# Accucraft vs Regner locos



## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

I want to buy a live steam with a budget below $1,000. At this moment, I am indecisive between Regner and Accucraft locos. I have been watching Regner Konrad and Vincent in Youtube; they look great. Please advice me the best loco for the amount of budget I can afford. Thanks.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

OR perhaps you may want to consider a basic Roundhouse locomotive. Three "beginners" Roundhouse locomotives list at $806.00: the Millie, the Sammie, and the Bertie. This leaves you with money to purchase items like steam oil, lubricating oil, and fuel.

I have a Millie with a full cab (extra $), but I leave the roof off to allow better room for my fat fingers to reach the controls. It also allows my eyes to see the sight glass better. The Sammie is the most North American looking of the group.

My Millie is a very good runner. These models do have slip excentrics, so you will have to push the locomotive for at least one full wheel revolution in the direction that you want it to run.

My locomotive is easy to service, steam up, and run. There is a photo below.










Best wishes for your search,
David Meashey


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Dave,
Thanks for your suggestion, in fact, Roundhouse Millie is in my radar as well. Is there anyway to control the speed without installing RC?


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## snowshoe (Jan 2, 2008)

Go with what appeals to you most. You will have a better selection in the Regner Easy Line for Under $1000 and all are geared so they will be good on grades. Roundhouse has three in their basic series. The Sammie is very good wile Accucraft has 4 for under $1000, the Dora, Foreny Ruby and the Plantation engine. Accucraft is more detailed but will not perform as well on grades (except the Dora) unless you RC them. Don't forget the Bellflower Cricket another great runner and made in the USA.


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## Dave Meashey (Jan 2, 2008)

I tend to run my locomotive on relatively flat surfaces, so I just hand-adjust the throttle. I prefer raised layouts, but have run the locomotive on my carport several times. Once the locomotive is running at a nice medium pace, I just watch it run (and I watch the sight glass as well). The gas runs out first, so I may have to advance the throttle a bit to squeeze those last few feet out of a run.

My best run time to date was 32 minutes on the short track at this year's ECLSTS. I learned from experienced operators that longer run times can be experienced if the operator shuts off the gas once the pressure is raised, then refills the tank and lights off again.

I like pacing the locomotive, so I usually will walk beside the locomotive when running on a longer track. I try to keep the right-hand side of the cab towards me for easy access to the throttle.

I may not be the best person to ask about RC, as I am really not interested in it. Since the other steam locomotives I have had experience with were all large enough to ride on (2 foot gauge and full-size), I have grown accustomed to staying with the locomotive while running.

Yours,
David Meashey


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## mymodeltrain (May 14, 2013)

Shawn,
Thanks for letting me know some limitations of some live steam locos regarding the grades. My rail does have grades. At this time, I am very much fascinated with the Regner Vincent or Konrad.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I'd be very careful with Regner, lately their quality has diminished some what, as the postings on this forum have shown. You may be better off saving a little more $$ and getting something like an Accucraft 2 cylinder Shay, much better on grades and very reliable. And can easily get assistance from Cliff at the home office right here in Calif. I love both of the 2 cylinder ones I have. I also have the new 3 cylinder one on order.


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## SalM (Jan 2, 2008)

You can check with Jason at the Train Dept. for more suggestions


http://www.thetraindepartment.com/


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## Kovacjr (Jan 2, 2008)

As to a sub 1000.00 loco, yes you do yet limited. Depends really on the style of loco you want narrow gauge, British, more logging type? What type of rolling stock to you want to run with it. Most all locos are pretty controllable on a level track, I only have 3 locos that are RC and the rest manual, I prefer it as I usually set and forget. If you want to do switching or make some interesting videos like Shawn than RC would help that out. With a level track then you don't need to worry about runaway speeds and constantly adjusting the throttle. Mostly you want to get something that appeals to YOU as it will be your loco.

As to available locos under 1k I think there was recently a long thread on this but many of the listed ones are not available but her is a list of whats current.

Roundhouse

Millie, Sammie and Bertie all 040 and all slide valve locos with 9/16" bore cylinders but have slip eccentric valve gear meaning you roll the loco in the direction you want to go for one full wheel revolution.

Accucraft

Plantation 042
Forney 044
Ruby040

All these locos have the same 1/2" cylinders and running gear for the most part. Some run longer than others but are 3 different style of locos.

Regner

Willi and Konrad Both are single cylinder geared locos. Run with no needed adjustment on level track or grades. Both are a 040. For just over 1k you can get a Lumberjack or a Emma 040

Used locos, there are a lot out there. Sometimes you fine a diamond in the rough sometimes you get someone's headache.


As to staying away from Regner, Not sure how one instance of a Regner kit problem would mean its all gone downhill. If anything its proved that they are still there standing by their product with replacing almost half of the kit for the customer.


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## Charles (Jan 2, 2008)

There is one other company offering models in the expressed price range:
WuHu-
Falk and the US Porter

Might consider those among the other fine and exciting choices.

Wuhu Steam Locomotives


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## Charles M (Jan 2, 2008)

Might be careful about the Wuhu Falk. I am on the Mamod forum and a member there got one. It stopped running within 15 minutes on its first steam up. It was replaced by the dealer and the second model also failed within 15 minutes on its first run. The dealer found that there may be a problem with the O rings on the pistons on these models. He is awaiting information and replacement parts to sort things out at the moment. 

Charles M SA # 74


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## BigRedOne (Dec 13, 2012)

Have you decided if a kit is an option?

Some Roundhouse and Regner models are available in kits, or as individual subassemblies (chassis, boiler, bodywork, typically), which allows you to purchase the model in stages. You can also go this route to buy all the machined components, then scratch build the bodywork.


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

I can also second the idea of a Regner easy line engine, both the Konrad and Willi are excellent runners, as is the Lumberjack but it also uses water and oil up quickly being twin cylinder. Right at 1K is the 7/8 scale Emma from Accucraft, I have a friends on loan to me, and its got the WOW factor, its huge when set next to typical LGB size trains. Plenty of room for adult hands in the open back cab, loads of potential for customization, easy to RC, which is needed IMHO on any side rod live steamer unless your line had huge curves and is dead flat level. My Emma has RC and a Summerlands chuff pipe. She has all the realism of a real engine sans the smell of coal burning. 7/8ths scale is up and coming, simulating 30" or 24" railways on standard large scale track. Makes typical LGB girder rails look much more in scale. Here is my old Willi running on my old railway, If I come across another one of these used, I plan to buy it. Mike


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## skypup (Apr 15, 2008)

*My Lumber Jack*

I was able to run my Lumber Jack on my garden track for the first time last week. A nice thrill. Quite powerful being geared, even on a grade!


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

Are you now running on live steam????? GREAT NEWS keep us posted.


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## skypup (Apr 15, 2008)

Nick Jr said:


> Are you now running on live steam????? GREAT NEWS keep us posted.


Nick

Are you referring to me? If so, yes.


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## Mike Toney (Feb 25, 2009)

Awsome skypup!! My friend Steve brought over our shared ownership engine the Fairymead today so I could assemble it and install the chuff pipe. All I can say is WOW! What a beautiful engine. I thought Emma had the wow factor in 7/8ths scale, but Fairymead has even more of that. Glad to see your finally running under steam power. Mike


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## skypup (Apr 15, 2008)

Mike Toney said:


> Awsome skypup!! My friend Steve brought over our shared ownership engine the Fairymead today so I could assemble it and install the chuff pipe. All I can say is WOW! What a beautiful engine. I thought Emma had the wow factor in 7/8ths scale, but Fairymead has even more of that. Glad to see your finally running under steam power. Mike



Thanks! I got another thrill today. I located the last Accucraft B&O 0-4-0 with slope tender today and ordered it. I should have it fairly soon. I like the looks of that loco. The Fairymead looks beautiful. I really like the looks of that a lot.


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## Nick Jr (Jan 2, 2008)

I'm sure you'll be very happy with it, keep us informed.


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