What Are Your Favorite Engines To Run?

This is a tough question to answer.  I change out the trains on my layout every Saturday and tend to run road names or models that I’ve had in mind for one reason or another; usually a magazine article, book or video that makes me say to myself “gotta run that next week.”

I also tend to make my weekly train selections with a regional focus; for example this past week was ACL and SAL and the coming week will be L&N and C&O.

But; you asked for favorites so I guess I’ll go with two models I tend to run more frequently than some others; my MTH Lackawanna F3’s and my MTH Southern Railway GP9’s.  I like the paint scheme on both sets and especially the sound of the horn on the Geeps.

Curt

 I really like to run large diesel consists. That's where my focus is. These were just videos of signal tests though.

Almost every guest or family member that comes over prefers steam. I always end up pulling off my diesels! Urrggg.

 I'm also drawn to larger articulated steam engines. The ones that surprised me and still do, are some of the smaller or regular sized steam. I have a Niagara that looks and sounds very good that I like to watch. I also have a Pacific that runs very smooth and is a joy to run. I have a tiny steamer that I pair up with a single F2 to run something different for interest. Our grandkids don't wish to run it though. They want the large steam.

 My newest favorite is the 2 MTH Dreyfus Hudsons paired up that sound and look great. There's something about the sound that seems more realistic. I swear you can here the varying valve gear and/or the steam action sounds better. ( whatever it is?)

These are with a cell phone in my hand

this is with my regular camera and tripod ( second unit's smoke went out, needed service)

Warning: S Scale Content.

These continue to be my favorites to run for the past 20 years, a pair of brass Harriman 2-8-0's:

Good, solid performers that have never failed me and are ready to run when called.  No muss, no fuss.  The only hi-tech item in them is a constant lighting circuit.  I've occasionally thought about adding DCC and sound to these two, but why mess with success?

Rusty

It'd be hard to pin down which are my "favorite" runners, since that tends to change with what mood I'm in.  But the ones I run most often are my Lionel 783 Hudson and Lionel NYC S-1 electric.

Rusty Traque posted:

Warning: S Scale Content.

So, S Scale gets treated like the red-headed stepchild...?  Nice looking engines by the way...

Mike 

juniata guy posted:

This is a tough question to answer.  I change out the trains on my layout every Saturday and tend to run road names or models that I’ve had in mind for one reason or another; usually a magazine article, book or video that makes me say to myself “gotta run that next week.”

Curt

I Think that's a great way to figure how to change out what you run. For me it's easy, I've only got one train....

Mike 

My favorite engines to run, are my Lionel 2023 ,postwar, Alco FA's. Smooth runners, strong pullers, and I enjoy the growling sound of the motors. 

3rd Rail PRR M-1b; Lionel PRR J.

(Since switching from HO to O Gauge a year ago)

- My FIRST postwar loco- a Lionel 2055 bought at a train show March 2017.  The dealer told me: "You'll never run this- it's a shelf piece!!"  I replied: "I will run it!!!" and I have, a lot.

- Lionel Century Club 773 Hudson- just purchased this month

- My latest Lionel Lion Chief Plus - the LL 726 Berkshire

- Lionel NW-2, and Lionel 44-Tonner are also favorites. 

But I run almost everything, switching them out.  I like 'em all!!!

My favorite locomotives to run are some New Haven types.

New Haven DL109 #0719 by MTH.

New Haven EP5 #371 by MTH.

New Haven FL9 #2043 by Sunset/3rd Rail

There are others that I will post later.

MELGAR

Postwar style Lionel F3s. I own a horizontal motor version and two modern era vertical motor versions. Strong, smooth runners that pull well and operate almost as good as can motored engines, albeit with more noise.

Paul Romano,

   Got to admit watching my Legacy Shay is one of my big favorites.  My Scale TMCC/JLC GG1 is way up there also, very cool sounds and powerful enough pull 30 big Tin Plate Cars, some with loads of another Tin Plate Car.

Still my most favorite is the Gray 263E, we own both the original Gun Metal Gray Lionel and the Gray Reproduction MTH P2, both seriously classic pieces of Tin Plate.

PCRR/Dave

263E Work Train on the over Ceiling Shelf FasTrack Layout.

Pine Creek Railroad posted:

Paul Romano,

Still my most favorite is the Gray 263E, we own both the original Gun Metal Gray Lionel and the Gray Reproduction MTH P2, both seriously classic pieces of Tin Plate.

PCRR/Dave

Had to look those up on the Interweb and I must say they are both quite impressive. You must be pretty proud of those!

Mike 

Here are a couple of loco’s that I like to run.

My layout was built to capture the feeling of railroading from the 1950's.  As such I run RS-3,  F3, FM, GP-9, FA Alco, Berkshire and a scale Hudson.  Should also run my GG1's, Little Joes and Rectifiers but without  catanary wire above, it just doesn't look right to me.

Big fan of small motive power. The MTH 44-tonners rank among my favorites. Have three now and two more on preorder.I don't like the fact that they don't have a nice shutdown sound sequence, but otherwise they are great runners and good pullers. Also ideal for anyone who has a point-to-point layout with lots of switching capability.

I'll go with the Alco RS11 PRR is the one's I own.

mikey posted:

Here are a couple of loco’s that I like to run.

Love those steamers (the diesels ain't bad either! )

Mike 

My favorite? The only one I have...

Marx 999 with the embossed pilot. Came with a pre-war motor (that's what I've been told) that has the two piece pickups and spoked drivers. One of the drivers had a crack in it so I replaced them all with Baldwin drivers.

Mike  

All of them or i would not buy any new engines ROFLOL!!!

I like running the 2015+ SD40's they smoke big and have a excellent sound package. A 3 unit lashup sounds great.

Still think the Lionel Veranda Turbine is my favorite engine to run but the MTH premier scale UP E-8's ABA are a very close 2nd. In steam, think the Dreyfus hudson.

chessie1971 posted:

All of them or i would not buy any new engines ROFLOL!!!

Ditto,  the first one I bought, the latest one & everything in between.  More to come , no doubt.

Modern: my MTH Blue Comet, recently converted to PS3/DCS by Marty Fitzhenry. 

Postwar: my 2353 Santa Fe ABA

Prewar: my 263E Blue Comet

Lionel 1872 General and AF Franklin from the Frontiersman set.

I finally found the Pacific's video. I didn't have anything else for her to pull I guess?

Engineer-Joe posted:

I finally found the Pacific's video. I didn't have anything else for her to pull I guess?

 

             Nice Joe, reminds me of a video with U.P. 844 pulling auto racks in the 1990s.