SCALE ASIDE…

Please gentlemen don’t use scale issues in determining your recommendation.

I am wanting a large steam locomotive. For my RR scale doesn’t matter! Cringe if you like but its MY RR!

After missing the boat on Wholesales trains K27 on offer of $564 and not finding them priced anything near it I am looking at other locos.

Current options in kind of the same price range are:

Aristo Mallett

Khando K-4

Bachmann K-27

There may be others I’ve not located as yet. I’m most interested in reliability and ease of conversion to battery/RC over detail.

What loco would you recommend?

Thanks

Andre’

Cringe

I don’t have experience with any of those, but maybe I can help with a few questions?

If I recall correctly, you have a lot of standard gauge stuff already, so perhaps that might knock out the K-27 from contention? Or not. I just wonder how it would look with your other rolling stock.

Doesn’t Aristo have some easy plug in module for battery/rc?

Are there any restrictions for minimum diameter that need to be considered? How about clearance issues?

Andre, of the ones you listed, I would go for the Aristo Mallet. Sweet engine. I’ve seen some listed for around $550.

Very easy to go to battery/RC

Andre, maybe it’s just me but I think you answered you own question, it’s your RR… I got the K… And the forney…

Buy the AML/Khando K4 Pacific at $740 internet price at St. Aubins, a steal for a loco whose street price is $1150-1200, you can buy a Mallet any time, and what a difference, I have both. The K27 is ok, but make sure you get the new counterweights and be prepared to fool with the electronics.

By the way, go to my site, shows QSI decoder/sound install on both the K4 and Mallet.

Neither the Mallet nor the K27 come even close in comparison in terms of quality and drivetrain.

Regards, Greg

Noticing that you have a LARGE fleet of hoppers…Aristo Mallet!!! Do it! DO IT NOW!!! You won’t be sorry!!!

I’d go with the RS-3

Mark Dash said:
I'd go with the RS-3

The RS-3 is a nice running diesel, but I believe that Andre said "I am wanting a large steam locomotive."

I’ve Got a couple of Annie 4-6-0’s that I’m looking to part with, but they aren’t what you might consider ‘large’. The Aristo Mallet is huge.

Jon

Jon, just my way of joking, sorry u didn’t get it, i’m just not a steam fan i guess

Yea, Alco’s are honorary steam locomotives, anyway, with all the black smoke the produce

(http://www.railroad.net/articles/railfanning/photo101/media/LAL_Avon_9500.jpg)

Andrè Schofield said:
SCALE ASIDE........

Please gentlemen don’t use scale issues in determining your recommendation.

I am wanting a large steam locomotive. For my RR scale doesn’t matter! Cringe if you like but its MY RR!

After missing the boat on Wholesales trains K27 on offer of $564 and not finding them priced anything near it I am looking at other locos.

Current options in kind of the same price range are:

Aristo Mallett

Khando K-4

Bachmann K-27

There may be others I’ve not located as yet. I’m most interested in reliability and ease of conversion to battery/RC over detail.

What loco would you recommend?

Thanks

Andre’

I have a Aristo Mallett and love it. IT has switches that let you pick track or BAtt power with easy hook ups. It is a great loco. Don’t have and can’t say about the others but I think you would be happy with the mallett. There is a video if my mallett on my website. www.gtechdesign.com
its under train video.

My next 2 locos will probably an Accucraft SP S12 0-6-0 in Live Steam and an Americal Mainline EMD GP60. A third loco would be an Accucraft SP 2-10-2 in electric.

Those are certainly nice choices for yourself Roger, but not really what Andre asked, he did indicate STEAM and also ease of conversion to battery. That would leave out your GP60 and the 0-6-0 in live steam.

I did not recommend more pricey locomotives like Aster, or the USAT Big Boy (which certainly qualifies as BIG!).

The locos I recommended ranged in price from $500 to $740.

So Andre, after all the suggestions, how are you “leaning”?

Regards, Greg

Andre, I have a Pacific, LGB Mikado, & Accucraft K-4. Several friends have the Aristo Mikado. The first choice you need to make in your decision is whether you are looking at passenger service, freight, or mixed service. The Pacific and K-4 are essentially passenger locos. The Mikados were primarily freight locos, but were sometimes pressed into passenger service. The LGB Mikado has a great sound system, but a sorry smoke unit. The Aristo Mikado has a great smoke unit, but no sound. The Aristo comes ready for battery operation. The LGB is fairly easy to convert.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/pimanjc/RC-Battery-sound%20Folder/Mikado-BatRCwiring-003r.jpg)

The LGB will significantly outpull the Aristo. The LGB Mikado pulled 44 weighted cars most of the way around Marty Cozad’s layout last september.

(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/pimanjc/Marty2007%20Folder/Marty2007-199-JC-Mikado-44cars-r.jpg)

JimC.

What ya gonna buy ???