Post your fleet, roster, whatever you wanna call it


AndyWS

New Member
Show off your HO scale motive power!

A little background, since this is my first post: My father and I have been dabbling in model trains since I was about 3 years old (I am 20 now), although we are small-time railroaders so our layout is far too small (4'x6') for all these locomotives to be active at once. They have to be run in "shifts" with the rest in the display case or their storage boxes.

DIESELS:

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Type: EMD F7
Make: Bachmann
Road Name: Atchiston, Topeka & Santa Fe
Road Number: 307
Description: This locomotive is very nearly identical to the one that came with our first train set, back in 1988 or 89, except that one had a dual headlight. It developed problems after about five years and Bachmann traded it in for a new one for us. We actually have two locomotives of this type, the other aquired in a "Loco/Caboose Combo Set with an AT&SF caboose. Since it has the same number we seldom run it, indeed we never even changed out the stock horn-hook couplers for knuckle ones.

These Bachmann train-set locomotives have undersized motors that drive only one truck, and run quite roughly with a lot of jerky motion and noise. However, both of ours still work even though they are about ten years old, so they have outlasted the original by double. This may be due to the fact that they were never run on the circle of train-set track with carpet fibers sticking up through the ties.

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Type: EMD GP9
Make: Athearn
Road Name: Milwaukee Road
Road Number: None
Description: With the demise of the original Bachmann train-set F7, this is the oldest operating engine in our fleet (purchased around 1990-91) and looks it too, since it is the only one that received a weathering job, primarily on the trucks and wheels to make them look rusty (unfortunately not very visible in the photo). It was a reliable runner out of the box and still is today, although with a bit more gear noise. For some reason it was shipped without a road number and still doesn't have one. Luckily it's not liable to be mistaken for any other locomotive, since it's our only high-nose GP9 with a dynamic brake "bulge" on the roof.

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Type: EMD GP18
Make: Life-Like Proto 2000
Road Name: Toledo, Peoria & Western
Road Number: 600
Description: This locomotive has also been with us awhile, purchased sometime in the early-mid '90s. It is one of the most detailed model diesels we have, complete with fan blades inside the roof vents, bell, windshield wipers, operating cab window visors, crew figures inside the cab, and more. Unfortunately it had a working life of only one or two years before an accident while attempting to solder a new headlight wire melted the plastic driveshaft. Since then it has been consigned to its shipping box until recently when I brought it out and snapped the shell back on for the photo.

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Type: F-M H10-44
Make: Walther's
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 1054
Description: Can't recall exactly when we aquired this locomotive, but it was sometime during the mid-'90s and it was our first diesel switcher locomotive. Dad grew up in Beloit near a Fairbanks-Morse plant, and the Chicago & Northwestern operated the tracks near our house in Madison (where we lived until 1999) before the Union Pacific, then the Wisconsin & Southern took over, so this is a nostalgic favorite.

Like Athearns and Life-Like Proto 2Ks, we have found Walther's model diesels to be smooth and reliable runners and this is no exception.

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Type: EMD SW1
Make: Walther's
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 1212
Description: 1212 joined our roster shortly after #1054 to help the latter out in the freight yard. Due to some rough handling (hey, I was young), most of the front railings are gone.

Dsc00194.png


Type: "Hustler" 4-wheel switcher
Make: Athearn
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 46
Description: A mid-late 1990s aquisition to help out at industry sidings while the bigger switchers are needed elsewhere. This is our only Athearn locomotive to give us mechanical trouble, due to its belt drive. Both the original belts broke and it was out of order for awhile until one of my friends replaced them...with spare rubber jaw-bands from his orthodontist! It ran on those for nearly five years before one of them broke, and it has now been retired again.

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Type: Center-Cab 4-wheel switcher
Make: IHC
Road Name: Milwaukee Road
Road Number: 2397
Description: One of our more recent additions, purchased after moving to Stoughton. It is now doing the job of the out-of-commission #46.

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Type: EMD GP9
Make: Walther's
Road Name: Wisconsin & Southern
Road Number: 4494
Description: This model joined the roster in 1998 or 1999, and has the distinction of being our only model locomotive for which I have actually seen its prototype in operation. It is also unique in being the only one of our four GP9s with a low front hood for better visibility.

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Type: EMD GP38-2
Make: Athearn
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 4623
Description: This and all the diesels below were purchased relatively recently, at the Madison Model Railroad Show & Sales held in February from 2001-2003. #4623 has the honor of being our only operable "non-9" EMD GP unit.

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Type: EMD GP9
Make: Life-Like Proto 2000
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 1719 & 1720
Description: Despite being identical locomotives with identical mechanisms, these two do not run quite the same. 1720 is a slighty faster engine and tries to pull away if placed in the lead when the two are double-headed.

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Type: EMD SD40-2
Make: Athearn
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 6935
Description: Number 6935 was brought into the fold to help with long mainline freights that required doubleheading GP units.

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Type: F-M H24-66 "Trainmaster"
Make: Athearn
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 1905
Description: Ditto from #6935

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Type: EMD E6
Make: Life-Like Proto 2000
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 5005-A & 5006-A
Description: In theory, these E6s together with the 2 Erie-Builts below make up our express passenger service fleet. In practice, they don't run since our matched set of IHC C&NW "400" coaches not only looks terrible going around our sharp curves, but swing out so wide that they actually knock over trackside accessories such as signs, signals, people, etc! It's a pity too because these models look really cool with their operating Mars lights.

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Type: F-M "Erie Built"
Make: Life-Like Proto 1000
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 6001-A & 6001-B
Description: See above

Those are all our diesels, due to text limitations I have to make another post for our steam roster.
 
STEAM:

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Type: 2-8-0 Consolidation
Make: Bachmann "Classic Collector's Series"
Road Name: Great Northern
Road Number: 1257
Description: This was our first HO scale steam locomotive and the third engine to join our roster back in the early '90s, after the AT&SF F7 and Milwaukee Road GP9. It is based on a Baldwin heavy consolidation (314, 950 pounds) but I'm not sure if Great Northern actually had any of these locomotives. The closest preserved match I can find is Great Northern #1246, a class F-8 Consolidation which appears to be quite different from this model, although that perception may be skewed since the locomotive is in pieces.

Like our Bachmann train-set F7s, this locomotive came with a small 3-pole motor and ran quite roughly, with lots of jerky motions, and it was prone to stalling on turnouts (no pick-up from the tender wheels). It was retired and disassembled after about 3-4 years of use and spent more than 10 years in pieces in our hobby toolbox. A recent attempt at reassembly and return-to-service (because despite its problems, it is a nice-looking model) failed due to the motor glowing bright orange when power was applied, then emitting a sizzling sound and copious amounts of smoke, so that's the end of THAT.

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Type: 4-6-2 semi-streamlined Pacific
Make: IHC
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 1617
Description: This is our oldest operable steam locomotive model and was brought to replace #1257. It ran well for quite a few years but seems to be running more roughly now. It will often fail to start when power is applied and have to be nudged by hand, at which point it will take off with a jerk.

The real C&NW #1617 was a fully streamlined E-2 Pacific used to pull express trains such as the "400".

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Type: 2-6-0 Mogul
Make: IHC
Road Name: Chicago & Northwestern
Road Number: 293
Description: This small but reliable steamer was added to the roster in 1998 and runs well despite some accidents in handling which caused a few of the small details to be broken off. I'm not sure what prototype it is based on but it actually bears more resemblance to C&NW's R-1 Ten-Wheelers than any C&NW Mogul I've seen pictures of.

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Type: 2-8-0 Consolidation
Make: IHC
Road Name: Union Pacific
Road Number: 6045
Description: I bought this Consolidation in 2001 because we hadn't had an eight-drivered steam locomotive since the "retirement" of #1257. The Pacific, Mogul, 4-4-0 and 0-4-0s were getting overwhelmed with the amount of traffic during steam-era operating sessions.

I'm stumped as to the prototype...I've seen a lot of pictures of UP Consolidations, but none that looked like this.

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Type: 4-4-0
Make: IHC
Road Name: Union Pacific
Road Number: 119
Description: This old-timer joined the fleet in about 1997 or 98, it is of course the Union Pacific representative from the Golden Spike Ceremony.

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Type: 0-4-0
Make: IHC
Road Name: Atchiston, Topeka & Santa Fe
Road Number: 18
Description: This locomotive was purchased by mail order in the mid '90s (couldn't resist the ~20$ price tag) and at the time was the only steam companion to #1617. I'm not sure which is the OEM of which, but it has an identical chassis and mechanism to the two Model Power 0-4-0s below. All three of the 0-4-0s have impressive pulling capacity for their size due to large can motors that take up most of the cab and boiler, although their light weight means that they often spin their wheels getting longer trains started. Despite their miniscule wheelbase (and no tender pickup) they seldom stall.

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Type: 0-4-0 switcher
Make: Model Power
Road Name: Southern Ry.
Road Number: 6636
Description: #6636 was purchased to work the yard during steam operations in the mid-late '90s when #1617 and #18 were the only other steamers running. 1617 was needed for freight and it was #18's job to haul the 19th-century style coaches before #119 arrived.

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Type: 0-4-0
Make: Model Power
Road Name: None
Road Number: None
Description: This was actually the most recent powered HO scale steam locomotive to join our roster, at Christmas 2003. Dad works for Mack Trucks, and they had aquired a number of limited-edition Model Power train sets with these locomotives, two Mack-themed freight cars and a Mack caboose. Due to its novelty factor it is seldom run (and when it is it only pulls the Mack cars, since they along with this locomotive and a couple of storage rejects are the only equipment we have that still has stock horn-hook couplers). It is virtually identical to AT&SF #18, aside from the paint job and a shorter cowcatcher.

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Type: 4-4-0
Make: Imperial/Mantua
Road Name: Central Pacific
Road Number: 60
Description: This locomotive is actually a cheap plastic unpowered toy purchased in a Cracker Barrel gift shop in a set with two candy-filled boxcars and happens to fit on HO track. The nameplate under the cab window actually says "Imperial", the China-based toy manufacturer's name, but with the number 60 it is obviously a replica of Central Pacific's Jupiter.

The Cracker Barrel set didn't come with a tender, but I wanted one to display with it. Just a few weeks ago in the "toy train" bin at a local antique store, I found a 19th-century style, Central Pacific lettered Mantua tender and purchased it for display with the locomotive. It is our only dummy engine and is currently on a short piece of track next to our station, a rather common way for real-life preserved steam locomotives to be displayed. Alternatively it is used in HO scale Golden Spike re-enactments with the 119.

And that's all there is on this railroad! What's on yours?
 
No pics:

491-494: H-10-44 (Built New for C&CC 1949, Retired by 1975. Scrapped Purdy Co., Chehalis, WA)

755, 756: GP7 (Built new for NKP, Rebuilt by Morris Knudson 1975, aquired by CC&C. Still Active.)

817, 818: GP38-2 (Built new by EMD for CC&C 1981. Still Active)

313: MP15DC (Built new by EMD for Union Pacific. Purchased by Weyerhaeuser Company in 1999 from National Railroad Equipment. Still active as Carlisle Mill designated switcher.)

----------------------------------

500, 501: Extended Vision Caboose (Built new 1981 for CC&C, still active)

1500-1539: (40' Log Flats, Rebuilt from MILW Hiawatha boxcars by MILW in the 1960s. Obtained when MILW withdrew from Pacific Northwest. Cars at one time numbered 100 on roster.)

1600-1645: (50' Log Spine cars. Custom built in late 1990s for CC&C to replace aging ex-MILW log cars and to have interchange compatable cars.)

Various Numbers: (Ex SP Woodchip cars for transporting wood chips to the Olympia Pulp Mill)
 
I have one of those Athearn MILW GP9s, it's number is currently 8888 (for decoder purposes). It's being used as a leaser switcher, which works out pretty well.

I like the IHC Mogul; I have one that's torn apart for a long time when I was motivated to put a decoder in it. Never got it done, but a 2-6-0 is perfect for shortline/branchline work.

I also have a couple IHC 2-8-0s, one is stock (no decoder), the other had the front truck removed to turn it into a 0-8-0. It doesn't have a decoder either, so neither gets run at all these days.

As for the rest, don't have enough space to show the 130+ on the finished roster. And, we won't go into the 135 in the storage bin as yet unbuilt/incomplete, etc....

:D

Kennedy
 
Hey Andy. If you want to repair the Bachmann 2-8-0,that has the bad motor,and such, go to Bowser's web site.They make a kit that will allow you to put that loco back in service,for about $70.00 dollars.I have done one before,and the loco ran very well.I hope this helps some.William.The web site is,, www.Bowser-trains.com .
 
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Well Guys,let me see how I can do this. In my fleet I have a mixture of L&N,Southern,TA&G,NC&Stl,locos. The L&N locos are as follows, 1 E-7,1 E-6,1 GP-7 torpedo boat,2 regular GP-7's,1GP-40,1 U-23b,2 Sw-9's, three GP-30's, 2 RS-3's,an A-B FA-2 set,1 SDP-35. Southern locos, 2 SD-24's,1 SD-35,1 F-3,an F-7 a-b set,1 Sw-7,1 NW-2,2 MP-15's,3 GP-7's,1 GP-38,1 S-1 switcher, 1 SW-1,1 0-8-0,1 2-8-0,1 L&N 2-8-2,1 L&N 70 tonner,1 L&N F-7,a unit only,1 4-8-2,L&N,NC&Stl locos are: 2 GP-7's,1 VO 660,1 2-10-0,TA&G locos,: 1 GP-38, 2 GP-7's,also in the mix are my SAL locos,1 GP-30,1 GP-18,an FA-1 AB set,1 F-3,2 VO-1000's. Most of these locos are Life -like Proto 2,000,Kato,Athearn Genesis,Athearn,Atlas,Bachmann Spectrum,one Broadway Limited,all Ho Scale.Most have decoders,a few don't as yet. Quite a fleet ,huh?Oh yeah,I left out,Stewart Hobbies for the Baldwin VO engines.In all,close to maybe,a hundred,but not quite.:rolleyes: William.
 
Here is but a sampling of my fleet. The rest were on the road earning their keep when this photo was taken!

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Late evening falls on the engine terminal:
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Here's a sampling of my locomotives; I have a few others that are still a work in progress.

AC4400 and AC6000 fleet:
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Former Rio Grande SD40T-2
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Former Rock Island GP38-2
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SD45T-2s and DD35
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P42s
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Former Soo Line SD60
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My old EMD fleet, some of which have been sold recently
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And a few others... just kidding, these are from a friend's layout
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Thanks, dingoix. Yeah, Brakie & conrail, that's his personal roster, and that's probably not even half of it!

Here's another yard, and there's more on shelves below.
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Zephyr:
I have to admit that although I find the treatment of the SD40t_2 Blasphemous!! I'm glade that it still flies the Rio Grande on her flanks.
That is some very nice work.
Paul H. Liddiard
 
Zephyr said:
Thanks, dingoix. Yeah, Brakie & conrail, that's his personal roster, and that's probably not even half of it!

Here's another yard, and there's more on shelves below.
Portland & Northern? I think I've heard of that before. I wish someday, for my model RR to look that full...
 
Thanks, Paul. I thought this would be a better tribute to the Rio Grande than a simple patch job. Josh - you may be thinking of the old Longview, Portland and Northern.
 
I suppose mine would look like that if I had enough room on my layout to put all the locos on it! But, it can only hold a few at a time, even though I model two eras (Modern and GN transition); I don't model an engine yard of any kind, though I have an area which can hold a few.

Maybe I'll put a bunch there and take a pic....

:D

Kennedy
 



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