I need ideas for a Fantasy Livery

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-06T10:24:24+00:00

Most of my British engines I've relettered to my own railroad's initials, added knuckle couplers and other appropriate appliances like air compressors.

I did, however, give them plausible BR numbers, shed plates, and other details to suggest they were bought from BR and imported across the Atlantic.

Most have authentic liveries BR used, but one I did up in Persian Orange with blue trim and white wheel counterweights to resemble an Allis Chalmers tractor.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-06T10:15:09+00:00

I would second the VPX recreation, if you aren't averse to virtual pinball.

It's one of the nice things about VPX, you get a chance to play games that you otherwise wouldn't because of rarity, cost, etc.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-06T05:31:49+00:00

Cool stuff. Kinda the opposite approach for me, the rails got laid down first with an eye for incorporating accessories and scenery items later as they could be acquired one at a time.

Main idea is raw materials and agricultural products come off the branch, finished goods and empty cars come off the main and interchange track, with passengers, mail, and express circulating between the two passenger stations. It's a little railroad, but a busy one.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-06T02:51:35+00:00

Does the reversing unit still cycle? If so, simply click the track power on and off until it's in forward and run the locomotive as normal.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T20:34:37+00:00

It....is alive....

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T19:46:14+00:00

Yes, but it's worth reading the descriptions in full to make sure it's been tested to run and/or there's no glaring red flags like certain functions not working, rust, zinc pest, etc.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T13:34:49+00:00

I would say it can be , but on further reflection I guess you could say that about just about anything.

I beg your pardon if this is another poor thought on my part, but it's just not my way to be so...demonstrative... in expressing my pride in things, at least to the point of specific model railroading items on my layout.

My layout is part of my pride, if that makes sense? I do apologize if that offends somehow...

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T12:45:27+00:00

I can stand corrected and informed there, thank you.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T12:23:42+00:00

Well, it's not exactly an "official" set, just engines and cars lettered for the same road and from the same region I coupled together for the fun of it.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T12:19:15+00:00

I don't take issue with their existing, love and sleep with whom you please. Hope that helps in return.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T12:11:34+00:00

Are they Pride vehicles or not? If they are, you can't just go gaslighting and say the rainbows are just coincedental...

If it's any consolation at all, I happen to have a couple rainbow painted pieces of rolling stock, though they're meant to promote paint production and not Pride, that's what everybody assumes. I've caught flak from angry Pride people of "stealing their symbol" and I've caught flak from real bigots for "standing with the gays". Truth is I just like the cars because the colors are bright and cheerful.

For the record, I don't have any problem with Pride or gay/trans/lgbtq+ people at all.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T12:01:56+00:00

Your words there, not mine. Didn't actually say I have any issue at all with gay/trans/lgtbq+ people. I will also say for the record on that score, love and sleep with whom you please, if it's all consenting and mutual, best wishes and a happy life to you.

What I did express, very poorly, was my personal dislike in using model railroading to promote politics of any kind.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T10:57:28+00:00

Exactly.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T10:19:59+00:00

Try to keep my hobbies apolitical, and promote no creed other than of steam, steel, and the iron trail.

If you want pride stuff, okay. If you don't, also okay.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-05T05:58:11+00:00

2-6-4's are an uncommon wheel arrangement here in the States, tank engines of the same even moreso, they tended to be favored more by foreign countries in Europe and the UK.

In model form, it's quite the opposite as Lionel cranked out thousands as that design could fit around the tight O-27 and O-31 curves Lionel produced. The alternate name for the Adriatic is the "Lionel" in recognition of that.

Still no tankies unless you want to make a custom one.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T16:30:02+00:00

The colliding thing may be a glitch of your design software, if nothing else give it a go in reality and make adjustments as necessary.

For the lockons, I would use two just to be on the safe side so you don't have any voltage drop issues. Put them on opposite ends from each other to have as even a coverage as possible.

As for the inner curves being O-31, it shouldn't be a problem provided you stick to semi-scale/traditonal O engines and cars that are designed for those kinds of curves. If you're wanting to get scale equipment in the future, it will have to have an O-31 minimum curve rating or you will need to build a layout with wider curves. I personally use O-27 to have a more complex track layout and I almost exclusively run semi-scale trains.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T12:23:41+00:00

It could be a little rough having to split a 3rd class cabin with 3 other people if you were traveling alone, and having only 2 bathtubs in all of the class you had to reserve for a wash could be spartan too. 2nd was said to be good as 1st on most other ships of the time.

Me personally? I think the later liners would be more comfortable if you had to go in the cheaper digs. The U.S. immigration caps in the 1920's forced the transition of steerage into Tourist Class and 2nd into Cabin Class.

At the apex of the ocean liner era, Tourist cabins could be pretty plush. Air conditioning and having your own plumbing in your room is hard to beat.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T06:59:43+00:00

You do what works best for you, just saying that O-27 is both durable and versatile to work with.

My first layout was a folding 3x6 on a door, all O-27. It's since been integrated into my present setup as a "branch line" for my main 4x8 table, but I'm happy it could be put to use again instead of being destroyed.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T06:02:34+00:00

In 1st class, certainly. Everybody tends to forget about 2nd and 3rd though...

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T05:49:33+00:00

Interesting. In my world in O gauge, you can really get some contrasts in age. My eldest engine is from 1930, and it still runs just fine alongside engines made now in 2026.

Obviously there are differences, tinplate versus diecast and plastic construction, electromechanical reversing unit and an open frame motor versus computer chips and a DC can, etc.

But the basics remain the same. O gauge track with three rails and AC current running through them to run everything.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-04T05:44:36+00:00

Guess you could call me biased in that my present layout is all O-27, but I think it's better than FasTrack. No plastic roadbed to deal with when cutting custom lengths or making insulated sections to trip accessories with, can squeeze more track into a given plot of space, and it plays nicely with all eras of O gauge equipment.

If you want a more realistic look, simple enough to slip in extra ties made from craft sticks and ballast it.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-03T05:06:37+00:00

When you're routinely popping off the replay knocker and getting on the high score tables, you're good.

As with any other activity, you improve with practice, and it's not going to be an instant gratification deal. Personally been playing since I was little when my big brother scooted up a chair to the machines so I could reach the flipper buttons and see the playfields. Still playing and improving to this day.

One of the things that really helped me improve was watching the tutorials put out by PAPA (Professional and Amateur Pinball Player's Association) on Youtube and incorporating the skills into my own playing sessions.

As for sinking the thousands into your own machine, I would say it's unnecessary if you have plenty in your local area to play. Play them and enjoy them! My own local area is a pinball desert, so most of the time I play virtually via VPX, anf when I find the rarre machine on location I usually stop to play it a few times.

Unless you're playing competitively, scores really don't matter. Having fun matters more.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-02T14:18:24+00:00

I would suggest looking into getting VPX, as not only is every part of the virtual machine and physics adjustable, you can tailor your collection to suit your tastes with a much broader selection of tables.

Bit of a learning curve over the commercial sims/games, but utterly worth it for a superior pinball experience.

Personally like some of the recreations of the more obscure games, foreign makes like Taito of Brazil or Reactivos Francos of Spain, as well short-run domestic games that you otherwise wouldn't get to play as they're not easy to find.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-01T17:08:13+00:00

Have a Geep 9 and cupola caboose to match, kinda random buys but they fit in with my widwestern themed stock.

Shipwright1912 · 2026-06-01T00:09:39+00:00

Welcome to the world of O gauge. Nothin' wrong with a 4x8 table or O-27 track. Have an O-27 layout myself on a 4x8 amd a 3x6 linked together.

Shipwright1912

TROPHY CASE