What was your first SCALE locomotive?

When I got back into 3 rail It was a K-Line scale Hudson back around 2003. Many scale HO engines prior to that.

Pete

MTH FP-45

Mine was this Missouri Pacific (MTH 20-20488-1) less than 3 years ago.  Scale stuff is the reason I started in O.

Be careful, I have about 30 now!

I returned to O gauge model railroading in 1997 with the purchase of an MTH Premier New York Central Hudson. I still have it but it's never been run...

MELGAR

I think is was a Lionel TMCC N&W 1218 Class A that I bought from Trainpop at York.

My first scale diesel was an MTH Propane Turbine. My first steam engine was a Lionel NYC Hudson 6-28072.

Greg

Lionel's first issue of PRR M1a . It is still a smooth running monster. I added wheel magnets and a reed switch and when it moves out with the volume set medium high, the chuff affect blows me away.

@MELGAR posted:

I returned to O gauge model railroading in 1997 with the purchase of an MTH Premier New York Central Hudson. I still have it but it's never been run...

MELGAR

Me too, but when MTH came out with PS2, I foresaw a rerun. So, I sold mine. With so many new models back then, I never did buy another NYC Hudson.

PRB Santa Fe Hudson.  Never regretted it.  John

A Scale-Craft K4 and then later the Grey Lionel 785 Hudson

The Lionel 700E  from 1990. Runs as great today as when new and looks just as great.

Dave

MTH  30-20190 /  Railking Scale gp7.   Installed LED marker lights and it's been an excellent runner.  Almost all diesels since have been Premiers. 🚂

Lionel reissue 1-700e NYC Hudson many many years ago.  Wish I still had it!   AD

For me, the gray Lionel 785 Hudson. My last two purchases were the Weaver LV Black Diamond and matching passenger cars from the OGR Forum and the Legacy SP Cab Forward. However, I run both scale and semi-scale from the various manufacturers. I am particularly partial to Lionel PW.

Mark

Sunset 3rd rail CB&Q 2-8-2 #4960. Fantastic detail and great sound. I photographed and chased the original in the Chicago area for several years back in the 1960's.

RAY

Lionel Reading T1 circa 1988......

Well, I have to start with the venerable Lionel "GP7-GP9" which crude stamped handrails notwithstanding actually is a scale proportioned model. Length and height are scale and width is close, a [scale] 3" too wide. Also truck wheelbase is correct for a Blomberg at 9' (something MTH never did manage -theirs scales 8'3").

But my all-time favorite is the MTH PS3 SW1500. I started with this one and have since added five more:

The only discrepancy I can find is that same pesky 8'3" truck wheelbase which is [a scale] 3" too long for the prototype Flexicoil truck.

Class L3 NYC Mohawk ( Lionel 18009 )  ....couldn’t leave it alone either, many upgrades to make it a better scale model...including adding valve gear not found on these models.....awesome locomotive, but it’s like they almost made it....so they need a little help to be nice.....

Pat

My first scale loco was the MTH Premier Blue Comet in 1998. I sold it a few years ago to david1...wonder if he still has it?

Nothing but scale since.

My Weaver Amtrak E-8's were my first scale locos.  I still have them. 

Lionel gray 785 Hudson. Bought it new in '86 or so. Cost the world and didn't do anything fancy. Ran well for the times. Then there was the Williams brass Niagara a couple of years later (ran really well), then the Lionel #3000 Mohawk...I think I see a pattern, here. If I had only stopped there.

First scale diesel I do not remember. I have more than a few of them, too, though. Too many.

Postwar #624 C&O NW-2, MPC GEEPS (7,9,20), Williams Trainmaster (Or Train Master, I don't care which), and the MPC #783 Hudson. All the others are "traditional" size.

Lionels TMCC Mohawk L2a from 2005.

One of their better efforts.  Lionels L2a tooling is about as good as it gets in the detail dept...for Lionel.

RickO: That Mohawk L2 is a handsome engine. I have always liked the design especially the location of the feedwater heater that adds to its powerful appearance.

Is the original 763e true scale?  It's as close as I have

@MattR posted:

Is the original 763e true scale?  It's as close as I have

The locomotive is scale yes, it’s just not as ornamented as its big brother the 700.......the tenders are not full scale....but to answer your question....close enough for horse shoes & hand grenades...😉

Pat

My first scale engine was back in1997, it was an MTH UP Challenger in Grayhound colors. Sold it after one year because I didn't have enough discretionary funds to buy freight cars.

@Norton posted:

When I got back into 3 rail It was a K-Line scale Hudson back around 2003.

Pete

Times two.  The K-Line scale Hudson was a game changer for me.

It's also a far better model than some of the Lionel NYC Hudson's mentioned above....IMHO.

I also lusted after a Lionel 18009 NYC Scale Mohawk from 1990 until about 2015 or so.  When I finally got one, I wanted to sell it within 15 minutes of running it.  That model, as well as a few 4-8-4s from LTI were historically significant as Big Orange started to move into the true scale world.  But they were quickly outclassed, IMHO.

Still, they played a key role in the move to scale fidelity.

About 1989-90 timeframe, I was at a train show and saw an articulated engine made by ROW that had glowing ashpan lighting, sound and smoke system.   So I called ROW Industries and ordered my first scale locomotive a brass B&O 2-8-8-0 EL-5a Class mallet which was then upgraded with a QSI-I sound system.    Great puller with duel suethe smoke units and lighting system.

Mine was the original MTH Premier GG1 (tuscan Red 4876) I got second hand in 2003 when I started getting into O scale (3 rail for PRR then).  I promptly fried the electronics on it 3 days later not knowing how sensitive the electronics were with my Lionel Z transformer at the time.

I still have it though.  Found a Conrail one about 6 years back for under $200 and swapped the chassis.

To be technical, it really should be called a "scalish" locomotive as it measures out about a 1/2 from full 1:48.  Only discovered that when I got my Lionel JLC and Sunset / 3rd Rail ones.

@yankspride4 posted:

My first scale loco was the MTH Premier Blue Comet in 1998. I sold it a few years ago to david1...wonder if he still has it?

Nothing but scale since.

I remember that scale blue comet, it was a wonderful locomotive. Thanks for the memorys  Converted it to proto2 and had years of fun with it. Kept it then sold it to a friend some years ago.

Dave

My first scale loco was the Brass Williams PRR E6 and "Modern K4s" I swore  that was going to be it. It became a steep slippery slope thereafter!

A Legacy Nickel Plate Road Berkshire 6-11454

Williams brass B&M Pacific.

Here's my second scale locomotive -- looks just like the ones I saw in NJ when I was in high school.  It looked so real to me the first time it was on the layout it was, you guessed it, eerie!  

I bought two, used, from the same owner at the same time.  6-11127 SP GS4 “Daylight” #4436, and 6-11131 UP FEF3 #844.    

My 2018 run of the Lionel NKP 765 Berkshire is my first scale locomotive

@Norton posted:

When I got back into 3 rail It was a K-Line scale Hudson back around 2003. Many scale HO engines prior to that.

Pete

I'm another oddball here having grown up with HO trains.  I did not get into O-gauge until 2012 when I couldn't see the HO anymore.    I think the first Scale 3-rail was an MTH Premier Protosound (PS1) F3 ABA set I bought from a forum member around 2013.  I still have it, but it is in a box.  Many of the screws holding the shells onto the chassis were so tight, that many of the standoffs broke loose from the shells.  After replacing the battery with a BCR, I epoxied the standoffs back in and didn't tighten down the screws.  I cracked a piece out of the B unit in the process.  After doing some body work, I decided to repaint it in B&O livery.  I hadn't spray painted in years, and am not happy with the outcome.  A repaint is on the back burner as an item I will get to someday...if I live long enough.  So much to do, so little time! 

I'm glad to read everyone else's stories!

USH USRA 0-8-0