What locomotive brand do you like the best. As for HO scale I've owned Life Like, Bachmann, AHM, TYCO and Athearn. Athearn tops the list for me in HO. I know there are better locos out there but I've never tried on.
In N scale KATO is by far the best. I've had good running Atlas & ConCor, and some not so good running cheaper brands but I can honestly say that KATO is the smoothest I've ever used.
My experiance has always been with DC locomotives, so maybe some of the newer stuff is different.
Michael
Never attempt anything you don't want to explain to the EMT
Blackstone HOn3 for me. I know there're tons of older narrow gauge brass locomotives out there, but I don't want to mess with it. And what Blackstone's doing is so far above the Tyco/LifeLike/Model Power I had in my youth 30 years ago that it seems like I'm in a different hobby.
I would say Athearn is my top choice. Granted the only other brand I have is Life-Like. One thing about Athearn is that they have the scale knuckle couplers, so if you do use different brands, you might want to change the couplers. The cool thing about the Athearn couplers is that they are a rust color, so they look weathered.
Kato and Atlas in HO scale.
Jim
Hi.
The following are my choices for HO DCC:
Walthers Proto 2000
BLI Paragon2
MTH Proto Sound 3
All the best.
Reinhard
Joe F
Atlas,Life Like P2K and Athearn BB and RTR.
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
I like SHS. My American Models GG1 runs very well also.
Enjoy
Paul
I would actually vote on Atlas HO and Proto 2000. Atlas because of their smooth paint, great details, and good quality control. Proto 2000 because of their unique locomotives and GREAT details. 2nd would be Athearn Genesis but their paint isn't as "smooth" and "flowing." Also, their quality control isn't as good.
-Khang Lu, University of Minnesota Railroad Club
Rapido FP9a. Turn off the sound and it runs so quiet you can't even hear it. Very accureately detailed. My nicest engine.
From best to least (downward) DC only
Athearn BB
Bowser
Athearn RTR
Proto/Bachmann-tied
Atlas (Roco)
Kato
Mark H
Modeling in HO...Reading and Conrail together in an alternate history.
Best is hard. Best what? Best detail, best pulling, best (low maintenance), best for the $, best paint, best slow speed, best high speed, ..... Each list is different.
In HO scale Atlas always seems to come out on top in several of those lists. In N-scale it seems to be Kato.
Best detail (excluding brass): Trix, Atlas Master, Genesis (F units), Proto-2000 (newer walthers ones), InterMontain, Kato, BLI, Genesis other units,...
Best value: Bachman Spectrum, Proto-1000, IHC/Mehano Steamers, old Athearn BB, ...
Best pullers: Stewart/Kato, Stewart/Buehler, Bowser Steam, Hobby Town, ...
Best switchers: Atlas Yellow box Kato drive, Atlas Classic china drive, Atlas Master,
Best imitation of a coffee grinder - Hobby Town,
Best candidate for the trash can - Life Like, Model Power, old AHM, regular brand Bachmann, ...
Best sound - totally depends on the listener's ears.....
Texas Zepher Best is hard. Best what? Best detail, best pulling, best (low maintenance), best for the $, best paint, best slow speed, best high speed, ..... Each list is different. In HO scale Atlas always seems to come out on top in several of those lists. In N-scale it seems to be Kato. Best detail (excluding brass): Trix, Atlas Master, Genesis (F units), Proto-2000 (newer walthers ones), InterMontain, Kato, BLI, Genesis other units,... Best value: Bachman Spectrum, Proto-1000, IHC/Mehano Steamers, old Athearn BB, ... Best pullers: Stewart/Kato, Stewart/Buehler, Bowser Steam, Hobby Town, ... Best switchers: Atlas Yellow box Kato drive, Atlas Classic china drive, Atlas Master, Best imitation of a coffee grinder - Hobby Town, Best candidate for the trash can - Life Like, Model Power, old AHM, regular brand Bachmann, ... Best sound - totally depends on the listener's ears.....
I guess I could've been a little more specific. I was thinking best running but you seem to have covered every aspect.
Michael6792I guess I could've been a little more specific. I was thinking best running but you seem to have covered every aspect.
Trix, Atlas/Kato, Kato, Stewart/Kato, Atlas Master, Genesis current run not the old ones, Intermountain, Proto-2000, ...
Normally I'd say Kato but I now own two amazing none atlas or Kato made N scale models.
My favorite unit SP&S E7A #750 by Broadway limited for Lowell smith signature series models, and this new Intermountain F3A NP #5606 that I bought is killer detailed and smooth as silk when she runs, and quieter than a ninja.
SP&S modeler, 1960's give or take a decade or two for some equipment.
http://www.youtube.com/user/SGTDUPREY?feature=guide
Gary DuPrey
N scale model railroader
Texas ZepherBest candidate for the trash can - Life Like,
If you'r going to be tossing any LL P2K let me know and I send you my address..
Walthers just jack the price on the older P2K DC models..
We should add Atlas Trainman to the list since they share the same drives as Atlas Master and Classic.
I can only vote for what I have bcause that is all that I know about.
First, steam engines.
BLI tops the list for detail and performance.
Proto Heritage is a close second.
Bachmann Spectrum, a very, very distant third - - - too many issues.
Now, for my diesels.
Atlas is my most reliable by far.
A close second is BLI Paragon, but I can only vouch for passenger E-units.
Intermountain would be third.
BLI Blueline is fourth, would be higher except for the dual decoders for motion and sound.
Proto 2000 is fifth, would be much higher except for that cracked axle gear problem.
Athearn Genesis is a beautifully detailed loco fraught with problems - - - too numerous to mention here.
Athearn RTR is at the bottom of my list.
Rich
Alton Junction
Like several others here I can only speak for the locos I have & there are currently 8 in my fleet, all in HO.
My favorites by far are my two Atlas/Kato GP-7's. Dependable, trouble free, smooth, quiet runners. Nice detail & I've yet to max them out on how big a consist they can pull.
Second would be my Proto 2000 Baldwin BL-2. Again, quiet, smooth & reliable.
My Bachmann Spectrum GE 44 Tonner would be a close third.
Carl
"I could never belong to any club that would have me as a member."
It depends what you define as "best".
Best operating:
Best detailing:
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Michael6792What locomotive brand do you like the best. As for HO scale I've owned Life Like, Bachmann, AHM, TYCO and Athearn. Athearn tops the list for me in HO. I know there are better locos out there but I've never tried on.
It sounds like you have only tried the cheap, lower quality HO diesels, with Athearn being the best of the lot.
Best HO diesels of the past 10 - 15 years have always included Atlas and KATO mainly, and in the past 10 or so years Athearn Genesis has been added, and Athearn has added higher quality RTR diesels since then. There are also Proto 2000, which is Lifelikes premium line intoduced in the 90's and taken over by Walthers in the last 10 years. There is Broaway Limited and MTH, but I can't speak for them - don't own any.
Be aware that Athearns RTR vary from basic but nice looking to quite detailed and good runners. I own a bunch of SD45's which come with prototypical details and run smooth as KATO's. The SD40T-2's and SD45T-2's are also very nice and lots of prototypical details.
cheers, Jim
Athearn Genesis is a beautifully detailed loco fraught with problems - - - too numerous to mention here. Athearn RTR is at the bottom of my list. Rich
When did you buy them? I know the early F7's had issues with the trucks so they didn't run well unless you removed the wheels and deepened the slots the axles are mounted in. I've heard of issues with some of the other earlier Genesis like the SD70 and SD45-2's. Later runs of most of the Genesis models, especially after 2004/2005 are generally very good. I have tested my recent GP9's and they run very smooth and are gorgeous.
So to the OP, don't take one persons experiences as gospel. Like any product, some go through some growning pains but you can't generalize that the whole line is "fraught with problems" - that simply isn't true. Early units some yes, but most of the Genesis line for the past 8-9 years have been quite good.
Athearn RTR is at the top of my list. My D&RGW and Southern Pacific SD45's have prototypical details such as the nose mounted signal light and snow plow (L - shaped windshield for SP), and runs like a KATO. My D&RGW and SP SD40T-2's are gorgeous and well detailed and run well too. They are nearly Genesis quality in detail AND have DCC plugs if you want to go DCC some day.
Everyone needs to keep in mind the RTR Athearn line has basic models which cost less, like the old blue box based F7, and the GP40-2, GP35, etc. Then they have really upgraded the SD45, SD40T-2, SD40-2 etc. I really like what Athearn has done with much or there RTR line, much of it is really nice.
Cheers, Jim
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
BEST Locomotive? I have no clue. I have never owned one of those. LION tends to buy cheap and put up with what him has. Kato is good, the Atlas/Kato were great, but then I thought the Riverossi GG1s were great, and in their day, I suppos they were. Today they are part of a static display.
Walthers/Life-LLike Proto 1000 subway cars are not the worlds best performers, but they are all I can afford in the world of subway cars. They run well enough and that is good enough.
Perfect is more expensive than any LION I know can afford.
ROAR
The Route of the Broadway Lion The Largest Subway Layout in North Dakota.
Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
Here they are in order,Kato"please make some more modern units" Athearn Genesis,Atlas,Intermountain,Athearn RTR,Proto 2000,BLI,MTH.
Russell
I'd re-ordered them as follows for HO.
Athearn GenesisKatoAtlasIntermountainAthearn RTRProto 2000BLIMTH
KATO used to be #1, but they have really dropped back in terms of production. Lots of people have complained about the quality of the paint jobs in the past and the hand rails being too thick. Mostly they only make modern wide cabs now. Now and then they offer an older diesel like the F40PH or something. Generally KATO's have always been tops for smooth running characteristicis but they have been slow to keep up with the state-of-the-art. Other companies like Atlas and Athearn Genesis have passed KATO by. KATO has made very little for pre-1990's modelers in the past 5 or so years.
Athearn Genesis has taken the lead, generally announcing about 3 new diesels a year and following many prototype specific details - they are pricey but you get what you pay for.
Atlas has always been in the top one or two spots for quality, but Atlas has struggled to recover from the recession and loss of chinese factory capacity, so IMO, they have dropped down a bit from their former glory. Hopefully they will recover in the next year or two.
Intermountain has produced a lot of diesels. I've never owned any but read a great deal of comments by those on forums who have bought them. They have produced SD40-2's and Canadian versions, as well as some wide cab modern diesels and more recently some GP's. Some have complained about the quality of the Intermountain diesels, and the steam Cab Forwards have have some major issues over the 1st and 2nd runs.
As mentioned, Athearn RTR varies from the old F7's are based on the old Athearn/Globe crude shell with a nice paint job and solid bb mechanism - not DCC ready - to highly detailed DCC models like the SD45T-2 and SD40-2. They vary in detail and features - some being very basic like the F7, GP40-2, GP35, etc. too very detailed and DCC ready like the SD45, SD40-2, SD45T-2, SD40T-2.
Proto 2000 came in the 1990's from Lifelike. They were as detailed or more detailed than most HO diesels in the 1990's and copied the Athearn blue box mechanism in the early models even to the coupler mounts (not so good). Walthers gook over around 10 or so years ago, and have ugraded older models and offered some newer ones like the F7 and F3. I own a bunch of the 90's Proto 2000 GP30's, SD7's and SD9's and an ABBA set of F7's from the Walthers era - nice looking loco's - haven't had a chance to run them much. People who have had the LL P2K versions a long time have complained the mechansims haven't held up very well. I can't can't comment on the BLI/MTH - they've never offered anything I need yet.
It seems evident how people order the brands has a great deal to do with their interests. Those who put Athearn RTR at the bottom of the list are probably not Southern Pacific or Rio Grande fans as the RTR line offers some EXCELLENT engines for SP and D&RGW fans. So keep that in mind.
I'm strictly an HO man.
In the old DC days, my vote for diesels would go to Atlas, hands down. Great runners. Never had a problem with one. Atlas seems to always be playing catch up as far as their DCC offerings. The few DCC Atlas engines I have came DCC ready. I don't have any Atlas engines with factory decoders and sound.
Most of my fleet is either Proto 2000 or BLI Paragon and I have steam and diesel from both. Walthers narrowly gets my vote as #1. BLI would probably have gotten my vote but they have quality control issues. I've had way too many problems than one should expect from a high end locomotive, both electronic and mechanical. Call me old fashioned but I think when you pay a premium price, you have a right to expect quality in return and I just don't think I get that consistently from BLI.
I have only a few Athearn DCC, but I've not been impressed with them. Not great runners. Sound is not great either.
jecorbett I'm strictly an HO man. I have only a few Athearn DCC, but I've not been impressed with them. Not great runners. Sound is not great either.
Not sure which you have owned then. My two Genesis GP9 run very smooth and the RTR SD45's that I've run, run as good as KATO's.
When people say they aren't impressed with Athearn, they need to say which ones so people don't get the impression that the whole brand is crap, because that is far from the truth. Like any brand, they've had a few duds, and the earlier days QAQC problems were still fairly prevelant. In the last 5-8 years of production, things have steadily improved, especially in the running department.
riogrande5761 jecorbett I'm strictly an HO man. I have only a few Athearn DCC, but I've not been impressed with them. Not great runners. Sound is not great either. Not sure which you have owned then. My two Genesis GP9 run very smooth and the RTR SD45's that I've run, run as good as KATO's. When people say they aren't impressed with Athearn, they need to say which ones so people don't get the impression that the whole brand is crap, because that is far from the truth. Like any brand, they've had a few duds, and the earlier days QAQC problems were still fairly prevelant. In the last 5-8 years of production, things have steadily improved, especially in the running department.
Until a couple of weeks ago, I would have enthusiastically endorsed Proto engines from Walthers. I've got quite a fleet of them, and I like them all. But, the most recent one, on "advance order" for the better part of a year and delayed 2 or three time beyond its original date, has been a disappointment. The engine looks fine and mostly runs well, but when I took it from the box several parts fell off the shell. One truck sideframe came with broken pins, so it would not stay on. The front headlight goes back and forth from full brightness to dim randomly, and I'm suspicious that one of the trucks isn't picking up power on one side. Finally, the front coupler seems too short, so that the pilot hits the coupler attached to rolling stock and causes derailments.
This is just poor quality control. I hope they get their act together, because there is too much of that going around already.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
MisterBeasley This is just poor quality control. I hope they get their act together, because there is too much of that going around already.
This is my single biggest gripe with this hobby in general. It's one thing when you buy economy line and don't get a great product. The problem is that it is all too common even with the high end stuff. When you buy top of the line, you expect quality in return. I think one reason this problem exists is that we as consumers are too willing accept this as the norm. If I buy an appliance or a power tool and it has a flaw in it right out of the box, it's going back in the box and back to the store for a refund or replacement. But for some reason in this hobby, we feel it is up to us to tweak a flawed product to make it work right. Ready-to-run all too often means ready-to-tinker-with. Not all companies are guilty. Some have outstanding quality control. But there are far too many that are charging top dollar and aren't delivering quality in return.
jecorbettSome have outstanding quality control. But there are far too many that are charging top dollar and aren't delivering quality in return.
Agreed..When older release run better then the newest releases something went South in a hurry.
My few older LL P2K GP9 and GP38-2 run as smooth as silk as does my Atlas yellow box,red box and Classic.My lone Trainman GP39-2 runs just as well as my other Atlas engines.
My Bachman S4 and GE 70 Tonner are smooth runners as well.
I have several Athearn RTR that has given me great service..One SW1500 had to have the handrails replace.I bought several Athearn RTR cars that had a stirrup laying in the car's tray, one had three out of its four stirrups laying it's tray..
Pains me to say that..I've been a long time loyal customer of Athearn.
BRAKIEof its four stirrups laying it's tray..
jecorbett Fair enough. My first Athearn DCC was a non-sound Mikado. Ran OK, not great. Not a lot of pulling power as compared to a couple other Mikes on my roster. I'd put it in the same class as Spectrum, which is also in the good, not great category. My most recent addition is a Geep. It tends to stall at slow speeds. The sound is pathetics as compared to what other manufacturers are offering. I also have a AB set of F3s. They are the best of the bunch but I have been unable to change the factory address from 0003 to the road number, even though I have a PowerPax booster that is supposed to handle the high end decoders. They are the only locos I've had from any manufacturer where that has been an issue. I'm glad you've been happy with your Athearn locos, but I can only rate them based on my experience with them and that has not been great.