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Which locos?

I'll be moving into a larger apartment within the next six months or so, and I'll finally have room for a small layout (even if its only a shelf layout). I've already decided to model a narrow gauge line in California's Mojave Desert, running from the boom town of Copper City to a connection with the ATSF Hinkley, inspired by the real-world Borate and Daggett and (standard gauge) Randsburg Railway. The era I'm looking at is somewhere between 1890 and 1910.

My question is this: What HOn3 locomotives would be appropriate for this setting and era? I prefer the look of rod engines, but I'm not really opposed to geared, if that would be better. I am planning to use DCC. A big concern is that I definitely do NOT want locomotives whose appearance screams "Colorado". Locos that come as kits are not only okay, that would be preferred if the kit is a good one (and doesn't require expensive tools I don't have.)

Any suggestions?

Reply to
Joe Jefferson
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"Joe Jefferson" wrote in message news: snipped-for-privacy@castlejefferson.org...

Joe, Modified brass D&RGW C-16s and C-19s or some of the SP narrow gauge locomotives would be acceptable. Most brass you find would have to be back dated to fit your time period. These are fairly simple mods as its mostly the removal of detail parts, adding replacement cabs and smoke stacks. The most difficult part would be cutting back the extended smoke box of the more modern versions. The old brass locomotives can be made to run reliable and as smooth as silk with new motors and gears. Roundbell has drop in gears and motors that are fantastic for Westside C-16s and Balboa C-19s. As far as kits go you can get semi kits that are quite expensive but of very high quality from PSC. Occasionally you can find an old Kemtron C-16 kit of which the early or intermediate versions would suit your era. But these are challenging and you will have to have some tools you may not have handy right now. Lastly you can still find the inexpensive MDC HOn3 kits for both inside and outside frame 2-8-0s that are similar to C-19s or C-25s. MDC kits are very straight forward and only basic tools are needed. NWSL makes re-gear parts for these and they can certainly be made to run well. If you go with an MDC kit you may want to search some of the old Narrow Gauge and Short Line Gazettes as there were a number of articles on how to improve these kits both in appearance and performance. Backdating them would be required for your era and would help to loose the strictly Colorado look. Personally I would choose to backdate a Westside C-16 or Balboa C-19 with a glide drive from Roundbell. Once they are back dated they are typical of narrow gauge 2-8-0's that could be found most anywhere around the country. Same would go for C&S 2-6-0s. Backdating one of the wagon top boiler C&S

2-8-0s would give you a very handsome and distinctive little locomotive. OMI made some very nice looking and good running C&S 2-8-0's. I don't think I could bring myself to hack on one of the OMI's though. FED imported some very basic HOn3 4-4-0's that you could detail to suit your taste. They also would have been common on many non Rocky Mountain NG railroads. Bruce
Reply to
Bruce Favinger

Myrick's "Railroads of Nevada & Eastern California Vol 2" has a roster for the Borate & Daggett, and photos of their locos. They had a total of 3 - 2 small Heislers and a tiny Davenport 0-4-0T. Are you committed to HO/HOn3? If you could fit On30 into your space, the Bachmann Porter 0-4-0T is the spitting image of the B&R loco, and their small Shay and Climax are about the same size as the B&R Heisler (and who knows - Bachman has done a Heisler in G so one may be in the offing in On30). None of these would "scream Colorado". Geezer

Reply to
Geezer

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