess its just me. I could have someone else do the same thing and I'd be satisfied, but me??...That's another story!!
 
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