# Best Brand for Southern Railway



## StinkyFeetMendoza (Oct 27, 2013)

Hello everyone. I am interested in purchasing my first locomotive and starting a family set. Growing up we always had an LGB around the Christmas tree. I would like to continue this tradition. My goal is to get a small set going and then add a car or two every year as our family tradition. Growing up we had LGB but Im not dead set on sticking with them. The only thing I am dead set about is that I would like my first train to be a Southern Railway train. My question to you guys is, which brand would you recommend for someone interested in G scale Southern Railway model trains. Money and space are not big issues. Im more interested in best quality and detail. Does one brand have a better resale value? Ive tried shopping around but a lot of these online train stores are very hard to navigate. Any and all help/advice is greatly appreciated. Thanks 

Edit: added a question


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

If your heart is set on Southern RR rolling stock, most likely you will have to paint and letter (decal) them your self. I just checked the USAt site and the closest I could find was a Norfolk Southern diesel. With AristoCraft going under, there isn't a lot out there. There someone here on MLS who make decals (Stan Cedarleaf). He will work with you to get suitable decals. There may be some cars and engines in EBAY, but that is hit or miss. Chuck


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome to the forum!
For a "Christmas Tree Set" you want smaller locomotives and cars..
USA Trains makes a Christmas set, and they come out with a new car every year:

USA Trains Christmas collection 

(Dont let those prices scare you..those are "MSRP" prices..in reality they sell for less..)

Of course, the locomotives are also "Christmas Locomotives"..
If you want Southern RR specifically..here is a perfect loco:



















A small LGB 2-4-0, perfect for 4 or 5 foot diameter circle or oval around a Christmas tree! 
(and, the Southern paintscheme is "Christmassy" too! 

This loco came in a "starter set" that also had two Southern small coaches:



















You can also probably find the locomotive by itself.
They arent "prototypically correct" for the real Southern RR, (the loco and cars dont match anything the real Southern would have ever run)
but as a Christmas tree train, looks like it would be a great fit for you..
The loco itself is LGB 21232, im not sure what the set number is..
It's probably out of production, so it might take some searching to find a loco, or set..but its not impossible.

Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

If you have the bigger bucks, LGB also made a Southern 2-8-2 Mikado.. 
being that it's LGB, it will in fact go around 4-foot diameter curves! although it looks weird doing it: 










Scot


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## Scottychaos (Jan 2, 2008)

Other Southern Locos.. 
For the big diesels, you need to jump up to 8 to 10 foot diameter curves *minimum*.. 
which starts to get outside the reasonable realm for a Christmas tree loop.. 
So these arent good "Christmas Tree loop" choices.. 
(The Southern LGB 2-4-0 is the ideal loco for that IMO..) 

But just for the sake of completeness, thought you might like to see everything that is out there for Southern: 

Aristocraft Alco FA 









Aristocraft E8 









Aristocraft is going out of business *right now*..These locos will be hard to find new..ebay and the used marketplace should eventually bring them up though, with some searching.

USA Trains Alco PA and PB 









Scot


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## WCRR1475 (Oct 15, 2013)

If you don't mind the non-green Southern Paint Scheme, Aristocraft makes a Mikado in an all black freight scheme. But, you may also be able to find a 0-4-0 in the green Southern scheme in Aristocraft or the 4-6-2 Pacific in the Southern Crescent Scheme. I would also mention that the FA-1 in the Southern Paint Scheme from above can make the 4 foot of 5 foot diameter curves.


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