# Acquiring a locomotive in this economy



## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

I have been in this hobby now for about 12 years. Since then, I have gone the gamut of just about every (steam profile) electric locomotive in American narrow gauge from Bachmann, LGB, Aristo/Delton and even a few Accucraft brass beauties! The ones I have kept I have converted to r/c battery but they are only a fraction of the total number of engines I have purchased, sold, purchased again and resold (in order to pay for something else I wanted!) Now, 12 years later, I have settled down and have concentrated my interests on two or three (depending upon how you look at it) road names and an era that ran roughly 40 years from 1910- 1950. 

I model in 1:20.3 _BUT_ I also run in 1:22.5 with my LGB Moguls and Bachmann Big Haulers! In fact, my layout is more of a "trains running in a garden" than a miniature world. Due to size restrictions, my K-27 (the largest locomotive on my pike) with my "San Juan" passenger train of AMS cars can only run on my upper loop (which is a major reason for my expanding my layout last year!) There are times when I want to run something that is reliable, doesn't mind "minor" track problems, is "child resistant" and almost never derails! That criteria severely limits my options! My 1:20.3 (Fn3) stuff looks great but is sometimes "fussy" and needs at least one eye on it while running. It's the stuff that has all of that wonderful detailing that likes to break off at the least little sneeze! 

When I run trains, it is almost inevitable that children will show up! This is partly because my son has two locomotives of his own that he likes to run but it also includes friends and neighbors. I suspect that part of the reason is that I have a philosophy that trains are to be enjoyed by everyone _but especially the children!! _To that end, I make it a point to allow every child to run the train. I have RCS with Sierra digital sound so the kids can ring the bell, blow the whistle, blow clear the cylinders and (of course) run the engine all over the layout, usually at break-neck speeds! I have found that LGB Moguls are_ perfect_ for this which brings us to the point of my topic.

I currently have only one LGB Mogul in my stable and it is a 2019D LG&B Mogul that I relettered to a D&RGW ( a very easy conversion which makes a nice "Bumblebee" locomotive to pull the Aspen Gold and Silver cars that I have. This is nice but I also have a bunch of C&S cars that I have had for about a decade and all I have is a converted Aristo/Delton C-16 which, while nice, just doesn't quite meet all of my criteria. The solution was to "acquire" an LGB C&S Mogul but have you checked the prices for new Moguls??!!! A new C&S #9 runs for $600 and don't even bother to look on ebay for it as they want $947 for the same thing!! New was out. The economy has put a MAJOR crimp in any new purchases I would be making so it was time to get creative.

Have you ever looked at ebay under "Mogul" in "G Scale?" There are usually 20 to 30 entries, 10-15 of which are actual locomotives. Prices range from $200 for a "used, not working/ missing pieces, glue residue showing, repainted, weathered, etc...." all the way up to "new, only been out of the box to take picture, rare!!, etc..." for as much as $1500 starting bid(!!) Most of the time they aren't C&S moguls. LGB made a number of different C&S moguls from #4 all the way up to #10! Some had analog sound (6 & 8), some had digital sound (7 & 10), some were newer but with less (#4), some were newer with more (#9) and one was even of an older style (#5). I had decided that I wanted the design that had the snowplow and the Ridgway (beartrap) spark arresor but not the shiny copper piping! I preferred the more prototypical black piping. Unfortunately, #9 was the only one that fit all of those requirements and it was the new one at $600.... time to get creative!

I went back and looked at ebay again and I also checked the consignment section of various train store websites to see what used C&S engines might be available. It wasn't long before some began to pop up. Most were older #6's (2019S) which had analog sound, black piping but no plow or spark arrestor. I waited for weeks to see if the right one would pop up but if it did it was immediately bid on and usually bid over what I was willing to spend. I've been at this game long enough to know that patience is not only a virtue, it's a necessity! The right one would sooner or later come along.

Eventually, one did show up that was in my price range and sounded acceptable. The picture wasn't the most detailed but I figured it couldn't be too bad. When I received it, I realized that this Mogul had seen a LOT of use! Everything worked but the headlamp was from a different engine altogether and almost all of the grabiron stanchions were broken. It was also missing the whistle and generator. All in all, worse than I had hoped but better than I had feared! It was time to start seeing what it would take to fix it up right. I called Axel at Train-Li as he is the one to call when you need LGB parts. He was able to supply me with a new smokebox and headlamp assembly but he also gave me the bad news that the stanchions and generator were "out of production" and unavailable! I was going to have to go back to ebay and wait....

One month later, I saw a listing for a "damaged" C&S #8 (also analog sound but in this case, it had been removed) which I was able to pick up very inexpensively! (*Note: If you are willing to spend some time, effort and possible frustration, you can save BIG $$$ going for less desirable items that could be repaired!) Since I was planning to add r/c battery with a Sierra digital sound system, the old analog sound would have been ripped out anyway but even if I hadn't, the analog system from #6 was in perfect working condition. The #8 has copper piping which is very desireable to LGB collectors! Unfortunately, the piping had been damaged on one side and the store had grabbed whatever they could to try and fix it up for sale. This included a piece of piping that went to the 2019D and a black piece from a 2019S. Again, this wasn't a real problem for me as all of the piping from the #6 easily transferred to the #8! In fact, I was able to virtually completely repair the #8 with parts from the #6! All I needed was a cab with the #8 and for once, fortune favored me! There on ebay was a replacement #8 cab which I was able to acquire for $5! To add frosting to the cake, right below that listing was one for the copper pipng piece that had been broken! I decided to go ahead and acquire it to complete the set!

So, what is the result of all of this? I now have a C&S #8 with black piping (but with the copper piping available should I ever want to sell it) that looks virtually new and which will now be sent off to TOC to do an RCS install. I already had a Sierra module which I had acquired off of ebay (free if you can believe that! It was included in a package deal that had an RCS system that I was bidding on.) I also have a C&S Mogul #6 which I can put on ebay as a working locomotive but with parts missing or I can hold on to it until I am able to acquire the missing parts and sell it as a repaired used locomotive. Either way, I should be able to get back everything I have dumped into it so I will have a working C&S mogul for about $400 less than if I had bought a new #9! Y'know something? I had _fun _doing it too!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Build from parts to save money? Not once you open the Trackside or Ozark detail parts catalogs you won't...... that stuff is almost like crack. Or at least like trying to eat just 1 potato chip.
To get exactly what you want? OK.


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

You missed the point Mik. If I wanted to load up an LGB Mogul with Ozark and Trackside detail parts then yeah, it would be cheaper to go new! The idea here was to _save_ money! It _can_ be done which was what I was trying to convey.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve,

Sounds like you had a lot of fun hunting!! I was going to give you a piece of advice about putting a snowplow on a 2019S, but you're going to be OK with the #8. The 2019S (at least the one I have) was too old to put the pilot plow on. I would have needed a different pony truck. 

I once ended up with a NYC Mogul when I traded a Southern 2-4-0 for the damaged 2-6-0 that had worked for about 5 years in a bar. At the time, I just sent the engine to LGBoA and for $50, they put in a new digital sound card and replaced the steam dome and other missing parts (oh, that's right, it also had a stripped gear). I ran that mogul until 2008 when I sold it to a cousin and purchased a mallet. 

I'm at the point where my little dude likes to play trains, so I am now looking for equipment that will take major beatings. Strongly considering the Hartland 4-4-0 for that service.


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Oh, and Steve, I think the idea is to "Have fun" not "Save Money"!!!! If we wanted to save money, we'd be on the "MiserLargeScale" which is a website for the individual making six or seven figure salaries and living at or below the poverty line!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, yes.... I suppose the idea _is_ to have fun but why do they have to be mutually exclusive? One of the great criticisms of large scale is that it's awfully expensive to get into! I was just showing others a way to get what you want while saving some $$$ (which I consider fun!) Oh, the 2019S's pilot lacks the screw hole but if you use a smaller-than-the-thread drillbit and bore a hole while the snowplow is attached it does work!


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve, Steve, Steve.... Why stop at just ONE? I currently have 3 under construction and another one awaiting a few small final touches (number plate, front coupler and a few other bits). Other than the Connie, I have less than $50 each in the other 3. 

But then, I ain't ordered nuthin from Ozark yet this year, either


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

Actually Mik, that's a _very_ good observation! I've enjoyed reading the threads about your bashes! One intriguing bash I would like to do involves using an LGB Mogul (2019D) like an LG&B that has the older, simpler styling. The steam dome is next to the cab whereas on the C&S (2019S) and newer versions, the steam dome is centered with bell and generator next to the cab. There is less piping and the walkways are lower so it wouldn't be just a matter of a repaint. Oh, what do I want to create? C&S #21 or #22! It's the B3B Colorado & Southern Mogul that has the airtank mounted between the domes as was done in the same manner as the Consolidations (#'s 11, 12 & 13 also had this but were B3A's. The B3B's look to be closer to the LGB versions.) The bell is mounted directly atop the tank. The trick, of course, would be to transfer all of the modern apurtances which would require some specific drilling of holes and perhaps the changing of a pilot and domes but I think it would be an excellent engine to have! Aster did it in live steam and I always loved that unique C&S profile! Hmmm............


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## markoles (Jan 2, 2008)

Steve,

I didn't mean they had to be mutually exclusive, just that it does cost something, however we justify it!! And believe me, this is coming from the king of justification!! I, for one, applaud your frugalness and your creativity to get what you want!!


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## Steve Stockham (Jan 2, 2008)

It_ can_ be a long and (sometimes) frustrating adventure!


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

I think the #21/#22 is a WONDERFUL idea! I'd love to see that! 

Thanks for the story, too! 

Thanks, Robert


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## rreiffer (Jan 14, 2009)

All,
I really enjoyed your story! I am a picker from way back! I hunt on ebay, craigslist and the various foums until I find what I am looking for (and many times I pick up stuff I wasn't even looking for). Sometimes I purchase outright and sometimes I swap. Part of it is the "hunt" fo rme. I ran across a gentleman that specialized in unclaimed/damaged freight one day. He had a bunch of large scale trains that came in a bundle he had gotten and really wanted to get rid of them. He sent me afew pictures and I took my chances. I recieved a Bachmann Three Truck Shay with DCC and Sound, Two, two truck Shays, (one OK, the other had one truck missing), 3 Moguls, and American and a 44 tonner and ended up payin about $400 for the lot (included shipping). Maybe someday we will be on TV with with our own show "History Channel presents, Great American Train Pickers!"


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