Need ideas for buying locos and rolling stock

[inTRAINing]

Hey guys. I recently finished my layout and I'm ready to buy a loco or 2 and some rolling stock. I've got a digitrax zephyr dcc controller ordered and on the way. I'm thinking about a CSX or Norfolk Southern loco since that's what I see in my area most. I'm interested in you guy's thoughts on what to buy and where to buy it. I'm brand new to model railroading so I'm thinking maybe something ready to run or close to it. Would love to have sound also. Thanks

 

[PNKFLOYD]

You are abouit to see how expensive this hobby CAN become!

WRITE down your preferred railroads, area modeled and time period. Make a list of engines that would operate in your locale in your time period
If you model CSX or NS in 1990 in central Georgia, do not buy a Pennsy GG-1 or a Sante Fe Big Boy steamer. Old Southern, N&W, etc diesels can be considered as they are predecessers to NS.
Consult your list, if it does not fit your list, do not buy it. You will save thousands of $ you can spend on stuff you find that does fit the list.

There is a thread on here with many favorite train websites.
I check the HO clearance section of M.B. Klein (modeltrainstuff.com) every couple weeks for engines on sale. Look for engines with DCC on board at least, and some have DCC and Sound installed.
Write down the road name, manufacturer, stock number and price. Be sure to check the forum "for sale" section here, too.
Stay away from TYCO, IHC and LIFELIKE until your are experienced enough to judge an engine's quality

Rolling stock can be pretty eclectic for freight , so use all types of cars and road names, IF THEY FIT YOUR ERA. A Nickle Plate caboose and Rio Grand Southern baggage car are not your CSX era freight rolling stock.

HOWEVER, it is your railroad and you run what YOU want on it.

The most important thing is for you to enjoy it. Try to keep from buying everything that looks good to you, because most of it looks good!

 

[D&J RailRoad]

You might also decide now if you want to stick with the toy like hook horn couplers or the knuckle couplers. You can flesh out your fleet of freight cars with the Athearn rolling stock and mix in some higher end BLI models that you can pull out of a consist to show guests the details. That way they will think all the rolling stock is well detailed.

 

[Cjcrescent]

You might also decide now if you want to stick with the toy like hook horn couplers or the knuckle couplers. ...

Does anything come with these anymore??

 

[Joe Daddy]

The 'best and cheapest' place to buy locomotives and rolling stock is at local train swap meets. In the Denver area we have a number of them. My club also has one 6 times a year.

A few pointers about rolling stock include always metal wheels only, kadee type couplers and the car should have some heft (weight) to it.

Locomotives, I always buy DCC equipped / ready for non-sound and if I want Sound I look for what I want with sound already installed. I avoid MRC, MTH and old Athearn Blue Box. (not sure if putting brand names is ok, Mod let me know if it is and I'll edit it out)

 

[D&J RailRoad]

Does anything come with these anymore??

Yeah, at the white elephant sales and ebay.

 

[Cjcrescent]

I know I haven't seen them on anything new except some bowser kits from about 10 years ago!

 

[Iron Horseman]

Hey guys. I recently finished my layout and I'm ready to buy a loco or 2 and some rolling stock. I've got a digitrax zephyr dcc controller ordered and on the way. I'm thinking about a CSX or Norfolk Southern loco since that's what I see in my area most. I'm interested in you guy's thoughts on what to buy and where to buy it. I'm brand new to model railroading so I'm thinking maybe something ready to run or close to it. Would love to have sound also.

What scale are you talking about. It would seem HO.

In general, I never pay list price. Often refuse to pay more than 50% of list. Usually I watch and wait for sales and clearance. I go to swap meets and buy used equipment. I buy in bulk and sell of the surplus for profit to use for other things.

Example is the Walthers 20th Century Limited train set. When they came out the cars were $65 each and a loco set was something like $450. A few years later I got the cars for under $30 each and the loco set for $199. I got the Hiawatha yellow painted set for under $20 each.

Soon I'll have the Broadway Limited set the same way.