My Northern Pacific Butte Montana Layout.

[tootnkumin]

https://www.walthers.com/replacement-drive-axle-gears-pkg-6?ref=1

 

[NP2626]

Thanks Toot!

 

[Iron Horseman]

This is the locomotive I've owned for the longest time. I was 10 years old when I got it for Christmas.

I'm jealous. My father had one of those for which he added the "valve gear" kit, and some super detailing. I played with it when I was 4 and 5. Then it started disappearing a couple days before each pay day and returning a week later (I later learned that it was going to the pawn shop). Then one week it made its regular disappearance and never returned. That had to be 1962 or so. After that, all I had was a Marx F3 and Marx version of the Hustler. I still miss that little steamer today.

 

[NP2626]

I have the valve gear kit from BowserEnglish and will someday install. These Varney locomotives are almost always for sale on Ebay, if you want one, it's pretty easy to get one.

 

[Iron Horseman]

I have the valve gear kit from Bowser and will someday install. These Varney locomotives are almost always for sale on Ebay, if you want one, it's pretty easy to get one.

Oh, I have 4 or 5 of them lurking about, but none of them are the one I played with as a child over 50 years ago.

Varney, English, Bowser I think it is the same model tooling passed through the vendors. Too bad the NP never had a dockside.

 

[montanan]

You have quite the collection of NP steamers. Really like them. It was nice that Life Like come out with the NP geeps. I got a pair of them also. Nice loco roster.

 

[NP2626]

Chet, not done, yet!

 

[NP2626]

This is my MDC Roundhouse 0-6-0 Basket case. I will be swapping the slope backed tender for a small square backed one to make it look more like a Northern Pacific L-9 switcher. I may put a sound decoder in this or maybe not. Right now I have to many "Irons in the Fire" to know exactly what I am going to do with this loco.

 

[montanan]

I'll be waiting. Being that I have a freelance railroad that connects to both the Northern Pacific and the Milwaukee Road, the majority of my locomotives are lettered for my railroad, but when ever I find a locomotive that fits my era and is decorated for either the NP or MILW it does get my attention. Bachmann recently came out with an Alco S-2 switcher decorated for the Milwaukee Road. I needed it like a hole in the head and it was a DCC locomotive, but I ended up getting it. It is in the vedeo below switching in Churchill.

Nothing wrong with a basket case. I posted photos of this little locomotive that I got out of a friends scrap box while visiting him in Missouri. It had no tender, pilot, headlight and was missing many details. got it home and it sat in my junk box until I came across a small vanderbuilt tender. That's when I put a new can motor into it and added the missing parts. I have been told that it may be an old Mantua locomotive. I really like the smaller steamers being that my layout is built for switching.

Did this over 20 years ago and it runs like a Swiss watch.

 

[NP2626]

Since I have a Heritage Proto Northern Pacific G-3 0-8-0 with sound, I have just listed this locomotive on Ebay (if interested, PM me). This is an IHC switcher that was marked with Northern Pacific on the tender sides and guess what, it's number was 1172, the same as my Proto G-3. I have installed a Digitrax DH123D decoder in it and it is a fine runner. Very quit and pulls well. I just don't need two G-3s. In comparison to my Proto model, the drivers on this loco are much larger. I attempt to fit all my locomotives with both and Engineer and Fireman, this one is no exception. because it ran so well, it has taken me a few years to decide to sell it.

 

[montanan]

Nice looking little switcher. I had looked at the Proto version and was tempted but it was a little pricey.

 

[tootnkumin]

The first diesel GP I bought was a P2K GP38-2 CNW. What attracted me was it's fine detail and solid feel i.e. heavy. Walthers have always priced that line above it's competitors, even though since that one I bought, has now been equalled in detail by other manufacturers. I still believe though that the inner quality and smooth running is still in the top bunch. The only grizzle I have with the diesels, is the use of plastic sun visors on the cab sides, which are only glued (or held there by the paint), something that Athearn does better with Brass and locating pins.

 

[Iron Horseman]

Speaking of switchers has everyone ordered at least one of the Altas HH660s they just announced? I wanted three different ones from the prior run and got none of them :-(

 

[NP2626]

I've never pre-ordered anything, always managed to happen on the items I want at the places I go to, to buy things. I really don't intend to pre-order, ever. I guess if I miss-out on something, so be it.

 

[NP2626]

Here is a couple more basket cases. The loco on the left is an MDC Roundhouse Shay that I intend on putting a Sound decoder in if I can find one that replicates three cylinder Shay sound. I bought off of Ebay for a good price because it didn't work. I haven't determined what the problem is yet; but, have purchase a complete gear replacement set from NWSL.

The loco on the right is a Rivarossi Pennsylvania 0-4-0, I was wrong previously when I said that my F-7 diesels are my second oldest HO locomotives. Actually this locomotive is the second oldest and I have owned since I was maybe 14; or, 15 years old. When I bought it from a neighbor kid, he had had a valve gear failure, so I got the loco very cheaply. I bought a valve gear set for it in the early 1990s, installed it and had it fail again shortly after I fixed it. It has been like this ever since and I don't know if I will ever fix it, again.

 

[montanan]

I have an old Roundhouse shay and after a bit of tweaking, it turned into a really nice running locomotive. There not a lot of room under the tender for decoder and speaker. Speaker may have to be put in the cab roof. I built mine over 20 years ago and installed constant/reverse lighting. I build my own diode bridges for the lighting and there was barely room for that. Good luck with it.

 

[NP2626]

Chet, Yes, what you say about installing sound and a decoder in the Shay may well be. I really haven't put much time in studying it yet; however, I have seen a Varney Docksider with sound in it and figure if it can be done to a Docksider, it should be able to be done to a MDC Shay. We shall see!

 

[NP2626]

I'm unsure who made this locomotive; but, believe it is an Atlas RS-1. It is great puller and has a Digitrax DH123-D decoder in it.

 

[NP2626]

Here is my Rivarossi Heisler, it is fitted with a Soundtraxx Decoder. No a real strong puller; but, adequate for the job it needs to do. The PR on the side of the cab does not stand for Pennsylvania Railroad. It stands for Peep River, my independent logging line that allows me to freelance a bit. (This is a new, less blurry photo). How do I get rid of the old photo, below?

 

[Iron Horseman]

I'm unsure who made this locomotive; but, believe it is an Atlas RS-1.

Sure looks like an Atlas. I got one when they were first out. It ran so well I went back to get the other road number and they were sold out - everywhere. Two<?> decades later and I still only have 1.