Since expectations of 'sound' vary so greatly, one man's champagn is another man's beer.
REPORTS here seem to favor LOK sound or QSI, or BEST of both worlds - A Genesis with (aftermarket) Sondtraxx installed.
I have neither, but Athearn shoots for the lower cost market - which is why their sound SUPPLIER is MRC.
Since no Challeger is cheap, I think I would weight the options.
Fine engines. But MRC does not do Decoders very well therefore automatically removing this line from consideraton.
I choose QSI equippted engines instead from Proto and others.
I had a 2-8-2 Genesis Mike that was sweetest little thing on the rails but could not pull it's own tender up any kind of grade; I sold it quick before the hue and cry got too loud about the lack of pulling and sunk the money into a BLI heavy mike that can march upgrade with 16 cars plus caboose.
As soon as QSI settles down and releases after market decoder with quick plug, I can re-consider Genesis once again WITHOUT MRC decoders.
Hello techmike, I have the 4-6-6-4 Challenger ,I run DC, I haven't heard the prototypical locomotive so I can't say how accurate the sound is. It is a well detailed, smooth quiet (engine and gearbox noise that is) runner that is a strong puller. As I previously mentioned I'm running analog so I use the remote which takes a little getting used to, it also has about a six foot operating range in my very cluttered basement.For my two cents worth I like the sound and performance, it is a heavy locomotive and tender. My personal experience with Athearn's Genesis line has been positive outside of the split drive gear I had on the 2-8-2 Mikado which the hobby shop I bought it from replaced the loco. I have 9 Genesis Loco's and outside of the previously mentioned Mikado I'll probably pick up some more sometime in the future.
looking for a nice steam engine WITH DCC & SOUND 4-8-4 or larger how is the Athearn Genesis UNION PACIFIC 4-6-6-4 WITH DCC & SOUND? Looking for any reviews on the engine or the company also any recomindations. thanks