Which brand of model locomotive is your favorite?

[swknox]

I would say Atlas would be #1. Yes they cost more than Athearn but I gave up on Athearn when Atlas started selling locos DCC ready. I'm not putting down Athearn, there locos ran great but the chicken wire grab irons were not as great as the plastic... but thats just my opinion. Although now I see they are offering both chicken wire and plastic and lets not forget about the big bulb in the cab. I spend $50 dollars more and get a loco thats DCC ready, has controlable headlights and numberboards, has a detailed cab with crew and looks GREAT. And the number 2 loco... Lifelike's Proto 2000 line. And if they don't have a DCC plug they are easy to convert. But hey this is just my opinion. The one Kato I got runs good but has problems while running in DCC. I think this is the decoder though and not the loco itself.

Knox

[swknox]

I would say Atlas would be #1. Yes they cost more than Athearn but I gave up on Athearn when Atlas started selling locos DCC ready. I'm not putting down Athearn, there locos ran great but the chicken wire grab irons were not as great as the plastic... but thats just my opinion. Although now I see they are offering both chicken wire and plastic and lets not forget about the big bulb in the cab. I spend $50 dollars more and get a loco thats DCC ready, has controlable headlights and numberboards, has a detailed cab with crew and looks GREAT. And the number 2 loco... Lifelike's Proto 2000 line. And if they don't have a DCC plug they are easy to convert. But hey this is just my opinion. The one Kato I got runs good but has problems while running in DCC. I think this is the decoder though and not the loco itself.

Knox

[AlcoRS11Nut]

Atlas, Athearn, Kato (in that order)

[AlcoRS11Nut]

Atlas, Athearn, Kato (in that order)

[jsanchez]

I'd have to say Kato, Kato, and Kato, I'm an N scaler and nothing seems to last as long, pull as well or run as smooth as a Kato, I have some that are almost twenty years old tht still run almost like new. Second favorite would be Life-like, then Atlas. Some of the Atlas releases are decent, but most have poor pulling power, some I've had noise problems with. I think they need to lower their retail prices, there is no reason for them to cost the same or more thanKato.

[jsanchez]

I'd have to say Kato, Kato, and Kato, I'm an N scaler and nothing seems to last as long, pull as well or run as smooth as a Kato, I have some that are almost twenty years old tht still run almost like new. Second favorite would be Life-like, then Atlas. Some of the Atlas releases are decent, but most have poor pulling power, some I've had noise problems with. I think they need to lower their retail prices, there is no reason for them to cost the same or more thanKato.

[Anonymous]

I sure see alot of Atlas and Athearn in this list. They both make nice locos, but as far as I'm concerned, Kato is king. I run HO scale, so my opinions are based on this scale. Athearns run good (I have 4 of them) but seem to be alot noisier than the Kato's (I have 3 of them) . I hate hearing an electric motor drown out my sound decoders. Although you can buy 3 Athearns for the price of 2 Kato's. I have not purchased an Atlas and don't plan to. I ran a couple on the test track at my local dealer and in my opinion they just can't compare to the smoothness of the Kato.

[Anonymous]

I sure see alot of Atlas and Athearn in this list. They both make nice locos, but as far as I'm concerned, Kato is king. I run HO scale, so my opinions are based on this scale. Athearns run good (I have 4 of them) but seem to be alot noisier than the Kato's (I have 3 of them) . I hate hearing an electric motor drown out my sound decoders. Although you can buy 3 Athearns for the price of 2 Kato's. I have not purchased an Atlas and don't plan to. I ran a couple on the test track at my local dealer and in my opinion they just can't compare to the smoothness of the Kato.

[Anonymous]

N Scale: Atlas, Kato, IM F-3
O gauge: Lionel, Williams

[Anonymous]

N Scale: Atlas, Kato, IM F-3
O gauge: Lionel, Williams

[Anonymous]

Since I'm modeling transition era Pennsy, there's only one way to go for steam power... Bowser. True, they need some reworking (more so now that I've converted to DCC), but who else makes an I1? Just stick a can motor in there, and it's like I've read (I think in MRR): you can pull a bumper off a Chevy with one of those! [:D]

Looking seriously at the M1b now offered by Broadway Ltd, though. Counting my pennies.

For steam, my favorite is my reliable Atlas RS3, which I've recently enhanced by adding sound. Lots of fun drilling holes in the fan grill for the speaker! Next purchase, I think, will be a Proto 2000 A-B set of PA's.

[Anonymous]

Since I'm modeling transition era Pennsy, there's only one way to go for steam power... Bowser. True, they need some reworking (more so now that I've converted to DCC), but who else makes an I1? Just stick a can motor in there, and it's like I've read (I think in MRR): you can pull a bumper off a Chevy with one of those! [:D]

Looking seriously at the M1b now offered by Broadway Ltd, though. Counting my pennies.

For steam, my favorite is my reliable Atlas RS3, which I've recently enhanced by adding sound. Lots of fun drilling holes in the fan grill for the speaker! Next purchase, I think, will be a Proto 2000 A-B set of PA's.

[Anonymous]

Life -Like P2K

[Anonymous]

Life -Like P2K

[cp1057]

Overall, in HO scale my favourite is LifeLike Proto-1000/2000 diesels. I find them to run well and if I'm patient they usually can be found on sale for a good price.

I also have 1 Kato NW-2 switcher which is a great model in terms of looks and operation but I haven't seem many Katos that match my prototype and era.

For steam models I find that IHC is the best compromise between price and performance. It is a pet peeve of mine that steam models are consistently much more expensive than diesels.

I only have 1 Athearn right now but it got me started in model railroading and is a nice running model for a very reasonable price. The detailing is admittedly crude and as swknox said, the big bulb in the cab is a bit hard to get around. One day I'll get around to removing it.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[cp1057]

Overall, in HO scale my favourite is LifeLike Proto-1000/2000 diesels. I find them to run well and if I'm patient they usually can be found on sale for a good price.

I also have 1 Kato NW-2 switcher which is a great model in terms of looks and operation but I haven't seem many Katos that match my prototype and era.

For steam models I find that IHC is the best compromise between price and performance. It is a pet peeve of mine that steam models are consistently much more expensive than diesels.

I only have 1 Athearn right now but it got me started in model railroading and is a nice running model for a very reasonable price. The detailing is admittedly crude and as swknox said, the big bulb in the cab is a bit hard to get around. One day I'll get around to removing it.

Charles
Hillsburgh On

[AlcomanRSD]

Because of the prototypes, I'm running a Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster and two Baldwin S-12 units, all Athearn along with two Bachmann Spectrum H16-44 units. The Athearns always run well except for some pickup problems with the Trainmaster even with the 6-wheel trucks. As previously mentioned, the sound is a plus. The quiet Bachmanns are great runners, but little used as I've yet to get my Accurail couplers to work on these without sagging, causing coupling problems. If Athearn offered more non-EMD units such as Alco RSD-5, 12, and/or 15 along with F-M H20-44 and H10-44, I would go no further.

[AlcomanRSD]

Because of the prototypes, I'm running a Fairbanks-Morse Trainmaster and two Baldwin S-12 units, all Athearn along with two Bachmann Spectrum H16-44 units. The Athearns always run well except for some pickup problems with the Trainmaster even with the 6-wheel trucks. As previously mentioned, the sound is a plus. The quiet Bachmanns are great runners, but little used as I've yet to get my Accurail couplers to work on these without sagging, causing coupling problems. If Athearn offered more non-EMD units such as Alco RSD-5, 12, and/or 15 along with F-M H20-44 and H10-44, I would go no further.

[gwjordan1950]

My consists contain Athern, Ath. Gensis, Bachman Spect. , acouple of P-2,and 2 Locos. that are Rivirossi. The diesels ; Ath.Gen are 1st, Ath. second then Bach. Spect. next. The Spect are good running engines! Smoothest and most quit is the Rivirossi, 2-8-8-0 Mallets that I have. I haave run kato but think the price is a bit much. Gale Jordan. NW Ohio

[gwjordan1950]

My consists contain Athern, Ath. Gensis, Bachman Spect. , acouple of P-2,and 2 Locos. that are Rivirossi. The diesels ; Ath.Gen are 1st, Ath. second then Bach. Spect. next. The Spect are good running engines! Smoothest and most quit is the Rivirossi, 2-8-8-0 Mallets that I have. I haave run kato but think the price is a bit much. Gale Jordan. NW Ohio

[TomDiehl]

I model in HO and was surprised how few replies listed steam locomotives. In these, I'd list Bowser, followed by the old Mantua (Model Power will be offering these soon according to their advertisment). They have good pulling power and I have built several from kits and tune them as I go. My oldest dates from the late sixties and is still running and pulling.

For diesel, I'd list the Athearn blue box for their price, power, detail, and ease of repair (no, I don't have any rubber band drives). My second is some old Mantua die cast body Baldwin Sharks, one even has a Hobbytown of Boston drive, and I'm planning to convert at least two more. The pulling power is fantastic, and the sharks have always been my favorite of the first generation diesels. I still have some of the old Tyco F-9's, GP-20's, and C430's from the sixties and seventies that run great.

[TomDiehl]

I model in HO and was surprised how few replies listed steam locomotives. In these, I'd list Bowser, followed by the old Mantua (Model Power will be offering these soon according to their advertisment). They have good pulling power and I have built several from kits and tune them as I go. My oldest dates from the late sixties and is still running and pulling.

For diesel, I'd list the Athearn blue box for their price, power, detail, and ease of repair (no, I don't have any rubber band drives). My second is some old Mantua die cast body Baldwin Sharks, one even has a Hobbytown of Boston drive, and I'm planning to convert at least two more. The pulling power is fantastic, and the sharks have always been my favorite of the first generation diesels. I still have some of the old Tyco F-9's, GP-20's, and C430's from the sixties and seventies that run great.

[BRAKIE]

I prefer the Atlas,P2K and the Athearn locomotives..I do have 3 Walther's GP15s and just purchase a Stewart Baldwin switcher off e bay.This is my first Stewart locomotive..As of now I do not own Kato.

[BRAKIE]

I prefer the Atlas,P2K and the Athearn locomotives..I do have 3 Walther's GP15s and just purchase a Stewart Baldwin switcher off e bay.This is my first Stewart locomotive..As of now I do not own Kato.