Lets See Your Latest Engine Purchase

Hello Joe, Is this the start of your backyard layout? Look's like you're off to a good start. Man, you and Davey boy are really serious about this. I like the ability to lay down the long straight runs you can do outside, not to mention the sweeping curves you can build. No stairways, basement support poles, and no utility rooms to avoid. And, you're out in the fresh air, albeit the sweltering heat and unfriendly insects. As long as everything you use is immune to rain and UV rays, I think you've got yourself quite a winner. p/s Is that stuff piled up in the rear part of your project?

Updating my previous post, I've purchased two locomotives since my Y6B. 

1) Purchased sometime in mid or late May, a very nice MTH Railking B&O GP9 with ProtoSound 3. My first PS3 locomotive. Here is a photo. This photo is owned by MTH and was copied from their Facebook Page. It was taken on the layout at the MTH Showroom. 

2) Second engine, I picked up just yesterday and was (up until about 10 minutes ago), listed on the For Sale Forum - I decided to keep it. Another GP9, this one an MTH Premier in the Chessie/C&O Colors. While it has PS2 as opposed to PS3, it is highly detailed and my first MTH Premier locomotive. Of course, I'm no stranger to MTH Locomotives and have had many Premier pieces of rolling stock. I still have a handful of Premier rolling stock lying around as well. 

Comparing the Premier GP9 with the Railking, they are exactly the same. Same dimensions, just more details on the Premier. See through grates are nice but not something I'd need to have in the future, same for opening cab doors, etc, etc, etc. The real thing I LOVE are the marker lights. Other than a few details, and the fact that the RK is a PS3 and has a different sound set, they are exactly the same. When comparing the price tags, I plan to stick to RK products. Regardless, it is still a very nice locomotive. Railkings are certainly stepping up in detail, each new one I see/purchase gets better and better. 

Below is a stock photo copied from MTH's Website. 

Already have my sights set on the next one....an MTH Railking Amtrak F40 Amfleet RTR Train set. I've been wanting a Amtrak set for a while and Railkings are hard to come by and with this set available, it is the one to go for. Won't be for a few weeks or a month or so until I pick it up. 

Just had to change the roof color.  Otherwise, love this engine.

Lionel Lines TMCC Pacific from 1999

My GE demo hybrid that I got a few months ago

 My latest acquisition is the exact same set.

MTH New York & Atlantic GP-38-2 w/matching caboose:

BASEMENTBILL, yeap, can't seem to keep things clean. I'm not much for the outdoors but it's growing on me! You learn what the railroads need to do to get things right. I'm learning fast.

 Wishing for airconditioning, Joe

This is one of mine still waiting for it`s arrival with a MTH P2 NYC Hudson.

Picked up yesterday a K-Line Reading interurban(seems to be a theme going on here)

I picked this up from a forum member, thanks Patrick.  1982 Joshua L Cowen 100th anniversary set.  It's quickly becoming a favorite!

Kevin

I finally got around to putting up more of my Glen Snyder shelving and made some room for the Burlington and Western Maryland F-3 sets I bought a few months ago.

and my RailKing Scale TH&B Geeps...

Still have more walls to place shelving upon, but no shelving yet...

Steve, those are great-looking shelves.  I love the Toronto Hamilton & Buffalo engines.  

Here's my newest...and already one of my favorites.  MTH's version of the Minneapolis & St. Louis FT's.  They look and sound awesome, and the four-stack smoke effect on both A units is a lot of fun to see.

- Mike

Here are my most recent acquisitions -- fixed pilots and scale wheels, but they run fine on the layout:

The hybrid is awaiting a GE ES44 demonstrator to go on the other side of the test car. As these are demonstration units, they won't get weathered.

The Geep 38's will get a weathering treatment soon. I haven't really had the time to fully break them in.

Mike,  what year are your FT's from?

As Premiere diesels I will assume that they are full-scale pieces?

We have these Rio Grande's from 2002 or 03 as well as a Santa Fe FT single A unit from 2001 and they all have this plain pilot. Is the pilot anywhere near 'scale' in appearance?

You're right about the 4 stack smoke!

Thanks Mike.  I have those M&StL FT's as well, and I love them too.  I have a lot of engines, but I have a good percentage that are EMD F-units and Geeps.  They are my favorite styles.  I hoping that MTH will take my suggestion and come out with a RK Scale M&StL Geep soon, preferably in a RTR set.

Here's the count so far: Lionel----21

                                  MTH------17

                                  Atlas-----0

                                  K-line----4

                                  Williams-15

                                  RMT------1

                                  3rd Rail--6

                                  Marx-----1

         No ID-not sure of make----6

Don

They have been here for awhile.  I recently custom painted them. Not quite finished.

I'm with you on that Steve.  Would be curious to see what they would come up with.

Sam, my FT set is from 2001.  As for the pilots, they seem to be scale to me.

- Mike

Those Montours look really good.

To the Southern Roof Painter, you did well. I don't see anything wrong with it.

Here are my contributions.

The Canton Switcher arrived about a month ago from MTH/Horizion. The Caboose was acquired earlier off the bay while waiting for the pre-order. I put the plows on. Possibly to check track for dips and such. I don't know if I will keep them on.

The next is one of two Geep7's in the Premier MTH Line from long ago. The Proto 1 guts were gutted and a fresh proto two chassis and all were installed. A bit expensive and round about to switch bodies to get two good engines. Still have to work on the rear and front rail pieces. I only took the picture of one.

Forgot to mention, a ABA B&O FA set is in Pennsylvania for repairs. I have been anxiously waiting it's return. However it is in good hands and I will post a pic when it returns.

Here are the latest acquistions...

Southern Pacific AC4400cw

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-2631-1

Great Northern GP35

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/20-2902-1

Northern Pacific RK Scale RS3

http://www.mthtrains.com/content/30-20024-1

Lionel Legacy Northern Pacific U33C

Both Northern Pacific engines were duds. The Lionel Legacy is on route to Ohio to be repaired. And the RS3 is going back to the hobby shop where it came from for them to take care of...

The SP AC4400cw I got at York. Brand new but for the price of a RK Scale engine. It was too good an offer to refuse.

Lionel original TMCC GP9 #6-18565.  Since I have a weak spot for these Geeps, when I found this for $160 I couldn't pass it up.  Arrived yesterday at 1:30 pm.  By 5 she was broken in and had electrocouplers installed.  Great sounds, smooth as silk and just a great look.  I appreciate simple elegance, and this is it.

Now all I need is the 1998 version #2383  #6-18866 for a running mate.  And I know where one is...

Well they arrived today the MTH NYC Lines great brand new & no milage or time clocked up on the DCS.($225)

The Lionel on the other hand a bit of a dog for $225 has been hand painted no sound & a non runner.Worked on it all afternoon found the problem re non running a screw had come out holding the large motor in place & the drive rod had come out.

Now runs but a bit of a growler,still can`t get the sounds to work, looks like an old MTH QSI board & tether.

A good puller since it has no traction tyres,pulled 6 K-Line heavy weights no problem. 

Picked up at a Flea Market.  At a distance thought it was a 2046/56.  Surprised it was the tougher 646 number.  A cleaning and a lube and she ran great.  Rewired the tender pickup rollers and the whistle came to life.  No broken steps on the tender.  Also came with a 6464-500 Timkin and a 3474 WP operating BC.

I bought this little MTH Docksider, it was a conventional locomotive.  I installed the ERR Mini Commander 2 into it, electrocouplers, directional lighting, and then added a relay circuit to automate the switching of the smoke.  I didn't have an extra output for controlling the smoke, so it's tied to the motor, anytime the train is moving the smoke unit is on, when it stops, it turns off.  Of course, you can also turn it off with the switch if you simply don't want smoke.

Weaver SD40-2 with fixed pilots and Kadees. Awaiting a few more detail parts and then will be painted up as a (fictional) DT&I unit.

Found this project at the TCA National Convention in Atlanta.  Being a 2R piece, this price was very favorable at a TCA show   

A little Gem models 2-4-4T Suburban:

B&M Lionel shell mounted on a Williams frame.

This little Hornby clockwork is my newest (to me) locomotive.

Steve

This is a MTH Alco RS-27 that I recently picked up at a train show.  I replaced the PS-1 with ERR Cruise Commander and Railsounds.  I replaced the red and white logo with the correct all white logo and did some serious weathering. (Actually PC 2406 had no logo or lettering)  Here are before and after photos.

Tom 

Well, that GG1 was where I said I was going to stop buying more locomotives...

Yeah right 

A 1946 Lionel 2020 turbine and tender.  Picked it up from C.Sam awhile back.

My two latest acquisitions to the fleet. Black Beauty & Blue Thunder. 

The latest is an O gauge Battery NOVO, THE BIG BIG TRAIN SET from the 1970`s

 I had the Triang version of one of those when they first came out in the '60s!  They were(are) great fun.

I own a  Triang set I bought at a train meet in South Beloit, IL, back in the 1990's. The seller had no idea what they were. Neither did I. 

By the way, a battery leaked in the compartment. Are there replacement parts available for either the Triang or Novo versions?