# Rationalising your (dream) fleet



## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

If, for some crazy reason, you could only have 3 engines on your layout... What would they be, and why?

Lets say you could pick 3 Steamers or 3 Diesels or even a mix if thats your thing. 

I dont know too much about the particular engines myself. But for steamers I'd have to pick

1. a shay, probably class c
2. the mantura camelback 'goat' decked out like choo choos (or prospects when he gets his)
3. some sort of large articulated job. 2-8-8-2 (?)partly streamlined (elephant ears/smoke deflector style) i think.

not too sure about the diesels.

1. Theres emotional atrachment to my first lima engine, the one with the rounded hood. probably a 60's vintage proto.
2. maybe one of the big bhp mining locos. they are very strong.
3. some sort of switcher. something the size of a ge 44tonner. but maybe more pretty 

so what do you choose, and why? 



(apologies for any typos. i'm on my phone, will double check and fix when i'm on my big computer)

Edit:
Oops. I should mention that that can be your dream engines, not limited to the ones you already have in your fleet.

Does that change some of your choices?
Carry on


----------



## santafe158 (Jul 14, 2010)

Steamers is easy and don't really need an explanation

My first Lionel, a NYC Flyer 4-4-2
My Grandfather's Postwar Lionel 2037
My Grandfather's Postwar Lionel 2055

Diesels
Probably my Legacy SD80, Lionel Santa Fe FT and NYC GP9. All are favorites of mine and are my only diesels besides my RMT Beep, which wouldn't make the cut if I could only have 3


----------



## THE TYCO MAN (Aug 23, 2011)

I choose mainly steam, but like diesels and equipment of all eras. Not sure why, heck one day I may buy a Big Boy and then later on, a ES44AC! I like variety in my fleet.


----------



## JPIII (Jun 24, 2012)

I have a Heisler, a Climax, a 2-6-6-2 Mallet saddle tanker, an 0-6-0 saddle tanker.....thought I had a Shay, but no workie, a 2-8-2, and a weirdo thingy I'll call a Mulligan.

All "rational" to a logging RR......"rationality" is in short supply hereabouts.


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

Steam 3

2-8-8-2 Y6bs

diesels

E8 A-B-A


----------



## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Oops. I should mention that that can be your dream engines, not limited to the ones you already have in your fleet.

Does that change some of your choices?
Carry on 

I think I'll try and remotor that old lima of mine one day, give it a bit of modern grunt, better/newer pickups, and maybe a bit of weathering /detail.... in the future that is


----------



## Brakeman Jake (Mar 8, 2009)

By "dream",do you mean models that actually exist or any model ,even some that no manufacturer ever made?Some models are available in one scale not the other,etc and some have never been made.


----------



## broox (Apr 13, 2012)

Oh, hmm, I'd say it has to be available in the scale you model. So in theory, rarity aside, you could get them.

Feel free to add a list of notable exceptions if they are not in your scale or something that has not even been made at all.
You never know with enough interest in a particular model it could be made in the future! Stranger things have happpened  It all has to start somewhere.

Edit: gosh darn fat fingers on this touchscreen keyboard makes posting properly quite a challenge. i think i got all the spelling errors... i think.


----------



## Mopar Matt (Jun 29, 2012)

Steamers:
Southern Pacific GS-2 Daylight Train
NYC Blue Comet Husdon
Union Pacific Big Boy

Diesels:
Santa-Fe FT Superchief
Atlanta FT
GP-9


----------



## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

Steam: Would have to be the three CNJ Blue Comet engines.
#831
#832
and #833

Diesel:
SP U50 
NYC E8/9
CNJ rs3


----------



## Kwikster (Feb 22, 2012)

Hmmm that can be a tough answer in that I have 3-4 scenarios that come into play.  But my main dreamers fleets. I love the larger massive power types.

Steam dream
BigBoy
Allegheny
1225 Berk (have the real one close so I'm partial to her)

Diesels
DD40ax
Bigblow (the UP turbine)
Maybe a U36 for variety

Carl


----------



## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

Steam Era:

Rivarossi/AHM 2-8-4 Nickle Plate NY/STL Berkshire
IHC 4-6-2 UP Heavy Pacific..Long Haul Tender
Rivarossi/AHM 2-8-8-2 Mallet ATSF

Diesel Era:

Athearn Blue box SD 40-2 Rio Grande
Atlas GP 40 Union Pacific
Athearn F7A&B Pennsylvania

When I grow up I want a UP Big Boy or UP Challenger!


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

MacDaddy55 said:


> Steam Era:
> Rivarossi/AHM 2-8-8-2 Mallet ATSF


 
Good taste Mac


----------



## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Interesting question and difficult to answer. 

Not a big steam fan so I can't really say there.

But for diesels it'd have to be:
1 - Athearn SD40-2 in the SP Olympic livery ( I have one of these)
2 - Atlas FM Trainmaster H24-66, prolly in Canadian Pacific livery (don't have one of these yet).
3 - Tie between Stewart AS-616 or an Athearn U50, in Union Pacific livery (don't have either of these, either). 

Expanding the limit to, say, 6, I'd add a Rivarossi U25C in Penn Central livery, another SD40-2 in BN livery (which I have) and I'd really like an FP-45 in the early Super Chief livery. I have one of these, just not in that paint scheme. 

Adding a few more would be an Alco PA ABBA set, just for fun, you know. Heck, model trains don't take up much space so why not add a few more? Early GE U-Boats are kind of funky, and since I really like the look of them, lets throw a few more SD40-2's in the mix.... GP30's are sort of interesting, as are SD9's and SD24's - lets get a few of them, too. Probably in BN or UP colors just because they are so darn good lookin'! 

I really like Athearn's 50th anniversary set that comes with an F7 and some passenger cars so I'll add this to the list (which I do own, incidentally) and while we're at it lets get a few Athearn special edition sets - the GP38-2 with matching caboose issued in 1996 (have one) and I really like the Kaiser Steel painted U30C set (don't have yet). Maybe also the SW1500 Special edition painted in Athearn's colors, too (don't have). Just for good measure. 

It is absolutely impossible to limit yourself to just 3.


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

From when I was a teen first starting out in the hobby...

Steam=

small Shay (under 20 tons) - check
Virginia Triplex 4-8-8-8-4 - still looking
Sierra Railways 2-4-4-2 Mallet - still looking

Diesel=

UP GE U50 - still looking
SP Alco C855 - still looking
Powered Mack switcher from Scale Structures Ltd circa 1978 - still looking

Electric=

Milwaukee Road Little Joe - still looking
MTH Premier Line PRR L5 steeplecab electric locomotive - still looking
Marklin CCS 800 Swiss Crocodile - still looking


----------



## MacDaddy55 (Aug 19, 2008)

Southern said:


> Good taste Mac


Thanks John, Gotta have those BIG articulateds..which I see you like...and yes when I grow up..if EVER..I want another Giant like a Big Boy or Challenger...figured you'd have a Southern Crescent on your list..because YOU are Southern!!:laugh::laugh:


----------



## soccercoach (Apr 26, 2012)

The Garden scale Big Boy at the train shop steaming around the property. That's a dream. The real HO set a lot larger with 2 BNSF diesels, a line of grain cars and 2 BNSF diesels pushing.


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

MacDaddy55 said:


> figured you'd have a Southern Crescent on your list..because YOU are Southern!!:laugh::laugh:


 
One of my Y6Bs is a Southern. I renamed it

:laugh: " SOU 2197 ":laugh: 

(most of, if not all of the Rivarrassi Y6Bs were Numbered 2197, regardless of the roadname.)


----------



## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I have never owned a Shay. Y'all have got me wanting one.

So mabe I need to change my steam chose to:

Rivarossi Y6B
BLI Big boy
and a Shay. just not sure which one.


----------



## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Southern said:


> I have never owned a Shay. Y'all have got me wanting one...just not sure which one.


Get one of the under 20 ton "teakettles"...the monkey motion of the drive and the weezing as it's running flat out at full throttle and still clocking less that 15 scale mph is just too cute...:thumbsup:

Oh nuts...did I just say "cute"?


----------



## Big Ed (Jun 16, 2009)

Engines?

I like to have this one,
A 625-hp Caterpillar C15.:thumbsup:
There is a 660 coming on the market I hear.:thumbsup:

Oh....you meant LOCOMOTIVES?
I have to think about that....3 is not enough for me.


----------



## dablaze (Apr 17, 2012)

Hmmm, Steam...

3 Truck Shay
CP Royal Hudson
CP Selkirk If it has to exist or ONR Mountain if I can do a repaint

Diesel

Intermountain ONR FP7
RS10 CPR (again if it has to exist) ONR if I can paint it 
Stewart RS3 (with car body filters) In ONR paint (CP if I have to choose an existing paint

I cannot believe there were not enough choices for me to get a Kato SD40-2!

Craig


----------



## Carl (Feb 19, 2012)

My Atlas Shay
MP 2-6-0
Atlas Switcher 0-4-0 (finally got it to run right, after 3 years of trying)


----------

