So, I am looking at purchasing a GP 7 and I have two options. A brand new atlas from a run a little over a year old. My other option is a Walthers model from just recently. It's a proto. Which is better. Thanks.
JJF
Prototypically modeling the Great Northern in Minnesota with just a hint of freelancing.
Yesterday is History.
Tomorrow is a Mystery.
But today is a Gift, that is why it is called the Present.
I'd say they are both comparible to each other. Walthers Proto is their higher end line with more detail than their other lines. Atlas have historically had very good chassis and decent detail. The Walthers Proto might have more detail.
Personally I wouldn't worry to much about the brand in this case because both are good quality and good runners.
From your siggy you model the Great Northern so see which which GP7 matches the GN prototypes the best. easy peasy.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I picked up an older (Life-Like/pre-Walthers) Proto 2000 GP7 last year and it runs quite well and looks great. I don't have an Atlas version of that but I do have their RS1, RS3, and S2 and they are terrific. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Can't go wrong with either one, both will be good runners. Atlas tends to not do much in terms of prototype specific details - theirs are more generic.
--Randy
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
Agreed with the comments.
If its DCC Sound you're looking for, I think they both now have ESU Loksound. But depending upon when they were built, one might have the older Version 4.0 and the other the newer V5. That might matter to you.
- Douglas
Have you considered a new-old-stock (Lifelike) Proto 2000 ? After a little cleanup, these run very well, smooth and quiet, easily converted to dcc if you like.
That's what all 4 of my GP7's are. Because the new ones are all done in that darn yellow and green scheme. And I paid less than $40 for each. $2 of Athearn gears later (even if not cracked, they WILL), and they are every bit as good as the new ones.
I never understood why the old Atlas ones fromt he same vintage or older typically sell for $100 or more, when they have such horrible detail compared to the LL version. Especially their Reading version witht he wrong horn in the wrong place and an unlikely dab of red paint in the bell of the horn. Just always looked toylike to me, and they go for higher prices than the P2K model. Whatever - I'll take every advantage I can get.
Oops - Forgot about the cracked gears. Yea, my Life-Like Proto 2000 GP7 had the cracked gears when it arrived. I just ordered the Walthers replacement gear set for those (<$10, easy swap out) and it runs like a champ.
It's amazing how inexpensive and expensive NOS Protos go for on eBay. I paid $70 for my NYC GP7 last year. I paid <$30 for my Proto NYC S1 in 2005. One eBay seller for 2 or 3 years was asking $300 for a new "rare" MEC S1 switcher when everyone and their grandmother were selling them new for <$100. When it didn't sell she dropped the price to $260 or $270. It's no big surprise that it didn't move at that price either.
Going with my experience with Santa Fe GP7/9s, the "old" Life-Like Proto 2000s had more prototypical detail than the Atlas models; e.g., depending on the road number the P2Ks had or did not have dynamic brakes. Then came the Atlas Genesis GPs, with even more detail, like absence or presence of a steam generator. The only model they did not produce so far are the GP7s with "torpedo tubes" (roof-mounted air tanks). This model was recently done by Walthers under "Walthers Proto". It is up to the level of detail of the Athearn Genesis models. My only complaint is that I had to go through four brand new Walthers Proto models before I got one that arrived without a broken-off MU stand.
I ended up going with the atlas model. Thanks for all the input!