K-Line F59PHI vs. MTH F59PHI

[Amtrk14]

Hello,

A year or two ago I purchased the K-line Amtrak Surfliner 4-car set and an additional Surfliner Coach. At the time only K-Line had a matching Surfliner F59PHI, but that was sold out. So, I got a Amtrak California MTH Premier F59PHI. Yesterday I looked at the MTH website and saw that they were coming out with a Premier Surfliner F59PHI w/ proto sound 2.0. I then also looked at the K-Line website a saw that their Surfliner F59PHI is due Fall 2005. My question is, who has the better engine. I've had good luck with my current Amtrak CA F59PHI. The train store owner where I got the set and the engine says that the Proto Sound 2.0(MTH) is a lot better than the Lionel RailSounds(K-Line)

Thank you,

Sean

Pacific Coast Line
Last Updated on 5/20/05
http://pacificcoastline.tripod.com/

[spankybird]

I think you are going to find that they are both great engines. Do you pefer TMCC or DCS control [?] That may be the deciding factor. K-line will have TMCC and MTH will have DCS.

[Anonymous]

I agree with Spankybird. It is all in what you prefer. I have always been a TMCC Fan. However, I invested a great deal in the MTH Streamliners with PS1, just for the sounds. This was before I knew any better, and since then have aquired a few of the PS2 diesel engines, even though I have not invested in the DCS System yet, they work fine in conventional mode.

They are far superior over the PS1 engines. The sounds are better, the have cruise control, and you can plug the engine into a charger, instead of leaving on the track for several hours to charge, or having to remove the battery.

You may want to see if there is way to hear the sounds on the K-line version after it is released. I have seen and heard several of the K-line steamers with TMCC. Most were out of this world. The one that I purchased however had a standard steam rs chip that Lionel had released about 6 years ago.

In talking with some people I found out that Lionel only Licenses certain RS Chips. They are not going to give away their cream of the crop., and understandably so. The detail on the engine that I had purchased had such great detail, that it had to have better sounds. So I went to Train America Studios, and purchased their RS chip for about $30.00. It was very easy to put in, and well worth the $$$

Hope this helps