For Your Favorite Road Name, When Is Enough Enough?

726 Views 22 Replies 15 Participants Last post by MichaelE, 2 d ago

Bryan Moran

Discussion Starter · 11 d ago (Edited by Moderator)

3

I just ordered another Switcher on Lay Away from Mr Muffins for my favorite road flag Rock Island. It's a Lionel custom rum switcher which I had bypassed for several months. I did a lay away on a switcher for Rock Island with them, an SW8 MTH switcher that is fully paid and awaiting MTH getting around to production.

I have another E8 Atlas variant in Rock Island on order with Caboose Stop.

I have all of the Milwaukee Road and CB & Q I want. But Rock Island is my main flag I collect. So whenever I see a new variant not produced before, I kind of want it.

How about you? Do you have a favorite flag that you "gotta have" when a new version comes out? Do you even look, or follow the manufacturers offerings?

Or are you fine with what you have now?

This is completely paid for from Mr Muffins by me but no ETA. How many switchers do I need?

This one I just put on layaway.

I have this AA set from Atlas, ex MTH on order. Never made before now. Likely never again in my lifetime (I am 59)

Then we have a still orderable E8 version from Lionel --

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Bryan Moran

Discussion Starter · #2 · 11 d ago

There is no right answer or wrong answer here. Perhaps you collect all flags, but only steam. Do you have to have all the different gee whiz steam offerings or can you self regulate?

I am 59, and like some of you "older" guys I need to stop buying expensive trains! Sure, I am still working, and can drop a portion of my income each year on model trains but why? I have so much now.

When one of your favorite road names - manufactured by Lionel, MTH, Atlas or 3rd Rail - comes out with a new model, not generally available, or ever, in the past 20+ years of "modern" O Scale, what do YOU do? Do you have the fortitude to say no? Do you sell an older model to help buy the new version? Just curious.

Lehigh74

· #3 · 11 d ago

Instead of answering your question, I'll temp you with some F7s.
MTH Premier EMD F-7 A&B Unit Diesel engines – Rock Island | Berwyn's Toys & Trains (berwynstoytrains.com)

Bryan Moran

Discussion Starter · #4 · 11 d ago

Bob! No you are bad!

Seriously, for whatever reason I am not a fan of the F in Rock Island that you have a link to.

I have the MTH PS 1.0 Rock Island Black and Red "FT" ABA with powered AA or AB, I can't remember.

Stumpy

· #5 · 11 d ago

Bryan Moran said:
Do you even look, or follow the manufacturers offerings?

Not unless someone posts it here.

I rarely buy new. I mean new-new. Of course a lot of the stuff I've acquired is NOS.

My current layout can't handle a fraction of what I have as far as locos and RS. I had to put a hard stop on "accumulating" for the layout I'll start this winter... locos, RS and structure kits.

Of course, if that really unique thing pops up...

Especially if it's SRR, N&W, SAL or ACL.... or...

Norton

· #6 · 11 d ago

About ten years ago I decided to focus on New York Central. A few months ago I received the last item on my list, a 3rd Rail E7. Unless someone comes out with an item never produced in 3 rail, I am done.

Pete

Millstonemike

· #7 · 11 d ago

Bryan Moran said:
...

I am 59, and like some of you "older" guys I need to stop buying expensive trains! Sure, I am still working, and can drop a portion of my income each year on model trains but why? I have so much now.
... Just curious.

Same here (I'm a bit older

). I don't have much at all. But more than I can run at any one time on the holiday seasonal layout. So I'm not buying anymore. My money only needs to fund parts and restoration supplies.

Other guys, they like to collect ... to have. I can't explain it any better than that.

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JeffHurl

· #8 · 10 d ago

I grew up on the edge of a small county seat. Our back yard butted up against a vacant field. Our front yard was in a neighborhood. We could hear trains in teh distance. Like most people, I have come to love the sound of a distant train blowing its horn.

About 6 years ago, we moved out into the country, about a mile north of where the old Ohio Central Systems' "Columbus and Ohio river" line... now owned by Genesee & Wyoming.

So now I'm hearing lovely train sounds every day. The locos that roll by us are all still painted the Maroon, Yellow & Gray. So when I decided to build an N scale layout, I wanted to have those locomotives.

However, there have only been 3 N scale locos ever produced in Ohio Central paint scheme. So the only way I can increase my collection is to have something custom painted.

Today, I own four... 2 factory, and 2 custom painted. I would buy more factory ones if they were available.

Retrorepair

· #9 · 10 d ago

I have tons of roads operating on my layout. I have had a soft spot for PRR items as my first set was a keystone special 0-8-0. Another one i love is the Santa Fe as that warbonnet is killer, hoping to get a postwar 2343 soon. I do have a warbonnet 1957 alco.

JeffHurl

· #10 · 10 d ago

Oh, snap...

As I said earlier, only 3 N scale locos have been produced in OCS colors:

Atlas C420, road number 7220 (I have this one, it's my favorite locomotive)
Atlas GP35, road number 2912 (I just got this one after seeking one for 2 years)

Atlas GP35, road number 2913. I don't have this one, and one just showed up on eBay... Can I fight the temptation?

Tjbouwhu

· #11 · 10 d ago

2

I have two,

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MichaelE

· #12 · 10 d ago

I have four road names on the main layout, and one on the meter gauge line. I could not possibly collect all of the different locomotives these road names use except for the meter gauge RhB, but my pockets while somewhat deep, are not bottomless. BEMO equipment is expensive.

There are a few additional locomotives that I would like for the DB and SBB, but it's not urgent they be added any time soon. I'm fairly satisfied with what is running now.

Lee Willis

· #13 · 10 d ago

Well, I never had enough Santa Fe. I did have enough Warbonnet F3s, F8s, etc., but someone always came out with some loco I did not have in Santa Fe. It always happened a couple of times a year. Made it fun!!

Firewood

· #14 · 9 d ago

I try to stay on a narrow (ish) layout theme, all Canadian and northern US roads. So far so good, but temptation is always there.
FW

neilblumberg

· #15 · 9 d ago

I have a number of favorite roads, including the BN/GN, NYC and New Haven. I've got a substantial amount of these in N gauge and O three rail, a few HO and large scale, and even a few Z. I consider that moderately dysfunctional of me, but I had a deprived childhood that I'm making up for now. At this point, I'm being a little more selective, only one or two locos per year. At some point it will come time to thin the collection, but haven't gotten there yet. Just looking at these trains brings some sort of primal pleasure. Maybe some day I'll build a real layout, but I'm beginning to doubt it.

jrnyfilms

· #16 · 9 d ago

2

Have no idea how many locos and cars I have of the Milwaukee Road. I guess not enough because I got another MTH electric loco Cabin Fever Auctions. Don

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Millstonemike

· #17 · 9 d ago

jrnyfilms said:
Have no idea how many locos and cars I have of the Milwaukee Road. I guess not enough because I got another MTH electric loco Cabin Fever Auctions. Don View attachment 604980 View attachment 604981

Those trains look twice as nice against all that scenery.

Reactions: 1

Bryan Moran

Discussion Starter · #18 · 9 d ago

jrnyfilms said:
Have no idea how many locos and cars I have of the Milwaukee Road. I guess not enough because I got another MTH electric loco Cabin Fever Auctions. Don View attachment 604980 View attachment 604981

I think a key here is your focus on one flag. If I did that with Rock Island I would be fine. But collecting 3 lines with an abundance of rolling stock is what gets me in trouble.

I can say I am done collecting Milwaukee Road freight. How many SD40s and 45s do I need!? I still have one more SD40 on order with Scott Mann.

I also have a GP35 on order in my 3rd road name Burlington Route from Lionel’s last catalog. I hemmed and hawed but when it comes in I will likely sell an older CB&Q freight diesel.

laz57

· #19 · 8 d ago

I have a bunch of NYC, PENNSY, UP, SF, and Reading & Northern. What ever looks cool I usually get.

As far as enough, maybe but not as many as I want.

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Bryan Moran

Discussion Starter · #20 · 7 d ago

I hate seeing a Diesel out there in my favorite road names that don’t have. That’s why I put that switcher on lay by with Muffins and have another E8 version on order with Caboose Stop.

There are at least 2 other Rock Island switchers - one an MTH Premier and the other a Lionel Legacy, that are out there that I have managed to resist buying. Not a big switcher fan, but in dual motor modern configuration, a modeler can run them with a nice consist.

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