What train set do you prize the most?

[disturbman]

Simple question. I'd like to know which train you prized the most in your roster. What is your fav'? And if you really want to make me happy, tell us why. Now I've to found an answer to my own question.

[Bernard]

Wow, that is a hard question to narrow down because there are some train sets that bring back memories to me. If I have to narrow it down to which train set I prize the most, I would have to say my American Flyer set, because they were the first trains ever giving to me.

I was 5 years old when I had my tonsils taken out and when I got home, there in the basement on the ping-pong table, my father had set up this beautiful train set with a 4-6-4 Hudson steam engine pulling lots of freight cars. He wanted me to forget about my hospital stay and instead be happy running the trains, which worked like a charm. That set will always reminds me of my father.  

[disturbman]

True, that's not an easy question but, God, Bernard! you give us a pretty damn good story. 

 

Saddly, I don't have such a nice story to tell. I've two or three trains that bring back memories to me but some are quite painfull (like breaking those damn couplers on the first day of a Kato's Eurostar set).

 

After a good deal of thinking and rethinking, I think my most prized train set (to date) is my Farewell 781 Series set by Microace. This is however the train I enjoy running the most. I don't know why, it's just like that.

 

the picture comes from rakuten

[bill937ca]

This varies from time to time.  Once you get one, sooner or later you fall under the spell of the next train.  For me it recently was a Tomix 92332 EF66 with Asakaze blue cars.  That little set appeals to me.  The $500 Blue Train sets are too much in terms of money give the current situation and in terms of space on the layout.  But I can't get it.

[bill937ca]

Wow, that is a hard question to narrow down.....  

 

You want to try the Nankai 50000?

[EWS60008]

Hmm? This one is a tough question for me because I have a few favourites in my collection, but for me and this is only just marginal because both sets are sporty looking. I would choose the Kato AVE S-100 in Operadora livery as my first prized favourite train set which is very closely followed up by my Tomix JR 700 Hikari Railstar Shinkansen.

 

I think the reason why I chose the AVE S-100 is because it is very similar looking to the TGV second generation units but the bonnets are very much like the Eurostar that is the UK's only international train to the Mainland EU .

[Bernard]

Wow, that is a hard question to narrow down.....  

 

You want to try the Nankai 50000?

Bill - I still haven't gotten that train and now I'm watching my pennies with these tough times.

But I think you stated it best with train rosters, as soon as you get one you're looking ahead to the next train.

But for me, I think when someone surprises you with a train as a gift, it's so unexpected that you never forget it, and that particular train is a constant reminder that someone put a lot of thought into what would make you happy. 

[jappomania]

It's not so hard for me

my favorite is my 1978 Christmas gift from my parents, one LIMA Shinkansen 0 series start set in H0 scale,

(now yellowed, paint scratched, broken panto but still running!)

after 20 years of H0 FS collection my japanese fever restart with one Kato E1 start set in 1998 (ans still burning)

Maybe my second is the Microace Shinkansen 0 series first run in special wooden box or the Tomix 0 series last run..or.. boh Lima is better ;-)

 

ciao

Massimo

[to2leo]

It will be a hard choice between...

 

-TGV Duplex and Kato's Orient Express from my Euro collection.

Why? I like anything TGV and double-decker plus the Orient Express holds so much history.

 

-Unitram and E3/E4 combo from my Japanese collection.

Why? I love the low floor smooth running of the Unitram but the Shinkansen combo looks amazing.

 

-Southern Pacific Daylight set from my N. American collection.

Why? It has single, articulated, bi-articulated coaches plus a beautiful steam engine.

[IST]

The question is good, but it is hard to answer.

I can tell the Unitram set (which is my first Japanese model train) or a Freightliner Class 66 with IWB Cargowaggon (because of the long loco and long wagons) or the EWS Class 60 with 10 VGA cars (as it was my first train which I bought together) or the Eurostar 12 car set (which I got from my wife) or the Tesco-train (because of the funny Less Co₂ sign on the containers). I can't choose between these ones.

[Claude_Dreyfus]

Yes that is a very tricky question, as it depends on what mood I am in.

 

Oddly enough, the set that gives me the most pleasure is the 253 Narita Express set. It has everything you can wish for (me being non-DCC), and still looks great.

 

Stranger still is my most prized model. For all the flash Japanese, US and UK stuff I have, my little Farish National Coal Board Austerity tank engine means the most; for it was the first locomotive I bought with my own money. It was a combination of savings and birthday money, costing the princely sum of £25.00, and was bought from a stand at my father's railway club show 22 years ago.

 

It still runs...and still brings a smile to my face when I run it. Little did I know back then what I was letting myself in for!

[Martijn Meerts]

It's sorta like saying which of your children is your favorite ;)

 

I don't have any children, but I love all my trains equally 

[ToniBabelony]

Of my small collection it's probably my full 8-car Hankyu 6300 Class, though I enjoy the 4-car version more to run. It's TN coupled, has the classic maroon livery, which I really love and it's a very smooth runner. When I have the space (and money) to built a layout where I can run 8-car trains in full length and glory, I'll start to collect full size Hankyu trains. The uniform maroon livery is just so striking, uniform and classic.

 

Too bad my main interest lies with the very small private companies, so that running full-size commuter trains isn't really justified :P Yes, I like realistic settings, rather then the "it's-just-fantasy-baby,-it's-your-world-so-do-whatever-you-like-as-long-as-it-suits-your-needs" philosophy...

[bill937ca]

How is this question meant?  The train you prize the most to buy? Or the most prized train you own? Sometimes the quest is the best part of the rush.

[bc6]

In no particular order.

 

1)Eizan Series 900 (Orange)

2)Dr. Yellow

3)Series 300 Grand Hikari

4)Joban  E531

5)Nozomi 500 Series

[KenS]

Good question, but hard to answer.

 

You specifically asked "in your roster", which I'll take to mean my current set of active trains (i.e., Japanese N-scale). In that, it has to be my Yamanote line E231.  The "why" part is hard to answer. Part of it is that it is the first Japanese train I bought, which followed several months of looking at online photos of it ("train porn"  ), and that made it special. But it's also because I see it as iconic of a modern Japanese commuter train, which is the core of my current interest.

 

But there's a second answer. Many years ago I first saw a GG1, rusting on a siding, and was smitten.  Since then I've seen several (all too often rusting on a siding) and back when I was doing HO, and Broadway Limited came out with a sound-equipped model, I had to own one, even though I was running a short-line freight layout, where it made utterly no sense (unless it was rusting on a siding, but I refuse to weather it for that).  It spent most of its time in a display case (simple plexiglas box on a wood base) in my living room, and only got to run occasionally. In fact, it's still in that display case even though all the other HO trains are packed away. And it's still my favorite.

 

And while I've thought about acquiring a Kato GG1 (it's been "restored" for 1500 VDC, honest), that somehow seems anticlimactic after listening to the HO model run.

[Guest ___]

Hmm, engine wise, My EF58 and EF66, but as so far as sets go, my Kyushu 485.

[inobu]

M250 Super Rail

 

 

Don't know why but I like it.

 

Maybe .........Fast and efficient.

 

 

I guess I like freight

 

 

Inobu