Try to find the Atlas Trainman train sets. Good stuff all they way.
Go up to Horicon and find Butch's Train Shop, right on 33 across from the Ice Cream Station. He usually has a decent supply of WSOR stuff.
Mike WSOR engineer | HO scale since 1988 | Visit our club www.WCGandyDancers.com
... How good is a bachmann and does it have a good reputation like american flyer(fallen flag of model railroad)
How good is a bachmann and does it have a good reputation like american flyer(fallen flag of model railroad)
O.K. You asked: American flyer was better. You went to a fea market, and brought home fleas.
Both Bachmann & Tyco made equipment for the 'Kid' market - cheaply made. NEW Bachmann (Spectrum) is better, - so they rate poor to OK. My guess is any Garage sale is old & unwanted junk!
To date, Kato & Atlas are the premium lines with LL Proto 2000 & Athearn close behind. Buy just one of these, and you'll see the difference.
Welcome to the MR side of things. Just remember if you buy cheap stuff that doesn't run well you might get disappointed so be prepared to spend a little more, but it will definitely be worth it.
wisandsouthernkid wrote: what do you consider old?
what do you consider old?
Probably 1980's or older. The old style used to have what we call a pancake motor or power truck. Only one of the trucks was powered. The other was just for power pickup and the wheels rolled free on it. If it has a one motor in the middle above the fuel tank with a drive shaft coming out each side, it's the newer, better drive.
sorry i am an idiot when it comes to MR what is dcc?
and decoders?
Ahhhh Grasshopper. You have much to learn...
I'm seriously tired from football, so here's my 2 cents and a welcome to the hobby:
Bachmann is mostly crap, except for their spectrum line
Atlas is the best manufacturer
Atlas, BLI, Kato, Athearn, PCM (?) are all good/I've heard good things about them
trackplanning is Tough, but fun.
If you ain't have fun/don't like what you're doing, quit that and start doing what you want. After all, it's mainly YOUR layout, so if you like it, keep it.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
wisandsouthernkid wrote:sorry i am an idiot when it comes to MR what is dcc? and decoders?
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
Old is probably pre-DCC days.
If you want to run the ones you now have, you should test them really good. They need to be really smooth with no jerkey running, start and stop smoothly, and draw 1 amp or less when stalled on the track. Then if you are satisfied with their looks, go for it.
If you are considering getting a DCC system to run your trains with, you would be better with new locomotives that have decoders in them, unless you are electrically inclined and can do small wiring. Then you may be able to install some decoders yourself.
Elmer.
The above is my opinion, from an active and experienced Model Railroader in N scale and HO since 1961.
(Modeling Freelance, Eastern US, HO scale, in 1962, with NCE DCC for locomotive control and a stand alone LocoNet for block detection and signals.) http://waynes-trains.com/ at home, and N scale at the Club.
ok thanks much
POST WAR MAN
ok if anyone knows me they have seen me in the TRAINS portion of the forum and now i am getting into the models now i am look ing to get started but i dont know if the stuff i have is any good?
can someone help me find what to look for and what brands to get?
Well. first of all i have a few train sets at home in HO scale and i have a few BACHMANN(i dont know if those are good or not quality wise) and a TYCO engine also that i picked up from a flea market(also dont know about quality) .
i also want some ideas of tings to get for the trains themselves?
please give me help?