Newbie looking for deal on good steam loco

[Geno]

Hello all,  I just got stated in HO a couple of weeks ago.  I have a couple of old American Flyer locos and would like to get something modern in a steam engine, minimum size 4-6-2 or larger.  I'm not into  DCC but sound would be nice.  Looking for a nice running, probably  metal bodied engine for 18" and 22" curves. Looking at the first two replies below, it looks like metal can't be a requirement.  What do you all like and who has the best prices right now. Alternatively, any good used stuff around?  I'm out in the middle of nowhere.  Thanks for your help!

[richg]

Well if you want all metal, all I can think of is brass. Bachmann does not have any and there are other manufactures of all metal but I cannot mention them in the Bachmann forums. Do a Google search. You will find a variety of locos with prices.

Rich

[ACY]

If you want metal, all there is any more is brass, and brass and good deals do not usually go together. The Bachmann Heavy Mountain 4-8-2 is a heavy and good pulling locomotive; it is moderately priced and is pretty solid, but mine prefer 24" radius and sometimes have issues with 18-22" radius. Also brass and other all metal locos tend to be more rigid and require curves greater than 22", many require 28" radius or greater.

[Pacific Northern]

Bachmann produces the steam Spectrum's with a metal boiler for its Shay, 4-6-0 (10 wheeler) and its Heavy Mountain locomotives. I have these engines with Sound and these engines are well worth checking out.

My Heavy Mountain would run on 18" radius curves as would the Shay and 4-6-0 steavers as well. The backbone locomotive on my roster are the 4-6-0's

As mentioned some of the Heavy Mountain engines do not like the 18" radius curves so it would be best to test the engine first if possible.