Just a quick post to document what I'd like to have for my Ruritanian America Western Rail Road (RAWRR!!!)? Because it's a combination of Ruritanian fake geography as well as alternate history, this railroad represents an America that never got overly corporatized. While this may have slowed down the roll-out of some luxuries and conveniences, it also means that none of those luxuries and conveniences were allowed to sweep the country without there being a more controlled and organic social reaction to them. Anyway, it means also that I'm handwaving a lot of details about the era I'm modeling away; generally I'd prefer not to use anything on the model that's more modern than 1940 or so, but in reality it means that I can do whatever I want within reason and just handwave it away as an artifact of the alternate history. It also means that with a number of non-corporatized railroads, all kinds of railroads will tend to be esoteric in terms of their equipment and operating patterns, depending on what the railroad in question needs and what they were able to get their hands on.
Anyway, the RAWRR uses very small locomotive power, and short, multi-use trains and operates much more like a hardscrabble short line. I'd like to use some geared steam locos, because I'm going to be in the mountains a lot, either in Rockies analogs or desert mountains, either one, but I'm also thinking of using small switchers, like 0-6-0s as regular engines. If I ever get to the point where I have three 4x8 "railroads" connected by 2xsomething bridges, I'd probably want up to about half dozen locomotives. I may want that many anyway, just because I like locomotives and want options. Keep in mind, I don't ever intend to have the kind of railroad where I invite a bunch of friends over for operating sessions, it'd almost certainly be just me most of the time and occasionally a guest or two.
Anyway, first link: some Bachmann 0-6-0s. https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=258_276_286
I'd probably have more than one of these, even though other than the paint scheme, they're all the same, it looks like. The only difference I can see is the tender type. Maybe I'll get three so I can have one of each tender type? That seems like a lot, unless I can think of other ways to customize them too (different smokestacks or something, I dunno) but I'd definitely like at least two. A Vandy tender and a short haul, maybe. The slope tender would be the third choice if I get three of them.
Two different 2-truck Heislers: https://tonystrains.com/product/rivarossi-hr2882-ho-heisler-2-truck-std-dc-curtiss-lumber-co-2 and https://tonystrains.com/product/rivarossi-hr2881-ho-heisler-2-truck-std-dc-pickering-lumber-corp-3
The differences between them are subtle; obviously the color scheme is a bit different, and the smokestack, but I really like geared steam, so I'd love to get my hands on some of these. There are three truck Heislers out there too, but I like the smaller ones.
Speaking of which, here's a two truck Climax. This seems to be one of the easier options to actually get your hands on too. I think there may be three truck options, but they seem harder to find. Again, I prefer the two truck anyway. https://www.hobbylinc.com/bachmann-50-ton-2-truck-climax-ritter-ho-scale-model-train-steam-locomotive-80602
The last one seems to be the hardest to actually consider getting your hands on, because everywhere I look, if I can find them at all, they're out of stock, out of production, and unavailable. Even the used market seems to be totally dry. Heck, even the link I did find doesn't have the right pictures (these are Climaxes.) Why in the world can I not find Shay locos? They don't seem as hard to find in N scale, for some reason. https://hogtrainz.com/BACHMANNTWOTRUCKSHAY.htm
Although the Shays were originally my go-to in terms of geared steam, given that I don't seem to be able to get any, let's just say that if if came down to ordering my locomotive power right now, I'd get two Climaxes, two Heislers, and three 0-6-0s for a total of seven locos. Then, along with installing battery powered RC dead rail capability in them, I'd also look for ways to customize them and make them stand out from each other, given that I have more than one of each type.
Poking around on the Hobbylinc page, I even see some super cheap 0-4-0s and tank-type 0-6-0s for a little variety, although they're listed as "currently unavailable". (Besides, a tank engine can hardly be used to haul anything anywhere; after a couple of miles, it's out of fuel!) But that would give me a bit of variety. There's some other smaller, but not quite as small options; like 2-8-0s or 4-6-0s if I wanted that variety, but I dunno. I've always had a thing for the "baby steam locos" like 0-4-0s and 0-6-0s. And they seem to fit the idea of the very small railroad business model that's run more like a mom-and-pop than a giant national corporation.
UPDATE: Better deal on the 0-6-0s. Also, found some Shays. They're expensive brass, but I expected that.
https://www.brasstrains.com/Classic/Trains?searchtext=shay&showsold=True
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