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Hello guys and gals......

Do you have a FAVORITE O gauge diesel or steam and small electric switchers ?  My now favorite switcher is the Railking NW-2 "Southern" switcher and it is because of it sweet green body and gold pin stripes,it touched my heart emotions when I first took it out of the box and seeing that green and gold color in the sunshine that shined into my apt living room sliding window pouch door to the switcher in my hands as I was sitting in my green sofa !!  I decided to measure it to see if it is scale or not as a Railking engine, I was expecting to be in semi-scale but after measuring, it turned out to be scale size much to my surprise !  This engine weight is 4.04 pounds which is heavy for small switcher as it has a slightly more than 1/8 inch thick die-cast frame which is another surprise !!!  After the BCR troubles were solved ,the J&W BCR was defective and l put back Pat's home made black BCR (no label) then it became trouble free engine after taking it apart and going through it adding  Red & Tacky grease to gears and oiling the axles, checked for pitched wires (one white motor wire was) then ran it for almost 3 hours in last few days already !! thus quickly became my FAVORITE switcher for last 50 years.  My first one was a Lionel #634 in1966, dozens NW-2 switchers later to this #1039 Southern Railking NW-2 of last week of 2016.  I am looking for a "Southern" caboose to go with it, a MTH Bobber Southern caboose would be sweet but I am out of train money for this month.   Guys and Gals, tell us your favorite switchers and why.

Tiffany

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  • IMG_20160815_203838
Last edited by Tiffany
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CBQer posted:

If someone would make this loco I would call it my favorite, Milwaukee SDL39.

Dick

Hello Dick

is the SDL-39 a short wheel base 6 axle road diesel ? Perhaps you can start with a Lionel SD-18 shell and use mth motors and trucks,and electronics, make home made 1/64 or thicker brass frame for it, using a thick frame for weight so it can pull good size train. Use a GP-9 short fuel tank too.  Just a thought.

 

Tiffany

Last edited by Tiffany

For me, it's always hard to pick a favorite piece. I like all of my trains, otherwise I wouldn't have them .

In the small switcher category, I guess I'd have to pick the Postwar Lionel #51 Navy Yard switcher. I just like it's appearance, and the way that it runs. Yes they are noisy, but I don't mind.

Many of the used ones that have passed through my hands needed to have the worm wheel (gear) replaced. They tend to strip their teeth.

On my last layout I tried to run all my engines.  All the engines ran well (after some to a lot of tinkering), but when I wanted to do some switching my go to engine at that time was a RailKing Scale VO-1000.  Good slow speed performance and the couplers worked well (I have to hand it to MTH here, I believe at that time their couplers worked better than Lionel's).

VO-1000 working yard2

I've since purchased several more engines that have only been test run because I don't have an operating layout.  Maybe my favorite engine is just waiting to be discovered (those Legacy engines look like they will be really nice).

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  • VO-1000 working yard2
CAPPilot posted:

On my last layout I tried to run all my engines.  All the engines ran well (after some to a lot of tinkering), but when I wanted to do some switching my go to engine at that time was a RailKing Scale VO-1000.  Good slow speed performance and the couplers worked well (I have to hand it to MTH here, I believe at that time their couplers worked better than Lionel's).

VO-1000 working yard2

I've since purchased several more engines that have only been test run because I don't have an operating layout.  Maybe my favorite engine is just waiting to be discovered (those Legacy engines look like they will be really nice).

I'm with you on the VO-1000, a great runner and my main engine for pulling consists slowly around the layout.   I have the Great Northern version (really like the color scheme), and the GN ran a couple of hundred miles south of my location many years ago, so it has relevance for me.

http://mthtrains.com/30-2752-1

 

I like all switchers!  If one switcher inches out as tops for me, it would be the EMD  BL-2. Interesting design IMHO and most of the paint schemes for this locomotive are great!   I own a MTH Premier BL-2 in Western Maryland livery ( black )  ... which in my opinion is an ugly livery, however, since I partially model Western Maryland and they owned two BL-2 locos, I have one..... good runner especially at slow speeds. 

I'd like to see one of the manufactures make an Alco Hammerhead diesel switcher.  That would be cool!

 

Tiffany posted:
CBQer posted:

If someone would make this loco I would call it my favorite, Milwaukee SDL39.

Dick

Hello Dick

is the SDL-39 a short wheel base 6 axle road diesel ? Perhaps you can start with a Lionel SD-18 shell and use mth motors and trucks,and electronics, make home made 1/64 or thicker brass frame for it, using a thick frame for weight so it can pull good size train. Use a GP-9 short fuel tank too.  Just a thought.

 

Tiffany

The only proble has to do with the wheel sets as they are not equidistant.The inside wheel pair is about a foot longer than the lead and middle set. I have custom  made side frames but the gentleman who was going to build the trucks died last year. 

Dick

This was a $100.00 dollar loco from York.  I gutted it and put in a rebuilt PS2 board from GGG and used wiring I had on hand.  Speaker is MTH and an exact fit into the fuel tank.  LED headlight and backup worked off the board.  LED strobe on cab roof powered from the board.  LED markers from track power as well as operating couplers.

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Videos (1)
NW-2 009
Last edited by Marty Fitzhenry
JohnB posted:

Tiffany,

     My favorite switcher and possibly locomotive would be the Lionel Legacy  B6, great sound, smoke, whistle and can run at speed step 1 all day. Here is a video that was previously posted but no harm posting again:

 

 

JohnB

Hello JOHN B

LOVED your video !!! I am Military buff too (WWll, Europe) as I have uncle that did the hard fighting ( pushing Nazis out of France into Germany in Dec 1944, 1945).  My other uncle was prime minstier of England at that time too and we all hated Hitler (still do to this day)

Tiffany

Last edited by Tiffany

My favorites are Lionel's Pennsy prewar steam switchers. Why? Back in their day, they represented the technology of their time, they had a decent level of detail, they were made in the USA and the craftsmanship was excellent like a fine German watch. Most of my locomotives are 77ish years old and properly maintained can go another 80-100 years, easily. What's not to love? 

Tom 

train collect warehouseIMG_20160305_070753

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  • 233
  • 228, IMG_20160305_070753
Last edited by PRR8976
Tiffany posted:
JohnB posted:

Tiffany,

     My favorite switcher and possibly locomotive would be the Lionel Legacy  B6, great sound, smoke, whistle and can run at speed step 1 all day. Here is a video that was previously posted but no harm posting again:

 

 

JohnB

Hello JOHN B

LOVED your video !!! I am Military buff too (WWll, Europe) as I have uncle that did the hard fighting ( pushing Nazis out of France into Germany in Dec 1944, 1945).  My other uncle was prime minstier of England at that time too and we all hated Hitler (still do to this day)

Tiffany

Tiffany,

    If you liked the B6 video you will enjoy the full train video:

         

  My father served with Patton from Normandy to the end of WWII. My Military Train was a way of honoring his memory. He passed away in 1970.

JohnB

On the Glacier Line:  My (John) favorite is my MTH PS3 GN #192 steam switcher.  Chris' favorite is his: MT VO 1000 GN switcher and Gregg's future favorite will be a GE 44 Ton Switcher custom painted into Great Northern traditional (Glacier Green and Omaha Orange) colors.

Still waiting on a PS3 version....wish MTH would make all their rolling stock available completely UNDECORATED as an option.  I personally, face-to-face, requested that to Mr. Mike Wolfe.

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  • GN 192
  • GN VO 1000
  • GN 44 ton switcher

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