One of the parts of the hobby that I think about at this stage is, "what do I want and how many of them?" I intend to focus on a small handful of Great Lakes/Rustbelt lines that I like. So my question is to the forum is are there any cases on your layouts in which you have say 2 or 3 of the same type of steam engine. Do any of you feel that that is too much to say have 3 Nickel Plate Berkshires or 2 Pennsy J1's? I intend to focus on the "superpower," of the 1940's and 1950's.
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I do not think so. I mean, that is what real railroads did anyway. It's not like they only had one of a particular engine. I prefer having different road numbers myself, but the same units running around is just fine in my books. I would love to one day, have about 5 O&W NW2's a couple more FT sets, and a couple F3 A units to run on my "dream" layout.
Interesting question. It's one I'll never have to ponder myself for a reason you'll see in a moment.
What would be the most likely engine to see in where the layout takes place? How many of them were around there in your general timeframe? I'd approach any layout concept in regard to what was the most likely to be seen in a given proportion.
In my case, I model a RR that only had one class of locomotives at the time I model. So, I have four of them for a very small On30 layout...
One of the parts of the hobby that I think about at this stage is, "what do I want and how many of them?" I intend to focus on a small handful of Great Lakes/Rustbelt lines that I like. So my question is to the forum is are there any cases on your layouts in which you have say 2 or 3 of the same type of steam engine.
Yes. I have three C&O H-8 Alleghenies, two UP 4000s, two UP FEF-3s, five SP GS-4s, three NYC Mohawks, two NKP Berks, etc., etc., etc..
Do any of you feel that that is too much to say have 3 Nickel Plate Berkshires or 2 Pennsy J1's?
Absolutely not, so long as they are all different road numbers.
I intend to focus on the "superpower," of the 1940's and 1950's.
Our layout, the Central Connecting, services many, many, many different railroads in a time frame from the late 1940s thru the mid 1950s. Thus there are LOTS of different steam locomotives in the engine terminal from one day to the next.
I have all three ATSF Premier Hudsons (see below) offered by MTH recently. Also three ATSF Northerns, although of two different classes (one 3751, two 2900s). I also have two UP H-7s.
Of diesels, I have three ATSF 44-tonners, two UP GP7s, and two UP U30Cs. I have only one of all other types of locos.
A definite "Yes" with a caveat. In the case of the N&W "J", I have
604 Streamlined, early style valve gear
605 Unshrouded
611 Streamlined, later style valve gear (preordered)
N&W K2a and K3. Same 4-8-2 wheel configurations, but very different locomotives.
I have the 3rd Rail N&W "M" and would buy the M2 if it were offered. Again, same wheel configurations, but otherwise very different.
On the other side of the equation, I have the JLC Y6b. It has been real hard for me to pull the trigger on a Y3. There was no real problem not buying the Lionel 2-6-6-2. They had every opportunity to release a "Z" and they just flat blew it!
The real roads sometimes, as the Pennsy, owned fleets of similar locos, all numbered
differently, but in series. Small roads, short lines, sometimes had a few alike, if they had more than one or two, but also frequently had none alike.
This is a dream of mine to have two Reading steam locomotives (maybe I-10sa Consolidations) so that I can double head them with a long coal drag. Problem is I don't want the T-1's and models of other scale Reading steam locomotives are not available.
Jim
Yes there are. We have two Challengers (one of the first scale models by MTH that has been converted to TMCC & a Lionel JLC version). Then there are the scale Berkshires with two Legacy PE units (black & Gold) and the silver addition on order.
Although I was only able to do it once with steam engines ..... 3 Mikados I decaled for the East Broad Top ...... I think fleets, of any number, of alike engines look cool, and very prototypical. Individually numbered, of course.
It's easier (financially) with the first generation diesels I use now.
You're asking the guy who has 9 UP Challengers, so, I'm a little biased in my answer 
I have 2 SouthWind Models S Scale (ex) SP 2-8-0's lettered for my own road.
They anchor my railroad's identity.
Rusty
Thanks for the reply's everyone. The responses were what I expected and to be honest what I was leaning towards, I just wanted to see other people's opinions. Just don't want to go overboard.
13 AEM7's Amtrak, NJ Transit and Marc
2 Premier H9 Western Maryland and Illinois Central
5 GG1's 2 traditional and 3 scale
Interesting tread, I have five scale GG1's but all have different paint schemes ( none are PC) I have many engines in one road but no two are alike. I enjoy modeling many railroads and except for F units and GP 9s which I like to MU no two are the same.
I really never gave it that much thought till now... I have to consulate with the my resident shrink and see why that is, I am sure she knows why she always does.
I think I just like to spend money on different trains.
Rolling stock are a different story.
I have two scale Commodore Vanderbilts...I just really like them.
Having so many examples of so many different types of steam locos is one of the more UN-realistic things about model RR'ing. I'm certainly guilty of it.
The idea that you mention of having 2 or 3 examples of a couple of appropriate (per your intentions) loco types can make for a far better presentation.
I wish that I could focus better; I actually enjoy it when I can.
You're asking the guy who has 9 UP Challengers, so, I'm a little biased in my answer
No really. I mean, there were more than nine in the real world, right? So, you have not overdone it yet!
I have four Southern FM Train Masters; two powered, two dummies, all different road numbers. Also two GP9s and an SD9 that I run as an MU.
I have 3 2-8-0 consolidations and they work well together. Also consider NY Central for the region you are covering as they did range west to Chicago
I have two scale Pennsylvania Railroad GG1s.
Doubleheading is great fun. Many railroads did it and so do I!
Great question, and glad there are more of you out there that have multiples of engines. I can only say that I was lucky enough to have a pair of S-3s and a trio of 4-4-2s. Many of you guys are lucky to have a roster of same types of engines. But I hate to call my a fleet.
I think anything worth having one of is worth having two of! That philosophy has led me to having 8 NYC Hudsons, 4 UP GTELs, 3 U-50s, 2 cab forwards, 2 Daylight GS-2s and lots of F-3s. I have kept to the theme of 40's and 50's with my scale purchases and have run days with just one roadname or a mix of regional roadnames. I also have special purpose "visitors": 611 J, 759 NKP Berk, and Pennsy T-1.
Rolland
I have 2 of the Marx 666 engines and I'll probably end up with a couple more someday. The motors in them are strong and almost bulletproof, so when funds allow, I may try sticking some of those motors into some Lionel shells, just to have some difference, visually.
Like a lot of other questions that come up, the answer depends on the definition of what we mean by "the same." Does that mean absolutely the same except for engine number, or do different models of the same class of engine by different manufacturers count, or similar engines of the same wheel arrangement, etc. etc.?
I have two Milwaukee Road S3 Northerns, one by Lionel and an older brass one by Weaver. Both run well and I switch off which one I run. I have between four and a half and five streamlined Hiawatha 4-6-4's - a complete MTH Premier one, another in Rail King, and two disassembled Weaver brass ones and most of a third that I am in the process of rearranging parts to get one or two really nice ones. I have several Hiawatha streamlined 4-4-2's - the Weaver brass ones with and without the Indian on the tender, the Lionel scale one, and tinplate examples by Lionel, MTH, and Pride Lines. Outside of the Milwaukee Road, I have a pair of almost-identical Lionel Harriman Consolidations, one in UP and one in SP. There's a pair of K-Line UP USRA Mikados that I like to doublehead - they are in line for redecoration to Gadsden Pacific Lines (house railroad for the Gadsden Pacific Toy Train Museum). And finally, I have three Cab Forwards - one MTH AC-6 with PS/2, and a pair of older brass models by 3rd Rail, an AC-6 and an AC-4. I used to have three Dreyfuss Hudsons but I sold two of them. Now I just have a semi-scale one by K-Line that I use to pull my Rail Chief cars.
You could follow the concept of modeling only 1% to 10% of the actual fleet at the time. If there were 20 actual steam locomotives, you would only have 2 models of them.
Andrew
Do what you like. It's your railroad. That said, I have two scale Pennsylvania K-4 Pacifics. One is in the earlier configuration and the other is in the later configuration so they are not identical. My reasons for buying two is that double headed K-4s were commonly seen on the Pennsy. My two K-4s pulling a long passenger train is really, IMHO, a beautiful train. I am looking for MTH Decapods. I would like to own two of these also since the Pennsy often ran these double headed too.
I also have two GG-1s. One is a Williams in Tuscan and the other is an MTH in Brunswick so I can't run them together. I am thinking of upgrading the Williams to Proto-3 so I can doublehead these too.
I think an interesting questions is why? Do you:
I am guilty of all of these but mostly when I have a bunch, as in the ATSF Hudsons, it is reason #1,
I have three versions of the Daylight,a GS-4 in Daylight Livery,GS-4 Black WWII type and a GS-2 in black with skirting.
Mikey
For the past 6 years or so I have decided to concentrate on New York Central, transition era. I am planning on modeling Harmon Yard as it was the one place where you could see steam, diesel, and electric all together. To that end I have collected multiple versions of Hudsons, Niagaras, Mohawks, Mikados and a few other smaller engines. Most all have unique cab numbers and the few duplicates (Niagaras) will get renumbered.
Pete
Buy whatever, he who dies with the most toys wins. Jack Tylenda
I don't have any duplicated steam engines, but I do have:
I have two scale Pennsylvania Railroad GG1s.
AND I have two B&O GP9s in passenger livery, and two SW9s - one in B&O and the other in Baltimore and Annapolis.
I developed this weakness for SD70ACe locomotives. Had two with hi-rail wheels which I sold in favor of scale-wheeled units.
Have multiple GP35's, GP38-2's and U25b's because those guys were often seen traveling in pairs or packs.
Took a serious look at Kansas City Southern after seeing some in H.O. at a prototype modeler's meet last year, especially since they run through the Houston area.
If MTH re-issues the ATSF 2-8-2 light Mikado I'll probably get another one. That's another one of those engines that does everything well.
I conquer!!!! 
Still looking for the UP, KCS and the CNW SD70Ace!!!
I conquer!!!!
Still looking for the UP, KCS and the CNW SD70Ace!!!
The MTH CNW was re-issued with Proto-3. I'm probably going to buy if they re-issue one in KCS.
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