What is a good locomotive to build for a beginner?
A. I’m in the process of building a 4-6-0 narrow gauge steam locomotive. It’s coming to my house in sections. Most of the machining has been done by the manufacturer. It’s more expensive that way but I have only limited experience with a lathe and mill so for me, this makes sense. The more drive wheels and trucks the locomotive has, the more complicated it is. I would suggest you keep to something like an early 4-4-0 American to start with. They don’t pull as well but are rather simple compared to the later engines.
