Well, I was all set to order that LGB Porter, only to be told they were discontinued and no longer available. Drat.
Are there any other good quality, small locos around? I don’t much like the Bachmann Porter – if I can’t get a classic “tiny Porter”, I’d rather get some other small loco.
Accucraft made a really beautiful small Porter I belive it was , beautiful scale little loco it was , ran very slowly also . Some beautiful pihotos of one are here …
http://www.rctrains.com/custmweatherdetails.htm
And larger pictures of one are here , scroll way down the page …
http://antiques-internet.com/colorado/rgsrrhobbies/dynapage/IP71.htm
Get one off evilBay…there’s 2 or 3 up there now…or maybe make me an offer on mine 
The Stainz variants are a little bigger, and pull better than the Porter if you don’t mine their obviously German looks (The Americanized one (2019) looks kinda goofy but with the power tender can pull stumps!)
Ray, some people don’t like them but Hartland Locomotive Works has a few small Engines. I bought my daughter an American and it runs fine.
I’ve got my eye on an LGB Porter on ebay, but since it’s LGB and out of production, I don’t expect it to remain in my price range.
Can’t stand the Euro-style locos, and they’d look out of place on my desert layout anyway.
I saw a Bachmann mining mogul at a hobby shop recently, looked pretty nice but what scale is it? I’m not sure if it’s just a small loco, or a smaller scale. I think my current locos are both 1:20. I could probably add a 1:22 scale loco without it being too noticeable. I think any scale smaller than that might not fit in.
The mining/industrial mogul (or “Indie”) is also out of production. It is a diecast mogul chassis stuck under the old Hawaiian Ry #5 2-4-2 shell. B’mann claims it’s supposed to be 1:20 scale model of a VERY small “catalog” Baldwin engine…not sure if any were ever really built. I think it looks better as a 1:22 or 1:24 loco. It has smoke, reallybright LED headlight & backup light, and B’mann’s crummy stock (just a white noise generator w/ 2 chugs per revolution instead of 4) sound. The tender is also wired for electrical pick-up, so it will run on less than clean track. OTOH They are quite light on thir feet since the boiler is full of circuit board and will need weight added to run well. While they can handle R-1 curves, mine absolutely hates Aristo turnouts (ever see a locomotive pogo stick off the rails?).
I added a cab from an Aristo C-16, and a step pilot… IMO it really helped it’s puppyish looks. Banta makes a really nice wood cab kit for these as well.
yust my 2c, some will want change
Ray had you considered any of the fine Bachmann geared locos ?
They would look good in your mountains …, and the correct scale !
Mik, could you post a picture of you custom indie? I’m currious now about the new cab.
Ray
I have both of Bachmann’s Porters, Saddletanker and Sidetanker, they are very good also, I just got an HLW wooden cab switcher, I know HLW’s stuff is dam near as bulletproof as LGBs is.
Keep an eye out on Ebay, I saw an LGB Porter at the Del Mar train show, it was at a booth when I went by in the AM, wasnt there on my second pass.
I might consider a Bachmann Shay, if it would run on my tight curves. What’s the minimum it can handle? I have one section, about a quarter turn, of 2.5 foot radius. The rest is at least 40" radius or larger.
One other concern I have with the Shay is that it seems like everyone has one – it’s kind of getting repetitious. 
The Bachmann Climax seems to be smaller in size than the Shay , and I have not seen very many photos of Climax locos in use . It is a beautiful scale loco .
Ray, if you are out my way, you can borrow my shay and try it out.
Regards, Greg
Quote:Yeah, the Climax is nice. Not so common as the Shay, and more interesting to look at than the Heisler. Unfortunately the Climax has apparently been out of production for a while.
The Bachmann Climax seems to be smaller in size than the Shay , and I have not seen very many photos of Climax locos in use . It is a beautiful scale loco .
Okay, here’s a pic of my indie…still trying to learn how to use the camera and editor so it might come out huge
Thanks Mik, much appreciated
Ray:
Bachmann is just about to ship a totally new Porter. Several folks have reported seeing it at shows and seem to really like it. I’m not certain if there are pix up on the B’mann forum, but you might check.
Happy RRing,
Jerry Bowers
Hoe 'bout a small gas critter? I know, it ain’t steam, but its a cool little loco and it will take just about any curve you can toss under it! I am about to post some new shots this week of it on my website. I’m talking about the “GE” 20 tonner I am doing. Complete with fake motor, generator and basic controles. You’ll need to put in a few more castings if you want. Just painted my test unit and as soon as it dries I will do more brushwork on it and photograph it. Got a new figure coming too as soon as I find somebody to cast it.
Tom Yorke
And you could always put a big stack on it and tell folks it’s a small steamer…
Curmudgeon said:
And you could always put a big stack on it and tell folks it’s a small steamer…
Like this???
to paraphrase an old saying from the eighties…“Doing my part to piss off the Rivetious Right”
Ray FYI - Trainworld still has a few of these
Good little engine for the price of $80.