Are the drive trains different between the different tiers of HO scale locomotives i.e. Athearn vs. Genesis and Walther's Mainline vs. Proto, or is the only difference the level of detail on the locomotive shell.
Lots of differences and each needs to be evaluated on their own merits.
Yes, the drivetrains are different.
There are plusses and minuses to be considered.
Walthers Mainline should have the same drive and motor as Walthers Proto, but I do not know if that holds true in all cases. You want the helical gears that are standard in the Walthers Proto drive because it is exceptionally quiet and generally pretty durable. If the Mainline engine has the helical gears, then it should be a pretty good purchase.
Older Walthers Proto steam power is kind of a wild card. Some of them had lightweight rods that are very easily bent or buckled, and I had a brand new Walthers USRA Heavy 2-10-2 that failed right away (they did actually replace it). I quickly sold the replacement while still brand new in box...the issue with rods bending will cause the mechanism to jam and not run properly (even after the excellent local repair tech tried to straighten the one bent rod my engine still would not work correctly). A simple screw backing out can bend a main road and destroy how well that engine will run in the future. If you buy any new steam power make sure that all the hex head screws are tight on the mechanism before you run it.
Proto 2000 had the exact same drive train as the Proto 1000 but better detail. I don't know if the Walthers Mainline locomotives have the same drive.
What I do know is that the newer Walthers Mainline locomotives are very good and smooth runners. My only complaint about them is the amount of effort it takes to remove the shell from the chassis. It's pretty tight - especially with the switchers like the SW1 and NW2.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
RedfishAre the drive trains different between the different tiers of HO scale locomotives
I wouldn't even hazard a guess, but if I weren't satisfied, I'd simply alter (or replace) whatever wasn't working properly. In most cases, it's fairly easy to rework or replace defective motors and/or gears and gear boxes.
I generally don't buy expensive locomotives because high prices are not necessarily indicative of good quality, but if I really wanted an item, I'd buy it and, if necessary, simply make it better.
Wayne
Thank you all for the responses. I've been out of the hobby for 30 years and I'm trying to determine if the cost of the higher end locos means better operating characteristics against buying for example, a Walthers Mainline GP9, adding some detail parts to create something that looks better but runs as well as a Proto version.
The Walthers Proto and Mainline GPs have the same chassis / motor, but with the Proto the handrails and everything are added at the factory. That's also true for a number of other Walthers engines. On the Mainline ones, you have to buy the separate detail kit and drill out the small holes for everything. There are 'dimples' showing where to drill so it's not too bad.
BTW both GPs are updates of the old Life-Like Proto engines. I have a couple of old, nicely detailed (but poor running) LL Proto GPs. I bought a recent Walthers Mainline engine at a good price, removed the shell, and replaced it with one of the Rock Island body shells. Except for making a slight adjustment for the headlight bulb placements, they just drop right on.
RedfishI've been out of the hobby for 30 years and I'm trying to determine if the cost of the higher end locos means better operating characteristics against buying for example, a Walthers Mainline GP9, adding some detail parts to create something that looks better but runs as well as a Proto version.
I got back in after a similar hiatus, and DCC has really changed the operating characteristics of the locomotives -- nowadays, everything runs pretty well.
Unfortunately, detail parts are a LOT harder to find. Generally the higher-end locos (i.e. Genesis) will be detailed to a specific prototype. I have a couple of Conrail Geeps, and there's no question which is ex-PRR and which is ex-NH. (The ex-NH even has a Hancock air whistle programmed into the sound card.) It goes so far as extended battery boxes for my NH-painted Geeps. Oh, and for CR, walkways are the correct color (blue or black) corresponding to whether the loco was delivered new in CR paint or repainted by the RR. Remarkable stuff.
Athearn RTR is what we'd consider a nicely-detailed unit Back In The Day -- grab irons, thin handrails, correct bell/horns/plow/handbrake, but perhaps no differences in the shell itself where appropriate.
I belive Roundhouse models are closest to BB, with spotted holes for grab irons. But even on those they've closed up the pilots. And they still run pretty darn well!
So, anyway, yes, largely down to detail -- and drives seem to differ slightly depending on the model. The drives themselves don't seem to have changed much in the last 10-15 years.
Aaron