N scale steam mfgrs

I have two Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidation locomotives that run fantastic, even at slow speeds, and are custom painted/decals for the Frisco Railroad. Also have a Bachmann 4-8-2 Mountain factory painted for Frisco. It runs great. The fourth locomotive is an Atlas 4-6-2 Pacific factory painted for Santa Fe, it runs good except at slow speeds, it's a little sluggish. My last locomotive is a Union Pacific 2-6-2 Prairie manufactured by Model Power, I believe. It runs fair, no slow speeds, OK at medium and fast speed.
The Bachmann Spectrum are great locomotives, if you buy them you won't be disappointed!


Joe

 

Thanks for the replies guys and such detailed ones at that. Where to start answering ... okay, your right the Mogul or Consolidation are probably the "best sized" as a tourist type train and were my preference UNTIL I took a look at the Bachmann K4, which is very impressive looking and is DCC with Sound, which is a must for a Steamer for me.

Also, it is nice to know that Bachmann has improved it's engines. My comments regarding Bachmann have related to their older Moguls and Consolidations.

Either way, I am going to look at that spook show site, just to make sure for my own peace of mind. It seems as though that is the go to site for unbiased and accurate "reviews" for any engine. Not saying you guys are biased by the way.

 

Brokemoto - Thanks for a;l the neat passenger car info. Pays to look at threads that may seem irrelevant!

Wombat - Enjoy your hunt for a good steamer! I have a K4s and it works well. My only 'issue' with it is the limited programmability with the factory decoder. But it isn't that big a del, 'cause I am still running it as is!

 

The K4 was a big mainline locomotive and probably too much locomotive for a tourist excursion railroad. The Bachman 2-8-0 would be the upper end for an excursion type line with a Bachmann 4-6-0 or 2-6-0 being right size.

 

badlandnp,

Thanks and the search goes on ...

Inkaneer,

Yeah I know the K4 is too big for an excursion/tourist train engine but I still like it none the less. I have had Bachmann 2-6-0 a couple of years ago and it was terrible (DCC variety) so I am a little iffy with the Bachmann version of that engine. I don't know about the 4-6-0 though. Personally, for those two engines, I much prefer to look at another manufacturer with better decoders fitted. As I mentioned in an earlier post, it seemed as though the main issue with the Bachmann engines was the decoder used.

 

K4s #1361 was used as an excursion locomotive in the late 1980s, and there are still whispers from time to time about getting her restored and fired up again. If that's what you're looking for in a steamer then the K4s has been there and done that, and Bmann does offer that specific road number, in post-1946 refit configuration as she would have appeared in excursion service. The real thing normally hauled a few restored ex-Pennsy P70 heavyweight coaches (which Bmann's own heavyweight coach model is a close approximation of), but wouldn't look horribly out of place pulling any other steam era passenger equipment your model railfans might want a ride on.

Big engine for a tourist line, but remember: your railroad, your rules! Before the end of steam, K4s did visit Pennsy's branch lines from time to time when their normal power wasn't available, and restored branch lines are where most of today's tourist lines are located. If you like the model and are just looking for an excuse, it isn't beyond the realm of plausibility to have a K4s pulling tourist trains, even if you're not going to be hauling them along mainline trackage.

 

Thanks gents I appreciate your honesty about the viability of using such a big engine as a tourist engine.

Silentargus,

Your absolutely right - my "fantasy railroad my rules", albeit a little of the main track but hey, everyone and anyone can ride a "normal railroad" Should add that, at this point, the steamer will be on a main line for the most part, much like the "Nickel Plate 765" running from Buffalo to Corning (NY) in 2015, like this:



The video was taken from my side yard - the mown bit. My wife and I intended to ride her but were unable to make the timings in Buffalo sadly. Maybe next time, if there is a next time.

 

If you go with Bachmann, generally stick with the DCC-pre-installed versions. Older models are mixed. I have a pre-DCC 2-8-0 from Bachmann which runs great and a pre-DCC Bachmann 0-6-0 which is awful.

Athearn's 2-6-0 model is a nice runner but also a pre-DCC version. I find these to be excellent models at a great price point. I am not very familiar with their newer large steam engines, but word on the track is they are pretty good. These models are the same as the MDC 2-6-0. Athearn acquired the tooling from Roundhouse.

Atlas makes a 4-4-0 which is also not DCC thought it can be modified. These require really clean track but they have awesome detail and a hige cuteness factor. Atlas also makes a Shay - which is kind of a special purpose model (great for logging or mining layouts). Once upon a time they imported steam engines from various European manufacturers (Rivarossi etc.) and you will find these on eBay. They were good for their time, but cannot hold up to a modern Kato.

The newer die-cast Model Power engines are pretty good. I have had good experiences for the most part with their 2-6-0's and 4-6-2 DCC-friendly models. The newer ones are factory-DCC and even better. These are made by Ajin in Korea I believe. As I understand it the 4-4-0 shares a similar mechanism and is pretty good as well.

The pre-DCC Kato Mikados run very nice but are a DCC no-go for the most part. The newer Kato Steam (GS-4, FEF) models are excellent but there is a limited selection of road names for the models they went with. Kato also makes Japanese and European prototype steam.

InterMountain makes a beautiful cab-forward model. One of my good friends reports that it is a bit of an awkward runner, but I strongly suspect the new release coming out from InterMountain will be improved.

I do not have experience with the Broadway Limited models. They are beautifully detailed but I don't know how well they run.

Con-Cor originally produced some nice steam engines that were made by Kato. These are great runners. I have a Hudson that I love. Like the Kato 2-8-2, DCC is not a serious option unless you look at the newer Chinese-made releases. They moved this model to China for production and the Chinese models are also pretty good but they are NOT DCC models. They also make a GS-4 (also originally made by Kato) for which the latest Chinese releases that take (HURRAY!) a socket decoder. These are also solid runners.

Fox Valley makes a 4-4-2 which is a winner in terms of detail and running as well as being a DCC socket upgradeable model (HURRAY!). The only downside is they are only made for one road name - Milwaukee.

You also have older Arnold models for US prototypes which, like older Atlas/European models are somewhat dated and won't do DCC but they will run and they can pull.

Lastly you have some beautiful models of European steam made by Minitrix/Marklin and Fleischmann. These are excellent runners and all take DCC socket decoders.

I am sure I missed some, and I intentionally left out Brass.

Currently, we have over 500 steam models detailed in the N Scale database: http://www.trovestar.com/generic/gr...motives||14|Steam||&Item Category=Locomotives

We are likely missing tons of models, but this should give you a starting point.

George

 

Go right ahead with the K4, if that's what you'd like to run.

Here's the Reading & Northern 425, which is a 4-6-2:

 

Well, this is really just my opinion. For many folks, doing frame modifications is fairly easy. For many others, like myself, it is a show-stopper. I have read that it is possible to do, but for the cost of hiring someone to do it, I could buy a new Kato GS-4 or FEF, that seems (in my opinion) to be silly. I have neither the tools nor the skills to do a frame mod, so for me it is a 'no-go'. In the end, my post was a long list of my opinions.

Generally speaking, it appears the N Scale community classifies models as being 'Ready', 'Friendly' or 'No' and even these three categories can be grayish. The Mikados do not seem to fall into the first two categories, but I am often wrong. I looked into doing it for my two Mikes about 5 years ago and I honestly found the explanations, pictures and diagrams to be scary.

A friend a fellow TroveStar curator wrote an article on this topic recently: Link Here

http://www.trovestar.com/generic/blog.php?Article=177

 

It was built just this year by the RBM&N at their new Outer Reading station used for boarding excursion trains.
http://www.rbmnrr-passenger.com/rdc-outer-station
http://s3.amazonaws.com/rrpa_photos/120245/DSC03509A.jpg
https://i1.wp.com/briansolomon.com/...ation_w_semaphore_DSCF6742.jpg?resize=473,709

 

Now that bit of yard would be a really big distraction for me! Is the traffic busy? If it was I would never get much more done than watching trains go by!!

 

When I first moved here, 10 years ago, the trains were a distraction - in fact, they were a bit annoying, especially at 3:00 am as the horn sounding sign for a nearby crossing is about half way up our yard and almost opposite our bed room. Once I got used to that, the trains were fascinating, although mostly freight trains up to 4 loco's and 150 cars. After awhile, it became some thing along the lines of "geez, not another one " We see so many everyday, some I don't even notice anymore, they are just there.

Is it busy? It is fairly busy but seems to go in stages. One day we might get a train every half hour, other days, we might only see half a dozen. It tends to go in spits and spurts. The one thing I have noticed over the past 12 months though is the size of the trains seems to have been reduced, BUT more trains. The average train is 3 loco's and around a 100 cars consisting of autoracks, gondolas, hoppers, intermodal and tank cars. There is a spattering of box cars (not many though) flat tops and lots of lumber cars.

Each year though we do see the Ringling Bros Train go by, which is great as they slow down and the circus performers all wave and so forth. Every now and then we see short Executive Railroad (NS) trains run past - perhaps once or twice a year. The Nickel Plate was the first passenger train I have seen though.

Basically, I live in a Rail Fans photography heaven I guess

 

I don't see anybody talking about either parts or repair. It gets a bit complicated, but at least for me, the Life-Like/Model Power situation is probably the most difficult parts situation as a) there was only 'the one guy' for many years that knew where stuff was and could send specific parts, and Bachmann's standard practice is to replace anything that gets broken with a replacement locomotive, or another current-production one, rather than parts. Although they do have an online parts system with limited parts for some locomotives. Atlas, while they are excellent on most and had an excellent parts supply on the Shay, can be hit and miss on specific locomotives although their overall parts system is excellent. Kato, same way, easy to get parts but you'll still find some just completely unavailable (2-8-2 tender trucks for example). It does enter into the equation when you have a pet locomotive that drops a crankpin or breaks a traction tire, and you suddenly discover there's no way to get it fixed or get parts. I do like to give Atlas, Kato, and Bachmann salutes for at least trying to make it easier to get the parts they do have. Then you have all the other guys, to various degrees, down to 'FORGET IT' for all N scale brass steam.

I have a pretty good steam selection but other than a select few, none are particularly mission-critical, most are display only. If I do have a mission critical locomotive, I've also bought a spare for parts, typically used, damaged or weathered preferred, on Ebay or someplace, just in case.

There is something to be said for opting for a 'mass market' pick to, like the Spectrum 2-8-0, because there are just a whole lot of them out there so that you can pick up a used spare. Some N steam is exceedingly rare on the open market.

 

Sorry to say this, but I believe the circus train will never be seen again. To bad. It was quite an operation to see that train load / unload.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

It doesn't have sound, but I love the performance of my MDC/Athearn 2-8-0, with an aftermarket Digitrax Z2 install. I have the matching Overland cars as well. Was originally going to be an excursion train til I decided to switch from modern day to turn of last century modelling. So now she'll probably lose her B&O scheme, as will the cars.
My Shay creeps pretty good, same Z2 decoder. I'm thinking Soundtraxx if I ever bother with sound.