# Brag about your "Baby"



## Jim in MO (Feb 28, 2010)

I guess I am somewhat hijacking the posting on the Beginners Forum “THE BEST LOCO EVER” except I’m talking scale models not the real thing. I asked this same question a few years back on a different board about steam locomotives and received great feedback so now I’m asking about Diesels.

Everyone seems to have that one diesel locomotive that is their workhorse. The one you always know you can grab and let it run for hours, the one that won’t embarrass you in front of your wife’s friends, the one that can pull 5, 6, 7 or more cars without complaining. She may not be the prettiest engine you own, actually she may be just kind of plain but you know you can always count on her when you need to. She is your baby and if she is pretty, all the better!And that’s the kind of engine I want to start shopping for. I’m not in a hurry and would rather take my time to find the right engine at the right price and that right price is going to have to be below $500 and the farther below the better. Our layout is modeled in the 1950’s but for the right locomotive newer vintage will still work.

So here is the question, what engine do you run that fits the description above and why do you think so. Now remember this is something I need to shop for so only models that can be found without a lot of difficulty, whether new or used. Ok, here we go, everyone has been asked to brag about “their baby”.Jim


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## Torby (Jan 2, 2008)

Well, Caleb and Ethan are both in College now and were gone for a couple weeks on a missions trip to El Salvador.


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

Aristo RS-3. Repainted for Cotton Belt. Kadees, Mars lights and sound system. New class lights, radio antenna, new scale hoses. Weathered. Gets used all them time especially when the track needs a quick cleaning. Very often taken to our club's train meets and shows. Very reliable and easy to transport.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Big Ditto, looks great, unusual looks, speaker points up so sound is good. Has the socket for whatever you want. Only cons are: 

Don't run in the rain! Here's a picture of my RS-3 speaker when loco was left in rain:










Also, it has a pretty big overhang, be sure to give the couplers lot of swing.

Lastly, replace the screws that hold the end platforms on with longer ones, it's easy to pull the platform off... screws are just too short.

I love mine, a workhorse, and if you fit sound, the Alco is so cool sounding!

*http://www.elmassian.com...trong>** 

Greg*


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## vsmith (Jan 2, 2008)

Anything with a Mack drive under them









(edit) There, Ya happy now Greg?


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

That's a strange looking diesel (read the op). 

Girl is cute though. 

Greg


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

She may not be the prettiest engine you own, 
Well, if you're talking about diesels, that goes without saying...  

Seriously, though, I've always gravitated towards the small switchers. I had a USA 44-tonner for a while that always did right by me. Decent slow speed operation for switching, and very tolerant of poor track. I was running a friend's NW-2 the other day, and it likewise ran very well. (They may use the same motor blocks, but don't quote me.) I can't speak to the longevity of either locomotive, as I only owned the 44-tonner for a few years until I sold it. (Nothing wrong with the loco, but the wrong scale and era for my c. 1910 narrow gauge line.) My friend alluded to the NW-2 being very reliable, to fit your criteria. Personally, I'm thinking about getting an S-4 at some point and "upscaling" it to 1:20.3 just for fun. While I joke about diesels being ugly, I've always liked the early Alcos. The railroad that ran behind my house in upstate NY ran them, and I was particularly fond of their S-4. Great "typical" Alco gurgle. 

Later, 

K


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## Randy Stone (Jan 2, 2008)

While I grew up in the midst of the B&O, it was the Red and Black with white stripe paint sceem of the Rock Island that caught my eye. Before Aristo Craft brought the Rock Island RS-3 back, I had looks long and hard before finding one. Thus it is my most favorite diesel. 
 
Of course my Dash 9 repainted to match the Rock Island paint sceem on # 513 has to be a close second.


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## Mik (Jan 2, 2008)

"Coughs and sneezles spread diseasels" Bill, or was it Ben? 

I only HAVE one at the moment. does that make it my "baby" dustcatcher? 

















Good luck identifying it's parentage.... It's a Skonkworks mongrel.


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## cape cod Todd (Jan 3, 2008)

Hello 
About a year and a half ago I picked up a slightly used USA Trains NW2 at a train show for $100 and since then it has become my #1 go to engine. I usually pull it out for the first run to push the plow and pull the track cleaner and more and more I stick with it and move the freight around. This winter I painted it up to look like my favorite local line the Cape Cod Central (if they had a NW2) and it is now my favorite engine. 
I don't know if the NW2 operated in the 50's so maybe you would have to look to a S4 but I believe they all have the same drives. Nice fan powered smoke units too.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

I have the NW also... it suffers from the same USA Trains "cracked axle" syndrome... if you buy one, take it apart put a sleeve on each axle end, or wrap the ends with fishing line and coat with epoxy. Will run forever that way. 

Greg


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## SD90WLMT (Feb 16, 2010)

guess I should be nice and not brag about My BABY,.. eh'.. 

for the OP, with the needs of only pulling 5-6-7 cars - well mine pulls TEN times that - OH, & without complaining !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

She's a bit of a "modern lass" also, so wrong time frame ... 

Oh Well - She's MY Baby!!


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

I tend to favor smaller diesels with the sharp curves in my layout. The USAT NW 2 is my best one, dependable, runs on dirty track, makes it thru my back to back switches, and nice puller. l like the look of the RS 3, but a little big for my layout, darn. Also have USAT 44 tonner, which runs very well, but does not pull as much I think. The NW 2 is also my best smoker as well, has not burned out so far, 2+ yerars with smoke most every time I run. 

Whatever you do get, enjoy!

Jerry


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## bcer960 (Dec 27, 2007)

Greg and others,

N&H brass makes a 10mm tube. I cut it into 1/4 strips and used that as sleves over my cracked USA Trains axels. Perfect fit, easy fix.

Ray


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

A few years ago I picked up two Aristo RS-3 Milwaukee Road. They are my favorite diesels. I probably run them more than anything else. 
Bob


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## lownote (Jan 3, 2008)

I have three diesels, an aristo RS-3 repainted for the Reading, a USAT S1 badged for the reading, and a USAT 44 tonner repainted for the W&OD, a local line. I would say that of the three the S1 has been the most reliable. The RS-3 hes less reliable power pickup and wants to derail a lot. The 44 tonner was great, but it burned upa sideframe due to a short, and though I replaced the sideframe it's never been quite the same since. It's currently on reserve duty, while the RS-3 and the S1 work in a consist


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

My NW-2 doing winter freight duty


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ray, I do know what to do about the axles:

*http://www.elmassian.com/trains/mot...plit-axles*


Greg


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## Bob Pero (Jan 13, 2008)

I like the NW-2 and the S-4 also. Have not experienced the "cracked axel" syndrome yet. When I got both, I opened up the gear boxes and found the lube was almost non-existent. Packed both with LaBelle lube and have not had any problems. This is something I do with every locomotive I buy.


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## ddevoto (Jan 22, 2008)

Mine is an NW-2 I converted to an EMD SW-900 to replicate Pickerings conversion to diesel around 1956. It handles the MOW Consist that includes the track cleaning caboose.










SW-900 in the MOW yard picking up the MOW car.










Track cleaning MOW consist leaving the yard.....somehow magically the caboose showed up.










As a side note, this is how my track cleaning caboose does its job. The purple pad is replaceable on a "floating" block under the caboose.


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## rmcintir (Apr 24, 2009)

I do like the NW2 and have the Rio Grande version with Sierra sound in the earlier post. My favorite however is the GP9 (GP7) that I replaced all electronics with LED and created a Mars light. Loco box indicates it was "Made in USA". It runs ultra-reliably. Following that are two RS-3s which seem to be as reliable. Not much to see but here is a video showing both: http://youtu.be/D_SUNe8ca5E


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## Dick Friedman (Aug 19, 2008)

The first engine I owned was an Aristo critter. It pulls well, lasts long, and seems to hold up. Plus, Aristo's product support is great! I've got the NW2 (warbonnet) and a GP 30. All are good runners, but there's a soft spot in my head for the critters. I now own 3 of them.


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## ralphbrades (Jan 3, 2008)

Well since, (at the moment), I only have one Diesel it has to be this one. 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=asnLCNDAB2E 

I do need to rebuild the torque convertor as engaging it is pretty brutal on the couplings... Future plans involve converting to petrol/2stroke with spark ignition (external magneto) and due to extreme pleas by members of the family -a better silencer!!! 

regards 

ralph


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## toddalin (Jan 4, 2008)

Mine's gotta be the USA GEEP-9..., after removal of the traction tires, banding the cracked gears, and insersion of polyswitches between the front and rear axles to keep from frying the circuit board during de-railments. In my experience, the GP-9 has less tendancy to strip the gears than the NW-2. My 44-tonners work well, but have less capacity to pull the track cleaner than the GEEP. I've not had any problems with my S-4..., yet. I probably won't pull the track cleaner with that engine to hopefully keep it that way.

I prefer the GEEP to the RS-3 because it seems to have better power pick-up (probably due to the wheel plating), even without sliders, and on my RS-3s and FAs, the small screws seem to come out of the inside of the sideframes and when the engine derails or has a problem, the sideframes come apart.


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## Bob in Kalamazoo (Apr 2, 2009)

Posted By toddalin on 27 Jul 2012 12:20 PM 

I prefer the GEEP to the RS-3 because it seems to have better power pick-up (probably due to the wheel plating), even without sliders, and on my RS-3s and FAs, the small screws seem to come out of the inside of the sideframes and when the engine derails or has a problem, the sideframes come apart.

I've never seem or heard of any of my friends having that problem. I have a total of 6 locos with those motor blocks and I have three friends with a few of them. They've all been run for many years. I wonder how common the problem is. 
Bob


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## SRW (Jan 13, 2010)

My Southern RS-3 is a workhorse, runs smooth and slow and pulls good. As Greg notes; 'Fiddly' coupler so fix that, and watch the plating on the wheels, keep them clean. My USAT F3A/B almost ties for first but some initial 'lack of love' from the fit and finish of the ones I received out of the box gave me an initial sour taste. Maybe it was a repack or built on a Friday or something. After replacing and refitting all the loose and warped parts...they pull like champs and also run very smoothly and now like the engines very much. 

My other 'babies' that never fail me are not diesels. My 2009 Annie and my rebuilt Connie never let me down.


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## noelw (Jan 2, 2008)

I started out in Ho back in 1950. and stuck with Southern Pacific for over 60 yrs. Now have a S.P. layout called Little Truckee Div. in a 10 X 40 ft. office trailer that is run by a old Reliance Computer for the main line. 
I got involved with Garden R.R. with a bid on Eval-bay that was a Santa fe big huller Eng. #51 and found another S.F. Eng.#49. That started my Santa fe R.R. and then was hooked. Yep.... They were Red & Silver. That started my later Eng. as War bonnets. 

I always liked the Santa fe war bonnet schame as always seeing in and around before the war yr's. from American Flyer's and Lionel in there train sets. So i figure if i ever go or start up another R.R. with would be Santa fe. I never cared for the Yellow or blue after they change there Frt. Eng's from Silver and back. 
All of my Eng's are in the War bonnet colors except one Aristo Center cab and ya....it's black and silver and used for the track cleaning equip. 

I would have to say that mine favor Eng's has to be my two GP-7's "nbr 752 & 753 " in War bonnet color. Very dependable with sound and lots of detail on both of them. 
Even have LED (Triax LED's) on Engineers console.


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## TheRoundHouseRnR (Jul 15, 2012)

Well , my lgb 2055 alco white pass never let me down yet. Has great electric pickup on dirty track. It usually pulls my trackman 2000 track cleaner but then usually ends up with some freight cars behind it. Super quiet and smooth even using analog power and tons of pulling power. Cant ask for better then that i guess. 
The Roundhouse RnR


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