Query about IHC steam locos

[Anonymous]

If this has been asked before, then I apologize in advance. What has been your experience with IHC's steam locomotives, especially the 4-6-2's and the
4-6-4's? Are they decent mechanically, or are they junk? Or, are they somewhere in between? How about DCC conversion? Is that a problem with these locos? Any information that you can give me would be appreciated.[bow]

[Anonymous]

I own 3 IHC locos, I have a 4-6-2 and two 2-8-2s. In my opinion they are very good but not on the Rivarossi or Spectrum level. They are also rather "dull" in my opinion, but with some detail parts they will look fine. Ive got a question about the new mountains and hudsons produced by IHC, why is there no head light? Is it included just not attached but I havent seen a picture of one with the headlight, it just seems to be a boiler cover with a hole in it. Last time I was at my hobby store I didnt seen any of them.

[grayfox1119]

If IHC doesn't get "on the stick" pretty soon with better design, and more models of higher quality, then they will either go under or be perhaps the next Walthers acquisition. If you want to play ball with the big boys, ie Bachmann, BLI, and Life-Like( Walthers), you had better get your steam pressure higher.

[CP5415]

I have a 4-6-2 Pacific.

I think they're the Athearn BlueBox of steam as they are rugged & a decent runner but not detailed.
I only own one, but I like it enough to want to buy a couple more.

Gordon

[Eriediamond]

I just checked out Walthers web site and looked at an IHC mountain. The picture showed the engine with no head light, like TP Buff stated, however the nomenclature stated that it comes with the correct air pumps and head light. From the picture I would assume that someone just took it out of the box for the photo shoot and didn't bother assembleing the classification and head light and what ever else needs to be assembled. Just an assumption and ya know how that goes. Ken

[Anonymous]

Thanks, was wondering what IHC was doing with their headlights. Problem with IHC is not enough detaill and they are not very accurate on major things such as some of the roadnames they sell use oil tenders but IHC ships with coal tenders.. However they are the athearn BB of steam, just not available in as many models.

[Virginian]

IHCs have headlights. Mine have tender lights too.
In my opinion they have a very good tough mechanism, run well, but lack detail. The Athearn BB anaolgy is a pretty good one. They may have found a niche, because they are cheaper than the other steam producers. I don't see why you couldn't convert one to DCC without too much difficulty, but they are not DCC ready with a socket, etc.
If I wanted to get a steam locomotive for a youngster an IHC would be my first choice. If I wanted a prototype that wasn't available RTR, I would definitely feel better about jumping on one of these with an Xacto knife than a P2K.

[Anonymous]

Reliable as the Saturn.

[cheese3]

I have a 4-6-2, and it is a great runner! It can pull alot and has a fair amount of details.

[cacole]

IHC steam engines are generic in nature instead of having all of the individual detail parts that other manufacturers put on according to the road name. If you buy an IHC mountain decorated for one road, those for other roads are going to look exactly the same.

I have several IHC steamers, including their heavy mountain, and they all have headlights. Installing DCC decoders into them has been relatively simple since their motors are already isolated from the frame, and they all have smooth running mechanisms.

They are not "DCC ready" in that they do not have an 8-pin NMRA socket for a decoder.

One minor drawback with a couple of the ones I own concerns the headlight wiring. On some steamers, the headlight wires are connected to the front drivers separate from the rest of the electrical pickups, so if you want to have a decoder-controlled headlight, you must either change the bulb or the wiring. I just left the bulbs wired like they were, so the headlights are always on.

[Anonymous]

I own a IHC 4-6-4 Hudson, I give it[tup][tup]. It pulls a lot and it runs smoothly, I see a lot of detail on mine, it has seperate detial parts and lots of them are metal. The head lights are pretty good, the rear head light only comes on in reverse. I run DC so it was good to go. I did put a working pilot coupler on mine.

[nfmisso]

Operationally they are good. Detail wise they are lacking, and the 4-6-4 is not a model of any real locomotive. The 4-6-2 and 2-8-2 are USRA Lights, sort of, and the 4-8-2 is a USRA Heavy.

[Anonymous]

You mean it is a phony, [Charlie Brown voice]Rats![/Charlie Brown voice]

[Darth Santa Fe]

I've never tried a 4-6-2 or 4-6-4 but I do have a 2-6-0 and 2-8-2. Both are they smoothest steamers I own.(the 2-8-2 is the quietest engine I've ever run) The 2-8-2 could use some detailing, but the 2-6-0 has a lot of seperate details.[:D][:)][:D]

[grayfox1119]

If IHC doesn't get "on the stick" pretty soon with better design, and more models of higher quality, then they will either go under or be perhaps the next Walthers acquisition. If you want to play ball with the big boys, ie Bachmann, BLI, and Life-Like( Walthers), you had better get your steam pressure higher.

[Pennsy58]

I have several IHC steamers and have been satisfied with them all. The run very well and are better than expected at low end speeds. They have all been converted to DCC and it was not hard to do. Like just about any steam engine, the trick is in figuring out how to get it apart. I put the decoders in the tender where there is plenty of room.
If anything is lacking on them it would admittedly be the level of detailing. No big deal for me though.

[loathar]

I'm glad to hear good posts here. I'm trying to get on the list for Canadian Pacific Hudson.They said there was about a one year back log on them.(somebody must be buying them)

[Anonymous]

I have three IHC steam locomotives. One is a UP 4-6-2 Pacific (road number is 3524). While not too far from the prototype, the road number is wrong. In fact, this is the same number as the SP Pacific I saw in the hobby shop (and probably a bunch of their other Pacifics in other road names). The other two IHC steamers I have are also both UP, one a 4-6-4 Hudson, the other an 0-8-0 switcher. UP never had either of these. At the time I purchased them, I did not realize this.

They are decent models, but are far from outstanding. As has already been stated, they are generic models that are lacking a great level of detail. Unless you are intimately familiar with steam locomotives, however, the level of detail is not glaringly obvious. When they are nicely weathered, even without extra detail, they make a convincing model to most observers.

Converting them to DCC can be a little tricky when it comes to wiring, since they need to be hard wired. In my case I was adding sound, so fitting the decoder was a little tricky. Not too bad if you've had some wiring and DCC experience.

[Anonymous]

they run great, but dont look at them up close[:P]. DCC is very straightforward as there are already wires on the track pickups and motor and there is nothing to isolate. You can put a decoder in one in probably 20-30 minutes.

[twhite]

I have the IHC USRA Heavy 4-8-2, patterned after a Chesapeake and Ohio Mountain (but lettered for the Great Northern), and it's a smooth runner, trouble free and a good hauler. Not a lot of detail, but then, that's why Cal-Scale and PSC are in business, LOL! It's a nice, trouble-free loco, and someday when I get industrious, I'll change the detailing over to approximate what a GN Mountain really looked like. But for now, it's a nice runner.
Tom [:D][:D]

[Anonymous]

If you want a semi smooth running, horribly detailed, prototypically flawed and semi overpriced steam engine, buy an IHC. The only justification I can think of as buying an IHC is starting with a generic steamer template and going from there to detail for your homeroad, but get ready to deal with a drive that gets choppier as it ages, I have two dead IHC steamers, An 0-8-0 and a hudson, both ran semi well until they both seised on the spot, and are now sitting in their boxes waiting for me to do something with them. I've also learned that DCC is easy to install but quick to blow out decoders.

Their the Blue Boxes of steam, if you wanna do the work and like the challenge of fixing up a sub-par model more power to ya. But If your looking for a good steamer to buy, just shoot for a Spectrum.

And stay the hell away from the deisels they make, if someone gives you one as a gift, smash it with the largest sledge hammer you can find, then burn the remains, then pour a concrete block around its remains, then drive 100 miles out of state till you find a body of water, then throw said block into body of water, but not before urinating onto the concrete block.


Im sorry if you fellas like IHC but i've been scoured by there engines and will speak against them any chance I get.

[Anonymous]

Thank you all for the input! I was concerned about the mechanism. As for specific details, I can do some additional work with Cal-Scale parts, etc. I take it that DCC conversion is a "solder job." Well, that is no problem either. Some of you compared them unfavorably to Spectrum, BLI, etc, and the comparisons are probably valid, except for one thing: Compare the prices on BLI, Spectrum, LL Proto 2000 and Heritage Steam, ect.

As long as the mechanisms are OK, that is all I was worried about.

Thanks again![:D][C):-)]