Locomotives Query


Maxitrains

Member
Hi there,

I am mostly new in this hobby and still discovering brands of locomotives. The layout I am constructing is in HO scale. The only thing I know so far is that I bought a diesel engine from Roco, which I really like especially for its weight and smooth running, also the motor is barely hear at high speed running, and when I run it slow, it cannot be even heard. I also got a Rivarossi 2-8-2 engine, which is very nice, but the motor is somehow a little noisy, and also 2 Bachmann (British) engines which mistakenly I bought in OO scale, thinking they would run good on HO tracks, but I will keep those aside and run them from time to time.

My query is that I am building a scenery that's based in U.S. and the age I want to build it is the transition between the steam engines and the diesel, but I'm not really restricted to any era. I would like to run both Steam and heavy puller diesel engines on it. Can anyone suggest a good brand, which mainly does not have high prices, but mostly has angines which run very smooth?

I would appriciate any help before I start buying everything that comes in hand :). I am situated in Europe ( Malta ) and I will be looking for some sellers which can be able to ship to me.

Thanks.

Max
 
For steam and diesel engines Proto 2000 is usually very good. Atlas builds good diesel engines as well, many of which would be appropriate for your era. Some of the Bachmann Spectrum Steam is also quite good, although the jury is very mixed on the quality of their diesel engines. BLI Steam seems to have a good reputation, but their locomotives appear to be hit and miss - although the RSD-15 is supposedly quite nice and I believe that several people are checking out the Blueline SD7/9 to see how good it is.
 
The more specific about what era and road name, the more specific we can be in helping you locate the engine. It will help you too if you can choose. If you don't you could end up buying all over hte place, then when you do make your decision, you'll find you spent a lot on things you can't use.

Better to make choices now, and focus you money on buying things that will meet your overall plan.
 
You are very right about this point Spacemouse, but I still cannot decide, because I like both Steam and Diesel engines, and I wish I could run them both on this layout.

Once I've decided I have to find medium lenght locos, since my layout is mostly made of curves and short sidings I cannot afford huge engines.

It seems I have to find out in which era they were both most active, so I can decide on the time period even before I start chosing the buildings, and the locos.

But I have no idea when that time was in U.S. , or if there ever was such a time.
 
What type of Roco diesel did you get? It's likely that the Rivrossi is a version of a type of locomotive known as "USRA" for the United States Railroad Administration, which took over the railroads in the US during and for some time after WW I and came up with a set of standardized locomotive designs. Most of these would still be running in the transition era, which was roughly the 1950s although it could be considered as early as, oh 1939 and as late as the very, very early 60s (I think the Norfolk & Western was the last major railroad to give up steam... 1963/64 or so, wasn't it?)
 
I model the 1950's transition period and have both steam and diesel. Many diesels were built as far back as the 30's. Heck, there was a coking plant
here that had a steamer until the early 70's. Unless you are going to be real sticky about things, it doesn't hurt to run over a few years, one direction or the other. As they say: "It's your railroad. You can do as you wish."

Space gave you some excellent advice. Focus in on a period and you will not regret it. The transition covered a wide time frame, dependant on the individual railroad, but I usually think of it from mid 40's to mid 50's. So, you see, you have some license to play with it a bit.
 
Judging from your mountainous layout, Colorado might be a good area for you. IF so, the Rio Grande line might be a good road name for you to model. You could also model California and the Southern Pacific. There are other choices if you don't like those two. In either case, do a little research and see if they fit your scheme.
 
Thanks for the ideas anbd support.

Spacemouse, the following is my layout and I cannot change much of it, the only thing I can do is build the scenery according to the places you mentioned, but as for tracks I cannot move them or change them.

Layout_2_sm.jpg
 
The following are the engines I have at the moment

0-6-0.jpg


2-8-2.jpg


4-6-6.jpg


Diesel.jpg


I know that most of them doesn't have to do anything with my layout, but as I said in earlier threads, I bought them when I had little knowledge of model RR. The 2nd one the Rivarossi costed me a fortune, and now I have a problem with it, since one of the rubber isolators/grip on the mid wheels has come loose / off and donno how to replace it. Honestly I'm afraid to open it too since it looks to be a little complicated.
 
Is there someone that has a diesel engine like the one I have? I would like to know what's on the inside, infront of the lightbulb. as I think I misplaced something when I opened it for servicing.

Could anyone show me a picture of the inside cover of the engine and the inside of the engine itself?

Thanks
 
The diesel is an "F-unit" (probably an F-7). This was one of the most popular American diesel locomotives ever and is perfect for a transition era layout, since they were introduced in the early 1950s. None of your steam engines is an American prototype - they are all European, although the 6106 is definitely British.

Do you want a picture of the inside of the real engine, or of the model you have?
 
The Union Pacific diesel unit is an FP7, probably an Atlas model. It is slightly longer than a plain F7 (note the gap between the front truck and the fuel tank) so they could fit a water tank for the steam generator. The "P" in FP7 means the loco was designed to pull passenger trains.

As Jeff said, an excellent transition-era loco. And UP had a few lines thru mountain areas.
 
Hi Guys thanks for the details about my Loco, I know its a FP7, and the brand is ROCO, and its the smoothest engine I got in the collection.

All I want is a close up picture from the front of someone else's same engine. Since I think I dropped something from the front when I opened it to service it. I would like to see what's in the 2 holes on the front.

Thanks
 
Does anyone has a similar engine to kindly send me a picture of from the front and interior, so I can see what I have missing in it.

Thanks
 
If no one has that engine, and it is not that common here in the states, I would try the Roco's website to see if you can get an exploded view. If not you can certainly email or call them. The would aslo be the best place to get the repair part.
 
I'll try to send a mail to ROCO, since I cannot find it on their site.

But to be honest I saw a similar train somewhere on this forum. ( not mine obviously) :)
 
The rubber thing is probably the traction tire that got old. They can be replaced, but you have to take off the side rods to do that. I don't know how to do that.

Your steam locos are Euro prototypes. I like the LMS one, that one seems to be in good shape. The others seem to be tank engines, which apparently are common in Europe....

In case you're wondering, the LMS loco probably is a passenger loco, while the Rivo 2-8-2 is for freight. The first loco is probably a shunter (switcher).

Kennedy
 
Thanks for the detailed info about the engines Kennedy.

Yeah infact the most problematic thing in the steam locos is having to so some maintenance on wheels. The Riva Rossi engine costed me a fortune, and I would have rather bought 5 or 6 Diesel engines with the same price I spent on it.
 
Only the traction tire ones have a worry, the rest just need cleaning. Many folks don't like traction tires, preferring the metal on metal contact. Unless you need lots of pulling power.

Kennedy
 
Hi, I came across this Atlas diesel engine loco "Switcher MP15DC ", its brand new, without original box, never used, and the sellergave me a price of US$ 77 for it including an Atlas grain hopper and also free shipping. Do you think the price is worth going for?

This is the engine.

eba9c705.jpg
 
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