Overwhelmed by so many cool things I'm finding on the web and just waiting for some books to be able to start putting it all in perspective. So many different trains and rolling stock and variations in colors over time.
I'm curious what your focus is? Do you focus on one particular maker? One particular year? Or is there a particular locomotive that you like and are trying to get all of the variations?
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I want one original 400e. Not a gray. Then I will have one of each standard gauge prewar steamer. But I am in no hurry. I'm good with freight cars, I have one of each 500 and two gondolas and two cabooses. I have four examples of the small size passenger cars sets. I will keep my eye open for a nice 9e, they seem scarce. Again, it's not a priority. I've got 6 of the small electrics, all in a different color. I need to get a couple guys running and have some small detail parts I am going to order. Then I'm good. More track! Need to run two trains at a time. That would be sweet.
I too was overwhelmed by all the options in the hobby. Partly because I inherited a lot of PRR O gauge from my father-in-law, I focused on the PRR to help control my buying. Probem was there was a lot of O gauge PRR stuff available. So, to further limit myself I picked a year during the steam to diesel transition era that would be my layout's time frame. Only scale engines/cars/misc and paint schemes that were active in 1949 would be on the layout. There are a couple of items that don't belong (a Y3, or HH1, that was gone by 1948 and a N8 cabin that was built in Feb 1950), but I'm mostly holding to the rule. I also enjoy the research.
6.5 to 11 inches with the glasses off, tape measure on my nose.
Train-wise, its Illinois Central or anything that I wouldn't mind getting kicked or flooded because it is on the floor of the basement.
I think in all collecting, ground rules are important. Focus is what makes it a collection and not an accumulation. Others will happily disagree. Thankfully, you have so many options in Model Railroading!
I grew up in a railroad family in a namesake town of the AT&SF. That makes road a simple choice. Some collect steam era, others golden era / transition era (1950's), others are into more modern 80s-90s equipment. I'm into 1965-1975 - a period when passenger service was at it's end and intermodal service in it's infancy. Allows for the collecting of piggy-backs and passenger trains - and BIG diesel. I prefer EMD locomotives - FP45s, SD45s, GPs, etc. Also dig F7s. Tend toward PS1 era / Weaver details for durability-sake.
KEQWOW,
I focus on the Tin Plate Christmas layout and what I can add to it each year, with DCS & Legacy controlled engines & rolling stock. However this Christmas my wonderful wife broke the usual Tin Plate addition and invested in the new Lionel/Halmark RTR Santa Train, for my major addition to the Christmas Layout.
PCRR/Dave
I have no focus, ground rules, or discipline whatsoever. If I see it and I like it, then the wheels start turning. I have no problem mixing railroad lines or mixing Lionel scale with O scale. I run duplicate numbers of cars and no one seems to notice. Other than unit trains, the real trains I see have different sizes of tank cars, box cars, hoppers, etc. Some of the cars look new and most look old. I can't foresee any cars that would fit on my track that would look out of place. I'm not trying to recreate accurate history. I can look in a book or the internet for that. Worrying about that stuff just takes the fun out of it for me. For other people, that is the fun of it.
I'm somewhat focused to a degree. My only interest is 1916-1934 Lionel Std & O-Gauge tinplate. I collect electric profile only. It is for this reason, you will not find any examples prewar steam locomotives anywhere in my home. I prefer the early examples of Std Gauge Freight and passenger cars. The same holds true for my prewar O-Gauge. I'm sure that you will find a area in which you will feel comfortable. Once you do you will also find your collecting more exciting and less expensive.
Fun. Whatever toy appeals to me.
William 1 posted:I want one original 400e. Not a gray. Then I will have one of each standard gauge prewar steamer. But I am in no hurry. I'm good with freight cars, I have one of each 500 and two gondolas and two cabooses. I have four examples of the small size passenger cars sets. I will keep my eye open for a nice 9e, they seem scarce. Again, it's not a priority. I've got 6 of the small electrics, all in a different color. I need to get a couple guys running and have some small detail parts I am going to order. Then I'm good. More track! Need to run two trains at a time. That would be sweet.
So how many is that out of curiosity? That was actually a question I had but figured it was too difficult to answer when some folks will consider different things to qualify for a different engine or variation.
How many prewar standard gauge Lionel Steamers?
How many prewar standard gauge Lionel electrics?
How many prewar O gauge Lionel Steamers?
How many prewar O gauge Lionel electrics?
Ives? Same questions as above??
Lionel, American made, mostly Pre and Postwar,some MPC. Marx tinplate. If I had the room, I'd so O Gauge Flyer also.
If it has knuckle couplers or slot and tab with 4 wheels, and I can afford it, I buy it. I recently made an exception for some prewar Lionel, however.
My train collecting, like my life in general, is complex and multifocal. The Milwaukee Road and its flagship Hiawatha are at the center; my grandparents lived near the tracks and I watched the trains every summer when we visited them.
In tinplate, I started with a Lionel Standard Gauge Hiawatha and later expanded into original and repro Lionel. I've since acquired a repro Ives 3245 passenger set and a Super 381 and State cars, both in the Milwaukee Road's orange and maroon. I also have some assorted rolling stock with modern decoration, especially beer reefers, and a few modern era items by McCoy and CMC, including a CMC Milwaukee Road electric and passenger cars.
I don't do much with American 0 gauge tinplate, but I do have repro passenger and freight Hiawathas. I'm looking seriously at the new Lionel/MTH repro 256E with passenger train, in Milwaukee orange and maroon of course. I got intrigued with ETS tinplate, which is made in the Czech Republic, and I have a sizable collection of ETS including a Garratt and a Crocodile.
In 0 gauge, I collect mostly Milwaukee Road and SP, plus a large collection of Atlas and other beer reefers, focusing on brands from Milwaukee and the area served by the Milwaukee Road. I have at least half a dozen steam and diesel variations on the Hiawatha. I also have some MTH European trains, including the Orient Express. I love the station announcements in French (which I speak rather poorly).
Click on photos for larger view.
Fred,
Got to admit the TCA motto is the classic of all time, no doubt about that!
PCRR/Dave
Love the McKeen car! Wish that there was a tinplate O gauge version, would definitely buy it.
Very Simple! My grand daddy was an engineer on the Wild Mary so that's my focus. If it doesn't say Western Maryland I'm really not interested.
My main focus is Chessie C&O,B&O, WM.
El Classico posted:Love the McKeen car! Wish that there was a tinplate O gauge version, would definitely buy it.
I would buy an 0 gauge tinplate McKeen car in a heartbeat. I would buy a scale one too, but only if it was painted for the Bellingham Bay & British Columbia car "Kulshan." (The BB&BC was a subsidiary of the Milwaukee Road.)
My focus is old tin. Pre or post WWII that I can afford. Marx 3/16" scale tin and 6" four wheel stuff. Plus a bit of Lionel prewar freight cars in the 1600 series and a few American Flyer 1200 and 1300 series passenger cars from the 1920's.
My focus is American Flyer Trains. I started with S gauge, with the thought of just adding a few pieces to those I had as a child. I "limited" myself to the 3 digit numbering system. I have almost all of those items. I then included pre war O gauge and Wide gauge. I admit to having the collector gene. Somehow I justify adding pieces to my collection by saying that I "limit" myself to American Flyer trains - all gauges all ages. What a self delusion! 
Whew! I amost turned green until I realized that McKeen car was Std. Gauge. I actually spoke to its maker at a TTOS meet about making the darn thing in O....no promises, and this some years ago. Speaking of which, there is TCA, TTOS, LOTS, and LCCA (if the military was not enough acronyms for you), so who is "TCS"? (never heard of it, and I have splashed in this pond for a while) My collecting focus was Marx 3/16, tilt fork coupler, but they only made 21 freight cars (and one ultra rare, maybe one of a kind, 22). Beyond that is the tilt fork coupler plastic cars, which I don't actually collect or have a lot of enthusiasm for. (I was hoping the Flynns would make more tilt fork items, more closely resembling old Marx.} I don't "collect" anything else, just buy whatever will fit my layout theme, which is cut off Sept.- Oct. 1940, in east central Colorado.
It's gotten bigger since we last saw it Northwood. Or am I confusing you with another guy with the Blueboard division of the American Flyer Lines?
The layout started as a place to display trains from the collection. It is known as The Blueboard Central Division of American Flyer Flyer Lines. The overview photo is how the layout and collection looks today. And yes, I am Northwoods Flyer
I have dabbled in most eras, but always come back to my true love of early Lionel postwar trains with a cut off of around 1951. There are a few exceptions but otherwise its all from that era. I may add an elevated loop of AF S gauge trains to my layout with a 1946 310 steamer set I may be getting. Mike
As my forum name implies, I focus on windup trains, specifically O gauge windup trains made in the USA (although I do make the occasional exception for European clockwork). Furthermore, I tend to favor Marx, although I have quite a few Ives, Hafner and American Flyer items as well...
Lionel... all of them, everything they made prewar I want 
ESPECIALLY a 400e with state cars!
I have focus in the hobby like my vision... Kinda blurry and not as good as I think.
My primary focus is Streamliners and prewar in O. I have both tinplate and scale-- sometimes I run them together! POs the rivet counters at shows...
The one true rule is Buy What You Like. If you don't do that you're doing it wrong.
How many prewar standard gauge Lionel Steamers? 5, 6, 7, 51, 384, 385, 390, 392, 400, 1835 .. There are 10, not counting variations.
How many prewar standard gauge Lionel electrics? 8, 9, 10, 33, 34, 38, 42, 50, 53, 54, 60, 61, 318, 380, 381, 402, 408, 1911, 1912 ... There are 20 not counting locos that have major variations but the same number i.e.: 10 and 10E or the round vs. square cabs, Number of drivers / motors etc.
How many prewar O gauge Lionel Steamers? 203, 204, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 238, 249, 250, 255, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 289, 700, 701, 763, 1506, 1508, 1588, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1666, 1668, 1681, 1684, 1688, 1689...There are 43, not counting variations.
How many prewar O gauge Lionel electrics? 4, 150, 152, 153, 154, 156, 158, 203, 248, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 256, 450, 700, 701, 702, 703, 706, 728, 731, 1511, 1651, 636, 752,1700, 1816 There are 29 including streamliners.
Ives? Same questions as above??....not counting variations.
Wide Gauge Steam- 1132, 1134, 1760, 1770 There are 4 including Lionel Irvington production
Wide Gauge Electric- 3235, 3236, 3237, 3240, 3241, 3242, 3243, 3245, 10 There are 9 including Lionel Irvington production
Narrow Gauge Steam- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 17, 19, 20, 25, 1100, 1117, 1118, 1120, 1122, 1125, 1501, 1503, 1506, 1661, 1815 There are 25 including Lionel Irvington production
Narrow Gauge Electric- 30, 3200, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3220, 3238, 3250, 3251, 3252, 3253, 3254, 3255, 3257, 3258, 3260, 1651, 1694, 1810, There are 18 including Lionel Irvington production
Don't even ask me about American Flyer. I'd have to answer like Carl Sagan... "Billions and Billions"
Rob English posted:How many prewar standard gauge Lionel Steamers? 5, 6, 7, 51, 384, 385, 390, 392, 400, 1835 .. There are 10, not counting variations.
How many prewar standard gauge Lionel electrics? 8, 9, 10, 33, 34, 38, 42, 50, 53, 54, 60, 61, 318, 380, 381, 402, 408, 1911, 1912 ... There are 20 not counting locos that have major variations but the same number i.e.: 10 and 10E or the round vs. square cabs, Number of drivers / motors etc.
How many prewar O gauge Lionel Steamers? 203, 204, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 233, 238, 249, 250, 255, 257, 258, 259, 260, 261, 262, 263, 264, 265, 289, 700, 701, 763, 1506, 1508, 1588, 1661, 1662, 1663, 1664, 1666, 1668, 1681, 1684, 1688, 1689...There are 43, not counting variations.
How many prewar O gauge Lionel electrics? 4, 150, 152, 153, 154, 156, 158, 203, 248, 250, 251, 252, 253, 254, 256, 450, 700, 701, 702, 703, 706, 728, 731, 1511, 1651, 636, 752,1700, 1816 There are 29 including streamliners.
Ives? Same questions as above??....not counting variations.
Wide Gauge Steam- 1132, 1134, 1760, 1770 There are 4 including Lionel Irvington production
Wide Gauge Electric- 3235, 3236, 3237, 3240, 3241, 3242, 3243, 3245, 10 There are 9 including Lionel Irvington production
Narrow Gauge Steam- 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 11, 17, 19, 20, 25, 1100, 1117, 1118, 1120, 1122, 1125, 1501, 1503, 1506, 1661, 1815 There are 25 including Lionel Irvington production
Narrow Gauge Steam- 3200, 3216, 3217, 3218, 3220, 3238, 3250, 3251, 3252, 3253, 3254, 3255, 3257, 3258, 3260, 1651, 1694, 1810, There are 18 including Lionel Irvington production
Don't even ask me about American Flyer. I'd have to answer like Carl Sagan... "Billions and Billions"
Now THAT is what I am talking about. A list to work from. Nice. BUT......
It looks to me like you are including clockwork trains along with electrics unless I am mistaken??? At least from my understanding of the Ives numbering system...in the Narrow gauge I think the electric steamers were all 1100's....the smaller numbers were clockwork weren't they?
There are clock works and electrics in that list I believe.
My focus: THE MILWAUKEE ROAD
Bob Nelson
The 400e would finish my quest to collect one nice steamer from the 'classic era', as called by Greenberg. 384 to 1835 on the list given here. There was recently two real nice looking #6s on EBay. Not ready to go there yet. I'm good trying to find a nice 9e. Don't really want to go bigger. I have a maroon 380 with matching passenger cars. That is good enough for me.
Standard gauge American Flyer is supposed to be crazy cool. I better stay away from that.
Good luck in your quest. There are a couple decent looking #10s on the bay. Get some track, a transformer and a couple cars and you are in business.
As was mentioned by steamer, a lot of the reference books may be available through your local library system. You can learn a bunch in a very short time. Have fun!
keqwow posted:Now THAT is what I am talking about. A list to work from. Nice. BUT......
It looks to me like you are including clockwork trains along with electrics unless I am mistaken??? At least from my understanding of the Ives numbering system...in the Narrow gauge I think the electric steamers were all 1100's....the smaller numbers were clockwork weren't they?
There are some clockwork mixed in there. It was not requested to break those out, so i did not. However, they are sill viable trains to collect. A number 25 with all its paint is really something to behold.
Yes, the Ives c/w steam are 1 and 2 digit numbers.... and it looks like I left off the Ives c/w electric outline locos like the 30.
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
