NEED INPUT ON ATHEARN ENGINES

[JeremyB]

Im a huge fan of Atheran engines,they mind sound a little noisy but the price on them is great,is anybody in agreement with me?I can't understand why people spend 200 dollars on one engine just because theres a little more detail,and the pulling power is a little more great,sure it would be great to have a whole fleet of these slick engines but for me and other modelers it's just not in our budgets.that's why I love the Atheran.besides a real train is loud and not purring like a kitten on these Kato,and Atlas units.Does anybody else like the sound of the Atherans?
Jeremy

[Anonymous]

I`m with you on that one Jeremy! I sometimes buy other locomotives but I think Atheran is the best bang for the buck. Plus there is lots of kits to superdetail Atheran locos if that`s your thing.

Happy Modeling,
Nathan

[Anonymous]

I also agree. There is many realy nice high dollar trains. Thats fine if you have alot of cash. I dont have much cash period! If it was not for the "blue box" Athearn train cars and locos, there is no way I could even try this hobby. I also buy alot of used equiptment. Guess what...it usualy Athearn! They make a great reliable product that does not take a rocket scientist to afford, or work on! I have not yet paid more then $30 fo any HO loco. Hopefully I wont have to either.

Viva the blue box!!!!!!!!!!
Icemanmike-Milwaukee
Blue box shopper

[Anonymous]

I agree as well. My favorite engine is an old Athern
SW7. I just got back into the hobby about a year ago and this engine had been in storage for about ten years. When I finally got to run it,it ran as good as it did when it was new. Also all my rolling stock is Athern. I agree,they do make a fine product and one does not have to go broke to buy their product.
Bob

[Anonymous]

Good for you folks..yes Athearn is a good ol' reliable make. Those stuffed shirts, with the deep pockets, that form the majority of posters on the Atlas forum need to see these comments.
regards / Mike

[BentnoseWillie]

*Ahem*
To quote a member of my provincial legislature:

"Mister Speaker, not only was that remark unparliamentary, it wasn't nice!"

I like the value Athearn offers, and still buy them when they have the model I want (such as a GP50), but I add more detail than ever, and I'm starting to remotor as well. I guess my lone Atlas/Kato has me spoiled. :^)

Am I a "stuffed shirt" for wishing I had the bux to have more sweet-running premium locos? I hope not.

Then again, one thing I like most about Athearns is that you run them stock for years, and tinker with them as time & money allow. God bless NorthWest Short Line and Proto Power West!

BentnoseWillie out -

[AlcoRS11Nut]

I like Athearn locomotives, on my layout all the EMD locomotives are made by Athearn. I only have 3 problems with Athearn locomotives, the first is that they have a open-frame motor which needs to be cleaned every-so-often to keep the engine running good (but that is not much of a problem), the second is that they do not produce any ALCO locomotive besides a PA. But I like Atlas and Kato locomotives a little more just because you don't have to clean the motors, and that they make models of Alco locomotives (not so much Kato but Atlas does). I don't like paying $100 for one engine but if that's what it takes to get a ALCO, I'll do it. If Athearn came out with ALCO models, I'll would buy them. I don't know why they don't make ALCO models, besides a PA, does anyone out there know?

[Anonymous]

Hi guys! Im new to the hobby and I also buy Athearn locomotives. I have a nice set of F7A/BB/A locos pulling my new passenger train and I have bought Athern locos to pull the freight train Im starting. Nathan I would love to know where I can buy These superdetail kits that you mentioned because I want more detail if I can aford to. Does any body know where? I live in a small town in west Texas in the middle of nowwhere and no access to a hobby store. THANKS Charlie

[emdgp92]

Most of my roster is Athearn engines, with some Bachmann and Tyco in there as well. Some people might think of them as junk, but that's their opinion. I just can't justify paying $100 for an engine, when I can get an Athearn for less than half that. Plus, Athearn engines seem to be nearly indestructible. One of my NYC F7s derailed and landed on the floor. The only damage was some scratched paint, a few bent grab irons, and the weight was knocked out of place. Other than that, the F was fine. Think of all the detail that I would have had to redo had it been a Kato!

[Anonymous]

Alot of shows I go to you will see ALL manufactres of model trains. Why? because there is a lil' something that they like about each one. That is the thing that I love about this hobbie. There (usualy) is no right or wrong way to do this hobbie, just your way!

[DTomajko]

I also prefer Athearn engines,remotoring & detailing to suit the prototype.I also am glad for the RPP shells for Athearn chassis and hope Athearn doesn't discontinue any.I also confess to buying Proto 1000 & 2000,Kato,and Atlas if the locomotive is necessary for my prototype,though they do require a little planning to ensure available funds and also need a little reworking & detailing. DT Pa.[:)]Stay safe and enjoy yourself.

[BRAKIE]

Well,I have 21 Athearn locomotives that is nearly 1 in 3....I also have P2K and Atlas locomotives and 3 Walthers GP15s..The problem with some modelers is the I WANT IT NOW AND IT BETTER BE PERFECT!! Sadly these cats trash Athearn,Genesis,Atlas,Walthers and all other brands simply because the model doesn't fit their modeling style straight from the box..How sad..Then there is the other group called the elitists and the elitists wanna bes....The real question is do they model what they preach or just playing the roll? [8][}:)] We will never know.[;)][:D]

Yes,Athearn locos will last for years and like a timex watch they will take a beating and keep right on ticking.[:D]

[Anonymous]

I buying a Cotton Belt GP60 from athearn. Why pay $100 when youcan only pay $40.
I think athern has the best money can buy.:):):)

[thirdrail1]

Well, Athearn certainly didn't cover themselves in glory in their first venture into N scale. First, they picked a prototype, the F59PHI, that's used only on the West Coast, and there, only in commuter service. Then, they repeated the "Hustler" experience of HO lo these many years ago, with yet another model capable of breaking the sound barrier at full throttle. MRN couldn't ascertain full speed at 12 volts - the model left the rails at 10 volts!

To make matters worse, they want as much money for this doubtful offering as Atlas or Kato! I've got a feeling you HO folks are going to see fewer and fewer "Blue boxes" and more expensive "Genesis" stuff, just like N scale, where everyone seems to be pulling kits off the market. [V][V][V][V][V]

[Anonymous]

I have eleven Atheran locos, 9 of them blue box. I do like them, but they fall FAR short of the detail and motor/drive quality of my Atlas locos (of which I have 8, 4 Classic and 4 Masters). I, for one, feel the cost of the Atlas locos is worth every cent.

Why?

I could (and do) superdetail the Athearns, but at the cost of the detail parts to get it to Atlas standards, and including proper lighting (as opposed to the Athearn "fire in the cab") and a DCC plug and decoder, I would come close to (or exceed!) the price of my Atlas Masters!

Even disregarding the labor!

And the Atlas Master loco would STILL look and run much better!

Try putting an Athearn SD40-2 (even the improved one) next to an Atlas Master GP40 and compare detail. Then RUN them and compare!

Sorry, folks, but you DO get what you pay for in this case!

- George

[Anonymous]

My GP50 didn't look very detailed but when I painted the handrails it looked totaly better.So remeber to do little by little. When you get it the way you want it start weathering and it will make alot of difference.

[BRAKIE]

George,My old buddy,Need I remind you of the problems some of us has had with the Atlas/Kato locos? What good is all that detail if the locos don't run right? Don't forget the details isn't always right either according to the bashers of products on the Atlas forum.
I guess what I am saying all brands have their problems..Sorry George you know that don't cut it with me..I always like to show both sides of the coin..Let the truth be known and all of that happy stuff.

[Anonymous]

Im a steamhead, my experiance with athearn steam has been anything but stellar. Sooooooo stuff shirt or not, I like my steamers to run and look good. If ever they make a decent steamer,maybe I will change my mind but for me its no go for athearn

[cbq9911a]

I've got a number of Athearn engines, plus other brands as well. Athearn's engines run well and are good value for the money.

If modelers bought engines the way the prototype bought engines, we'd all be running blue box Athearn F7's. :)

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Cool Hand

George,My old buddy,Need I remind you of the problems some of us has had with the Atlas/Kato locos? What good is all that detail if the locos don't run right? Don't forget the details isn't always right either according to the bashers of products on the Atlas forum.
I guess what I am saying all brands have their problems..Sorry George you know that don't cut it with me..I always like to show both sides of the coin..Let the truth be known and all of that happy stuff.

Well, CH, I personally have not had ANY trouble with either my Atlas nor Kato locos except for one faulty decoder. I do gripe about the paint shade on the Kato. The main problem I know of in the last year with the Atlas Masters was a gear box problem on one batch of GP38/40s. As you know, Atlas finally found the problem and are offering free gear replacements for those units.

While it is true that ANY make model loco can have problems, I have had far more problems (both electrical and mechinical) with my Athearns than with any other brand that I own (and I own Athearn BB/Gen, Atlas C/M, LL P2K/P1K, Kato, Stewart and Bachmann locomotives). And the Atlas, LL, Katos and P2Ks (and Athearn Genesis) all run MUCH better than my Athearn blue box locos.

So based on my observed FACTS, I conclude that my Atlas locos are superior, both in detail running ability.

The truth is out there !


- George

[tankertoad70]

Overall, I consider the good ol' Athearn as the best 'bang' for the buck. We have a coupla dozen Athearn Fs and Geeps on the club layout and those puppies are so well broken in that they emit hardly any of the traditional Athearn growl.

[BRAKIE]

George,That is what I been saying all along..Those cats need to learn some very basic modeling skills..I have mention that several times..To pick a engine apart regardless of brand well,IMHO its dead wrong when more often then not the problem can be fixed with after market detail parts and some good old common sense modeling skills..You should know I own Atlas locos and some cars..I don't own any Kato though.[}:)] Except the 2 I had in N scale..As far as the Atlas N Scale locos those are the top of the line N scale locos..I had 14 of them.
As far as my Atlas units in HO I still have to add the bells and correct horns found on the C&O..No big problem,easy to fix and fun to do.

Now George,you know better then to compare a Athearn to a Atlas..Its like me comparing my $10,000 Escort to a $25,000 car..I will say this,I have some Athearn GP40-2s that is highly detail and I will pit them against any Atlas or Kato unit...They run just as smooth.

Have a nice night George..[:D][:D] Been a pleasure talking to you again.[:D]

Brakie [:D]

[BRAKIE]

Yes,George,I had problems with a Kato NW2 and 4 Atlas GP38s..I did manage to fix those 38s by replacing the lightboard..Sadly I never could figure that NW2 out...

No they haven't chase me off yet but I am getting very close to leaving [:(] due to the continuous compiling over petty things...[V]

[Anonymous]

Athearn's stong piont always as there diesel locos! Those engines would last forever. In the HO world there very much like Lionel...for some reason they just dont wanna die!
In the world of model trains it seems you have the "Basic" Legends. Ho- Athearn, N-Kato, O-Lionel, S-American Flyer. Does this meen that these are the best or the only choices we have.....NO. They are the "Mainstream" Manufactures that the general public know about. How many people outside of the hobbie know about Marx, Overland, Walthers,MHT? Not many...I can still rember those days from 3 years ago!

[Anonymous]

During my first foray into model railroading, I pretty much only had Blue Box stuff, it was great stuff for a 10-12 year old. Ran well, ran forever (I had 3 F units and an SD45 in Blue box, as well as 1 P2K BL2 and an Atlas RS3, traded the RS3 for the SD45, oops)

Now, out of 4 loco's I only have one Blue Box, and it's retired (Soo Line GP35). I may add a couple of the latest release of the F units, just because they're finally available in CN Green/Yellow Livery (Can't stand the sergeant stripes), but they will need a fair bot of work to look as good as my Atlas units.

Running wise, they're decent and reliable, but don't run as well as an Atlas or Kato unit.

[BentnoseWillie]

I hope you don't mean those ghastly blue-box CN green F units. They're hopelessly wrong - CN's scheme didn't use any grey, for openers!

The GP35 is hardly a fair representation of the blue-box line, being a mold from the late 60's/early 70's and therefore one of the widebodies. The GP38-2/40-2/50/60 and SD40-2 are better samples of blue box, being post-1980 tooling.

[Anonymous]

I'll live with the inaccurate scheme, it's better than the stripes. Anything is better than the Sergeant stripes.

As to the GP35, well, the body is crap (Soo didn't even own Dynamic Brake equipped GP35's), but the drive is decent. One does wonder why they haven't updated the molds though(Ditto the SD7/9 and GP7/9's from Athearn).

[BentnoseWillie]

Athearn have stated several times that they aren't going to update the widebodies. No big shock - it wouldn't offer good benefit for the cost.

As for F's - the Proto 1000 F3 was available in green and gold, why not get a couple of those? Not a lot more than BB Athearn, decent runners, and fabulous paint. Heck, get a C Liner too! [:)]

[Anonymous]

I'll grab a C-Liner if I can ever find an A, never run across the Proto1K F3's. Will keep an eye out for them. They'll likely be a bit more than the Athearns, since the Blue-Box F7's are going for $90CDN for an AB set, although I think the B is a dummy.

[BentnoseWillie]

QUOTE: I'll grab a C-Liner if I can ever find an A, never run across the Proto1K F3's. Will keep an eye out for them. They'll likely be a bit more than the Athearns, since the Blue-Box F7's are going for $90CDN for an AB set, although I think the B is a dummy.

The F3's are nice - the last ones I saw were going for $CAD 90 a unit (powered A), so they're a smidge pricier than Blue-Box Athearn, but less than a Genesis or Stewart F, and the CN green & gold paint alone is worth the extra bit if you can swing it.