Locomotives for my op session

 I’m building a fairly large layout. I hope to occupy 15 operators. On AIR1 I operated using steam and diesels. It was supposed to be predominantly steam, I found that steam switchers could not stand up to the rigors. To be honest I wore out a lot of diesel switchers too. At my coal marshaling yard the main classification yard was built on a curve. The 0-8-0’s I used were not robust enough to push cuts of hoppers, in the numbers I wanted, around that yard. I ended up using diesels.

Diesel models were simply more reliable. My coal trains were usually powered by P2K 2-8-8-2’s. These engines got a bit slippery as they got older, but they were still generally able to move 30 car trains  over the road. 

Now I’m building AIR2. 

AIR1 was double deck with a long grade between the decks. AIR 2 has a helix that will bring the trains up from deck 1 to 2 and from 2 to 3. You see AIR2 is triple decked. I am going with three decks to gain the long main line run that makes TTTO shine.

In order to get up and running from the start, and to be able to reliably operate all the trains on my schedule, I’m going with diesels from the start. My plan is to “Steamilize” over time, and I hope to use those P2K 2-8-8-2’s for coal traffic from the start. But my predominate, standard power will be Stewart F-units. I’ve got to get a lot of hardware together; decoders, wire, solder, lights, paint, a paint booth …

I’m hoping to utilize a lot of my time currently spent rehabbing my knees  on painting, lettering, and installing decoders in a fleet of F-units. The goal is to have a roster of F-Units in Atlantic Inland livery fight from the start.

The goal is to give the operators a better experience, if only just a little. 

Since I’m going to start operations as soon as the main track is laid from end to end, crews will have to contend with unfinished yards, spurs, industries, and the scenery will be the “plywood plaines”.  

These  are my goals for my locomotives. It’s good to have goals… but you know what they say, “The best laid plans of mice and men are often upset by cats and women.


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