Great HO Steam Locos (308)
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- In the aftermath of my video on the best diesel loco models I started getting requests for my take on steam locos. So in this video I'll share with you my favorites that I have picked for use on the Piedmont Southern.
Chapters
0:00 Intro
3:52 BLI N&W J's
7:30 Brass N&W J
9:00 Bachmann N&W J
11:00 BLI C&O Hudson
13:00 BLI PRR T1
16:00 Athearn CC&O Challenger
19:05 Hornby Southern Pacific
21:09 Wrap - Jak na to + styl
Thanks Larry, the size differential between the British Engine and the North American Engines is very much apparent due to the fact that as you know the Model is in 00 Gauge 4mm to the foot, however it’s running on H0 Track which is 3,5mm to the foot. In real life the American Engines would dwarfed the British Engine. I live in the UK and model the N&W and Norfolk Southern because the H0 gauge is accurate ie 3,5mm to the foot Track and Model, and became hooked on the N&W because of O Winston Link’s Photographic Books and Films. Great Video Larry keep safe.
Very nice collection! N&W were the champs at steam. My collection is focused on L&N and NC&StL, a sentimental favorite since my granddad worked for L&N for 51 years. My layout is set in about 1953 so I can run both steam and diesel.
Very nice, Larry. Interesting to see how 15 year old steam locomotives still look good and run good today. I haven't been in the hobby long, but I find it interesting how devoted modelers are to their regional railroads.
Really liked this video...personally I'm very partial to the N&W J-class 611...I have seen and riden behind it a few times; however, probably the main reason I like her so much is that we share something in common...the number, 611; she is 611 and my birthday is 611...and something else is that she wrecked and was close to scrapping...I had surgery and came close to 'scrapping' (dying)...I am still waiting til the day an N&W 611 in HO scale comes available as I have yet to be able to get one.
Really love and enjoy watching and learning from your videos...keep up the excellent work! Blessings, Gary
There are a number of J’s on eBay right now including brass imports, Bachmann, Lionel, and even BLI.
Both the steam and diesel locomotive videos were great to watch. I model modern diesel, but justify my UP 844 for museum and excursion use. My mantra is that every modern era layout should have at least one steam locomotive! Thanks again.
I have two early BLI J Class locomotives with the original QSI sound decoders. The whistle on those is MUCH more accurate than any I see here...while not having a lot of (unnecessary) "options", the sound is excellent, and does everything it needs to do!
Yes, the BLI whistles are different. I use a SP steamboat whistle which is the same as currently used on the excursion J 611, I prefer it.
Larry I love your videos they are educational and informative thank you
Nice Steam collection Larry! As a kid just getting into the hobby, a steam loco back then was like another level of $$$, however, I was fortunate to get my hands on a 4-8-4 Bachmann that even though was fussy on the curves, was still fun seeing it run! Cheers! 😎👍
Beautiful collection.
I found a used Athearn Challenger in N scale a couple years ago and the MRC decoder in it was just unusable. I changed it out for a Tsunami2 1100 for steam . The outstanding Soundtraxx sound goes well with the outstanding Athearn mechanism.
Thank you Larry for the last two videos about your locomotives. They were outstanding.
You’re collection is mind boggling ! Beautiful . I would love for you to have a contest , with the winner getting a personal tour of your Piedmont Southern, Layout . You have a museum !!! I love your videos and am currently attempting to convert a Life Like E-7 to DCC by following your video . Currently waiting on my Decoder after receiving the Mini Buddy. Thank you. 🚂
Thanks for showing your steam fleet. Steam will always be my favorite.😊😎👍!
Fantastic video on Stemmers Larry. Very informative and enjoyable
hello larry its is randy and yours video is cool thanks friends randy
Thanking you again Larry for another enjoyable video. I watch all of your videos, both the American and United Kingdom themed.
I too share your pain on the restriction of models due to curvature.
Nice fleet, Larry! I'm a big steam fan myself!
I have worked on many PRR BLI steam, and I have to say, giving them those sound upgrades makes them ever so better. Also, BLI will be offering DCC Ready models finally again after so many years.
Lovely collection of steam. I currently have a fleet of 6 steamers. half are bachmanns that have been very useful with little to no issue (Dixie Line 0-6-0, ATSF 2-8-0, and PRR K4 4-6-2). The others are my Athearn Genesis 2-8-2 Makato for L&N, Rivarossi 4-8-8-4 Big boy (4005), and my BLI 4-8-4 NYC Niagara (6004). The big boy is having short circuit issues with the trailing truck and i am awaiting for my new motor control circuit board for the Niagara. Other than those two, the other engines have been very reliable and well maintained. Hopefully I can get my hands on a Challenger like yours someday.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR VIDEO
Nice selection, Larry. I seem to remember that when Flying Scotsman went to the USA, to get clearance to run, it had to be fitted with a bell and a cowcatcher. So, maybe you should retrofit your Southern Railway fleet too!
It's interesting to see how the much smaller loading gauge in the UK means that the 1:76 UK locos don't look too overscale on the Piedmont Southern.
By the way, did you see that Marklin/Trix are producing a HO version of Flying Scotsman for her centenary? Dread to think what it will cost!
Yes, even the Hornby Dublo centenary version is very expensive and that is before I deduct VAT so not for me. I already have more large UK steam than I could rationally justify but they are fun to run, especially the new Merchant Navy ones with their flywheel-very smooth.
cool steam
Larry, I also enjoy steam. And I enjoy your videos. I model the CPR in the 40's so I have a Rapido Royal Hudson but I regret that the CPR never had any articulated locos. Cheers Dave
Yes, that is a beautiful model. There are so many such models but you can’t own them all.
Beautiful Clinchfield Challenger. Now you only need 15 more of them to get what Clinchfield had. Lol. Nice fleet Larry.
I can jump on I26 near my house and be at the old Clinchfield station in Erwin in under an hour so it is close to me.
BLI has been good to us PRR modelers. I love to tinker and have 10 brass steamers from 0-6-0 to 2-10-0. None of them touch the rails without a rebuild and sound. They all run flawless. I have one Max Grey 2-6-0 from the mid 50s. The plating has worn off the wheels.
I guess I am the opposite of you I prioritize steam in my collection over diesel 😄
Larry, nice steam locomotive collection. That was just your favorites? Must be more steam on your layout. As you know I model in On30, so choices are limited. My favorite steam locomotives are the On30 BLI C-16s from around 2004. However, I do a lot to modify those models to make great runners. I do gut the old QSI decoders to replace with Soundtraxx Blunami and Tsunami decoders with Mega Bass speakers to modernize the models. I do use the Nano lubes and I do some tuning. I cutoff of the front cowcatcher to replace with the Bachmann version that has the working coupler. There are few other tricks I do. One thing about these C-16s is that these will force you to improve your track laying skills. When I have completed a C-16 it will cruise my layout and pull a lot up a steep grade.
Thanks for sharing some of your collection. I'm a stickler for details and I noticed that you seem to get four chuffs per revolution. Did you achieve this with a cam (hardware) or with a CV value (software)?
Depends on the loco. Those from BLI with the original decoder use a circuit that synchronizes the chuff. Not sure if is a cam or other electronic device. Those with a TCS or SoundTraxx decoder are based entirely on CV settings. Most of these work very well now and I have actually had pretty good results with my 3 cylinder UK steam locos too.
As a person who loves music and is picky about sound, most of the sound modules sound as if they are being recorded form the inside of a barrel and it just bugs me. It is as if the sound itself does not scale well, like fire and steam or water. And to me, the funny thing is people who will pick at code 100 rail will play the tinny sounds the loudest and think nothing of it. Give me a smooth running mechanism and the clickity clack of wheels across the joints and points and I am happy.
One of the realities is that sound does not scale well at all! It is at best an approximation of the teal thing. You just cannot get the bass sounds, the vibrations, and the other sensations that come from standing trackside. When I started the Piedmont Southern I had no real desire or intention of installing sound in my locos, however now I cannot imagine operating the layout without sound decoders. It may not be perfect but it does go a long way towards setting the overall scene and feeling of railroading.
I’m afraid to spend the money on a BLI loco. I have one with a Paragon 3, and if I change the address to anything other than 3, it plays all the sounds at once, and creeps along the track. Then the only way to stop it is cutting track power.
Have you tried a factory reset? May clear out the cobwebs.
I have started a model railroad layout modeling the Duluth Mesabi & Iron Range RR in the 1950's. Although I'll have interchange with other railroads for additional operations, I'll primarily run iron ore unit trains from the Mesabi Range to the Duluth ore docks. I have been recently been reading about car cards and way bills and want to know if this type of operation would use them? Would you know if this is prototypical of the DMIR.
For operations like unit trains or a dedicated set of cars you’d use a single car card that usually lists the numbers of the first and last car in the string. There probably is a DMIR historical society that can provide more info. Also railroad rules books found at railroadianna shows or on eBay may help.
That whistle on the bli J class is concerning. Cause thats sounds like a 6 chime and not a hancock 3 chime. Cause the N&W J's had 3 chimes
I think the 3 chime is what was used in N&W passenger locos. I usually install TCS WOWsound decoders in my J’s for their 3 chime whistles but that loco still has the original decoder from BLI.
What no 4501or 1401 which were in the reserve fleet at that time. Not to mention 630, 722 too.
I have Southern #1380 but it is too precious to run-last one I saw sell went for over $2000! I have had all the others you mention but imported brass has never been a good runner IMHO and I sold them off. I have a SR heavy mike and light mountain that I keep for sentimental reasons and an N&W streamlined Baby J 4-8-2 like the J. Just need to finish the paint job on it.
Hey Larry. With u been a dcc guy. What do u think of the company locofi???? I was looking into it and I don't know. I'm just getting started in dcc. I very behind in this field. Plz let me know. And thank for great videos.
Have not tried them myself, still seem to be i development. I suggest you read the 3 reviews in MR that are linked on their website to get a feeling for how well those have come put.
@Model Railroading thank u for ur info. I will look into it. If I go dcc. I really like nce or esu system. What is ur thought on theses system???
I have several BLI locomotives which I've converted to Soundtraxx Tsunami, Tsunami2, and Econami. Far better then the old QSI and Paragon3 decoders.
Yes the QSI were problematic at best. But I have never had any issues with Paragon 2/3. If they ever do fail I will use TCS as I like their steam sounds, more bells and chuff selections. I just got one of their new Chuffinity decoders and will give it a test soon.
@@TheDCCGuy Paragon2 hasn't been a problem. I have a Pennsy H10 2-8-0 that runs fine. Paragon3 steam was a disaster for me and some friends. Two of us had the Pennsy L1s 2-8-2. Running on the club layout, which was wired from the start for DCC, they would either stop by themselves, or run away out of control. Mine went back 3 times to BLI, with no success curing the problem. They eventually took it back and gave me credit in their Refurbished outlet. I ended up buying a pair of Paragon3 Reading T-1 4-8-4's. Both had the same problems as the PRR L1s. I ended up replacing the decoders with Econami. Now then run fine.
Most are Paragon 2 but the second J #606 is a P3 so maybe I got lucky!
When wiring your track, do you insulate between droppers to the main buss
Not sure what you mean. I put droppers every 6-8’ depending on the size of the rails and even go down to 3’ on code 70.
Do you insulate between the droppers
Ok I have a question I have some walthers SD70ACE dcc ready but what 21 pin esu sound decoder do I need
You need to go to tHe various manufacturers websites a d see what they offer. I bet SoundTraxx, TCS, and LokSound produce those sound packages so you just need to pick one and pop it in.
@@TheDCCGuy thank you
Why no y6b or A class?
For some reason they just never excited me like the Challenger or T1.
Really, a bachmann?? Ive only had horrible experiences with bachmann
Their early Spectrum steam locos with 5 pole motors ran well, but I haven’t bought a new one in 20 years so can’t comment on their recent stuff.
@@TheDCCGuy that's true, I forgot bachmann had spectrum,I have 12 beautiful Pennsylvania coaches that light up