# Cannot find locomotives



## Groovytrains (Sep 27, 2021)

I've always been quite fond of the early days of steam, and I'm starting to get back into model railroading again and am looking for engines from the 1830s - 1860s or so. Patentees, Adlers, Cramptons, and the like. I can find no rolling stock, either. All I can find are a small number of 3D printing files, which are not an avenue I wish to pursue - I'd much rather purchase a complete unit. From what I can tell, it seems that most model railroaders categorize things into "eras", though the earliest seems to start long after the timeframe I'm looking for. Due to the extremely limited space available to me, I plan on my new layout being N scale. Have any of the many manufacturers around the world ever produced trains in that size? I feel like I've looked through all of them - every single one of them seem to have the exact same Hudson's and Pacific's, but nothing with a single driving wheel. Any advice?


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## GNfan (Jun 3, 2016)

Bachmann did a "Golden Spike" set in N Scale a few years ago. You might find those on eBay. Bachmann also has a steam "starter set" with with an 0-6-0 switcher and old fashioned passenger cars. Micro-trains makes a few civil war era freight cars.

Welcome to the forum.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Maybe change your era…..if you can’t find pieces in the era you are talking about, your layout will never exist….


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## vette-kid (May 2, 2020)

GNfan said:


> Bachmann did a "Golden Spike" set in N Scale a few years ago. You might find those on eBay. Bachmann also has a steam "starter set" with with an 0-6-0 switcher and old fashioned passenger cars. Micro-trains makes a few civil war era freight cars.
> 
> Welcome to the forum.


Yup,I had one. Sadly they no longer manufacture parts for it. But they are on eBay regularly. 

Sent from my SM-G781U using Tapatalk


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## Groovytrains (Sep 27, 2021)

As much as I appreciate the civil war era railroading aesthetic, my heart lies in the origins. I'm meaning the kind of trains where the rolling stock has two axles and the engine has one drive wheel, and everything is done up in overtly ornate liveries. If it truly doesn't exist then that is disappointing. 

I fully intend on making my railway obnoxiously anachronistic - castles and dragons and other weird nonsense. Something where I can put trains of any era on the tracks and it will be equally nonsensical. That being said, the aesthetic of the late regency and pre-victorian eras greatly appeal to me.


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## Steamer_11 (Jan 23, 2021)

Rolling stock and locomotives can be scratch built if you have the patience for it. Afterall, most were modified from horse-drawn wagons and carriages. As for locomotives, if you can find the right materials, it can be done. You would have to find some original plans for the types you want. Stephenson's Rockets, John Bulls and the sort are pretty simple, if you can find a motor small enough. Japan has a few micro motors that may work. They are great quality but importing is slow these days. 
Good luck with your adventure. I will send you any information I can find.


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## Steamer_11 (Jan 23, 2021)

N-Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia (North American Prototypes)


N-Scale Locomotive Encyclopedia (North American Prototypes)



www.spookshow.net


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Steamer_11 said:


> Rolling stock and locomotives can be scratch built if you have the patience for it. Afterall, most were modified from horse-drawn wagons and carriages. As for locomotives, if you can find the right materials, it can be done. You would have to find some original plans for the types you want. Stephenson's Rockets, John Bulls and the sort are pretty simple, if you can find a motor small enough. Japan has a few micro motors that may work. They are great quality but importing is slow these days.
> Good luck with your adventure. I will send you any information I can find.


That's your answer, right there. It's great to be interested in a niche era, but manufacturers want to make things they can sell in large volumes, not locos that will only appeal to a very few people. There are a couple of models out there (I used to have a Stephenson Rocket made by Triang-Hornby) but they're hard to find. You'll be much better off learning to build them from scratch.

Have a look at Model Railroad Hobbyist magazine (available free online). They have had a couple of articles on scratch-building steamers over the years.


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## Mixed Freight (Aug 31, 2019)

You may want to re-think your scale. Early-era locos and cars were pretty small to begin with. HO and/or HOn3 might give you many more scratch-building and kit-bashing choices and make it far easier to realize your goal in a fairly limited space.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

I agree. Early locomotives were quite small, as you already know. Chances are greater of finding equipment in a larger scale. It should still run on fairly small radii if space is a concern with the larger scale.

You can always change countries as well. Era I in Germany is alive and well from many makers.


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## Groovytrains (Sep 27, 2021)

Thanks for the advice everyone!


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