Darkscot
New Member
Hello
I live in the UK and my current layout is British steam (LMS) OO gauge set in late 1940s West Yorkshire. It is an L shaped end to end layout located in a cellar (basement). However, the cellar needs a new ceiling, rewiring, painting and general improvements. As a result, all work on my layout has ceased and it is going to have to be dismantled and stored for an unknown number of weeks.
I have always wanted to have a go at an American based layout and this seems the ideal opportunity/excuse to start one. I came across Dave Howell's '63rd Street Yard' several years ago and always said if I ever did a US layout it would be based on that, though maybe slightly simplified.
What I am looking for is recommendations for an 'interesting' switching loco. American image models from Bachmann and Kato are readily available here, but they tend to be mainly modern image diesel or 1940/50s steam. There are a few specialists shops that offer obscure brands like Atlas and Athearn, but I have no idea what sort of quality they are.
So my requirements are:
Thank you in advance.
I live in the UK and my current layout is British steam (LMS) OO gauge set in late 1940s West Yorkshire. It is an L shaped end to end layout located in a cellar (basement). However, the cellar needs a new ceiling, rewiring, painting and general improvements. As a result, all work on my layout has ceased and it is going to have to be dismantled and stored for an unknown number of weeks.
I have always wanted to have a go at an American based layout and this seems the ideal opportunity/excuse to start one. I came across Dave Howell's '63rd Street Yard' several years ago and always said if I ever did a US layout it would be based on that, though maybe slightly simplified.
What I am looking for is recommendations for an 'interesting' switching loco. American image models from Bachmann and Kato are readily available here, but they tend to be mainly modern image diesel or 1940/50s steam. There are a few specialists shops that offer obscure brands like Atlas and Athearn, but I have no idea what sort of quality they are.
So my requirements are:
- Diesel switching loco
- Late sixties, early seventies era.
- Probably N gauge. I will have to buy new track anyway, so thought changing scales would be interesting.
- DCC with sound, literally all the bells and whistles!
- 'interesting' and/or unusual colour scheme. Less common railroad than the likes of Santa Fe, Union Pacific et al? I saw the 'Elgin & something' railroad recently which caught my eye as I used to live in the original Elgin.
Thank you in advance.