The American Diversion: a new arrival

A couple of years ago when I started the G scale stuff then one of the plans was the logging layout with a Shay (the "bendy train").   That soon faded upon discovering the cost of G scale shays made by Bachmann (LGB have done some as well I believe but only brass and in partnership, so they are even more expensive) were £800+, and that the circuit boards would need to be ripped out before going anywhere near LGB stuff as LGB operates at 24 volts and the Bachmann circuit boards were designed for 10 volts.   If I knew then what I know now, then I should probably have bought a Bachmann Shay from G scale online and had the circuit boards ripped out.  I keep looking at the Bachmann On30 stuff and thinking it would be nice to see some of the shays in the large scale.

The very first thing was the Schlitz Beer reefer LGB, and the ATSF caboose from a starter set (but no chimneys - so I wonder if they came from the demise of LGB).  First locomotive was a PIKO 0-6-0 Switcher at a bargain price as some of the detailing was broken.  My thoughts were to spry it blue as I liked the Darjeeling B class that was doing the rounds at that point.   Management decided that they liked the black look of it though when it did Christmas tree duty in 2011.  Then an LGB Porter (DCC chipped, but no sound) at a bargain price from an estate sale.   And then the Cabooses..   The idea started to become that the American stuff could be played with by those who wanted to "play trains" on visits, keeping the European stuff for those who would value it.  

By dint of buying stuff off ebay and cheap sales, then I've ended up with ATSF, Rio Grande and Union Pacific although there are places where they have running rights and could meet.  For a long while the ATSF had two (nice) Red Cabooses but no locomotive.  I'd like an LGB Forney but they never seem to go particularly cheap.

Last week I won an LGB ATSF 2-4-0 probably liberated from a starter set.   I'd been put off by the pictures which always made it look a bit oddly proportioned but it arrived today, and I must that I think its rather a sweetie.  It's also my first tender locomotive (again I would like a blue LGB Nicki Frank S but can't justify, or really afford the £600-£800).  Bargain price felt, although I still hadn't seen one at a show.  Not chipped - but DCC ready.   I've done a short video to show off the valve gear - the ambient lighting is very poor, and my quick attempts to edit in i-movie have done some improvement to show off the valve gear but the actual engine is now quite poor.

The lights work, and wheels and skates would suggest little use.

And to finish, a couple of pictures of it posed with the PIKO 0-6-0, and an LGB 0-4-0 Porter.