Purchasing Advice

[Kanawha]

I'm looking to make my next C&O steamer purchase, as I'm slowly trying to build up a small, but diverse roster since I changed my era to the late 40's. My last purchase was a BLI 2-8-2. Which should I go for next? Here's my list:

- Proto Heritage 2-8-4
- Rivarossi 2-6-6-6
- Broadway Limited 2-10-4
- Bachmann Spectrum 4-8-2

Thanks!

 

[MasonJar]

What is the best fit for what you are intending to do? If you have a small branch of the C&O, then I doubt the 2-6-6-6 is a good choice. But if you are all about the high(er) speed mainline running, then go for it. Personally, I'd pick the smaller two, giving the edge on detail to Proto.

Andrew

 

[bigsteel]

i your curves are smll,go with the smaller engines,but if your into big mainline coal drags,go for the alleghany.but if your just in it for collecting cool engines,id say the 2-10-4 or the 2-6-6-6.--josh

 

[nkp174]

You forgot to tell us your local and your current roster.

The C&O hauled lots of coal. A 2-6-6-2 would be the most appropriate coal branch engine. A 4-8-2 would be for passenger trains. In the 40's...a 2-6-6-6 would be mainline coal. I believe a 2-10-4 would be coal or fast freight. A 2-8-4 would be mainline fast freight. The only C&O passenger power I can think of, available in plastic, is the 4-8-2...I don't recall if the spectrum 2-8-0 is a decent match for any C&O engines...but that would be for a branch line passenger or freight train.

 

[Kanawha]

Yeah, C&O passenger power is hard to come by in plastic. I've been spying a brass Greenbrier for a while. I like the look of the Spectrum 4-8-2, but I worry that it has the jerky, whiny performance of the older Bachmanns I've had. I guess you could say I'm not modeling a particular aspect of the C&O at the moment, just a small industrial yard with a section of mainline. But I intend to eventually build a layout featuring mainline operations and as well as branchline, hence a diverse engine roster. Currently I have a 2-8-2 and a 2-8-4, I figure I should have more than one 2-8-4 eventually since they were so common on the C&O.

 

[MasonJar]

The Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0 and 4-6-0 that I have perform well. They are lightyears beyond the old Bachmann "toy trains" if that is your worry.

Andrew

 

[nkp174]

I would then suggest the 2-10-4...as we don't know when another one will be released. A 2-6-6-6 would then be the next coolest locomotive...one with an early number such as 1603.

 

[Kanawha]

I wasn't worried so much about the old "toy" bachmanns, so much as the mid 90's Bachmann Plus and Spectrum, where they were trying to show that they had quality but it was only surface detail with the same drivetrain underneath. Sorry, I sound cynical today.

Thanks for the advice! I think I'm gonna jump on the 2-10-4's before they are all gone.