I am modeling the transition period of the 1950's and have now completed acquiring my steam roster and am now looking to acquire a few more diesel locomotives.
I am wondering which manufacturer of first generation HO diesel engines, marketed with DCC and sound installed, are considered currently to have the best quality sound and engine performance? I am looking to acquire a couple of E and F units as well as a few switchers.
Has Athearn released any of their diesels with the Tsunami decoders installed yet?
Thanks.
.
Buy Atlas if you can. I've found none better.
Unfortunately Atlas is weak in the !st generation E and F classes.
For the Es you're limited to BLI or P2K. F's add Athearn to the mix.I don't have any Fs or Es, so I can't put anything in there.
As for switchers, I like the BLI NW2 and/or SW7. They pull reasonably well (according to MR review, 28 cars) without traction tires. P2K has an SW8 that pulls about the same, but they have traction tires.
IIRC, Atlas is doing the HH600s with sound, and there is the P2K FM H-10-44 that MR recently reviewed.
Vincent
Wants: 1. high-quality, sound equipped, SD40-2s, C636s, C30-7s, and F-units in BN. As for ones that don't cost an arm and a leg, that's out of the question....
2. An end to the limited-production and other crap that makes models harder to get and more expensive.
I have both Lifelike P2K and BLI E units, I like the BLI's a bit better but new offerings from Walthers in the P2K line might trump that. I have some recent F unit releases by Walthers P2K and can say they are my best looking and best sounding engines. Judging by their F units, the newest E units will probably be right up there as well. As far as I know, Athearn has not released any of the first generation diesels with Tsunamis yet.
Ricky
I would be interested in the new F units being produced by Bowser in their Traditional line..
They are using the Tsunami decoders, unfortunately they have only a few road names available at the moment. I am not into painting any engines myself, they have to be off the shelf and read to run.
Will definetely give the Proto units a look, heard they have good sound, but have not seen one in any of the hobby shops in this area.
Don7
I do have a U25B from Stewart/Bowser and the Tsunami sounds great, nice detail on the unit as well. It might be awhile unless you want to strip and paint one that's already released, but they are worth the wait.
I just bought a Proto 2000 GP7 with DCC and sound and it is without a doubt my best diesel. Sounds great, runs great.
Don,
I would strongly encourage you to look at Stewart locomotives. Their drives - Buehler or Canon - are second to none and run as smooth as glass. Bowser continues to bring out locomotives in their new "Executive Line"; some also with sound. The older models are still very nice, although the detailing isn't quite as nice as Proto 2000.
I have a Stewart FT installed with a Lenz Gold decoder that absolutely crawls at speed step 001. My VO-660 switcher is nearly as good. Definitely worth your consideration. The Proto 2000 H10-44s are very nice looking and also come with sound.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
I have a a set of the Walthers 2k F7A&B units, and they run, sound, and look fantastic. They will also pull down a tree. There have been complaints about a low top end speed, but for me that's not a concern.
For S series switchers, I'd recommend going Atlas and doing your own decoder install, as I've had good luck with that so far. Installing the new Tsnumani with the correct recording is not that hard.
I'm still working up RS-3's, I have one converted Atlas that is good, but not great, and have just picked up the Bowser bodies for a later conversion.
I'm trying to model 1956, not live in it.
I really like the body detailing on my Athearn RS-3 but the electrical pickup was horrible until I soldered some wires on to bypass the bolster contact. I have an old MDC kit (same shell minus some details) that has a P2K drive which runs great, I just have to build it and add some extra details. They are generally the most accurate RS-3 shells.
For some reason I don;t think the Atlas Alco switchers looks quite right, compared to the P2K version, so I have P2K's. They also run great. What's wierd is the motor looks the same as the Atlas ones - purple end cap, green on the armature. The P2K ones even have the truck safety chains.
For Geeps I have P2K, since they did 4 different numbers for Reading. All from the era of cracked gears unfortuantely, so they are all getting replaced.
For Baldwin switchers there is no comparison - Stewart wins hands down. The detailing (even though much of it you have to install yourself - like the etched brass wipers) is superb, and the drives - well, Canon can motor, and a current draw low enough to be powered by a single solar cell. Dead silent even at full throttle. I'd go so far as to say these are the best plastic RTR locos period.
F units, the Stewarts with Buhler motors are hard to equal as far as mechanicals, but their body shalles are all rather Spartan and in need of dress up kits to add grabs and so forth. The shells are more detailed on just aout every competitot - Athearn Genesis, P2K, Intermountain. Their dummy B units though make excellent sound carriers - they have all the bits for electrical pickup, a heavy weight that is wide open in the middle, and enough room for multiple speakers.
Modern units, you're on your own, I model the mid 50's.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
don7I am wondering which manufacturer of first generation HO diesel engines, marketed with DCC and sound installed, are considered currently to have the best quality sound and engine performance? I am looking to acquire a couple of E and F units as well as a few switchers.
For 1st Generation Sound performance, I am still not finding any better than the Soundtraxx DSD. 1st Generation EMD prime movers have a unique way of loading up. Soundtraxx is the only one that have captured that interesting phenomena.
The Highliner shells on the Athearn Genesis units are still the best detailed in my opinion. The drive mechanisms are ok. I am certain you would be satisfied with them.
The new Proto-2000 by Walthers are too slow for me. I want a passenger loco to go at passenger train speeds. The sound is iffy. I'm still not convinced the prime mover sound they put in the E units is really a 12 cylinder 567, let alone two of them. Likewise for the F units. It seems they throw any prime mover sound in whether it should be normally aspirated, turbo charged, or super charged. There are all sorts of accessory sounds in there too that may or may not be appropriate for a given unit.
Not sure when the RSD 15 was made in real life, but I have a Blue Line version and sound great! Good puller as well, will drag 40 cars.
All so have a Proto 2000 E-7A, for the longest time I did not like the sound! Then I played with the sound CV's and have grown to like it. Unlike my other PK 2 E's it is not a great puller, MU it with a PK 2 E-6 B unit and it has yet not pulled what I have asked.
Cuda Ken
I hate Rust
rrinker I really like the body detailing on my Athearn RS-3 but the electrical pickup was horrible until I soldered some wires on to bypass the bolster contact. I have an old MDC kit (same shell minus some details) that has a P2K drive which runs great, I just have to build it and add some extra details. They are generally the most accurate RS-3 shells. For some reason I don;t think the Atlas Alco switchers looks quite right, compared to the P2K version, so I have P2K's. They also run great. What's wierd is the motor looks the same as the Atlas ones - purple end cap, green on the armature. The P2K ones even have the truck safety chains. For Geeps I have P2K, since they did 4 different numbers for Reading. All from the era of cracked gears unfortuantely, so they are all getting replaced. For Baldwin switchers there is no comparison - Stewart wins hands down. The detailing (even though much of it you have to install yourself - like the etched brass wipers) is superb, and the drives - well, Canon can motor, and a current draw low enough to be powered by a single solar cell. Dead silent even at full throttle. I'd go so far as to say these are the best plastic RTR locos period. F units, the Stewarts with Buhler motors are hard to equal as far as mechanicals, but their body shalles are all rather Spartan and in need of dress up kits to add grabs and so forth. The shells are more detailed on just aout every competitot - Athearn Genesis, P2K, Intermountain. Their dummy B units though make excellent sound carriers - they have all the bits for electrical pickup, a heavy weight that is wide open in the middle, and enough room for multiple speakers. Modern units, you're on your own, I model the mid 50's. --Randy
Unfortunately no, just the S-1 and S-3.
Hello... most everyone has hit the nail on the head fro what is available with sound already installed 'out of the box' .
The best I've heard 'ready to run' with sound IMHO has been the P2K's.
But if you want to get the best sound samplings of 1st Generation Diesel, EMD, ALCO, or BALDWIN, you simply cannot beat what Soundtraxx is offering in their Tsunami line.
These are the very best sound sampling files out there at any price and it would be well worth your while to buy a non-sound unit and pay a little extra for the installation- you'll be so pleased with what you hear and see in terms of motor control, you'll never buy another off -the-shelf unit again.
I hope I don't get into trouble for this but i'm trying to help...if you go to www.ulrichmodels.com and click on decoders, it will direct you to a page where you can actually listen to all the decoders, in a side-by-side comparison!
Sound traxx offers the most for 1st generation diesel applications...check it out and let us know what you think.
HeritageFleet1