Train Line locomotives are like tanks. I have had several that have taken many unfortunate trips to the abiss below and they still run as good as they they came out of the box. Most of the shells are older tooling so their detail isn't as fine as contemporary models. But I have no problems reccomending them for a first locomotive or just a locomotive period.
James
Russell
Modeling the Reading Railroad in the 1950's
Visit my web site at www.readingeastpenn.com for construction updates, DCC Info, and more.
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
I have a Trainline GP9M. The body is old tooling from Cox, and has the Athearn wide body. The mechanism is very nice, with a quiet motor, silent gears, perfectly rounded and centered wheels, a flywheel, all wheel drive and electrical pickup, and a heavy metal frame. The running quality is easily as good as Life-Like's Proto diesels.
Here's my review on the GP9M: http://www.trains.com/trccs/forums/545621/ShowPost.aspx
It was my first review, so there are no pictures. I did put some pictures in this week's Midweek Madness, so you get an idea of how it all looks.
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I bought two of the Trainline U.S. Army GP9M diesels that Walthers had on sale. The shell doesn't have as much detail as a Bachmann or P1K, but the mechanisms run very smoothly. It's not DCC ready, but decoder installation was not difficult. Only one truck is powered, but both have electrical pickups.
I actually have a fair number of Trainlines, and I think that they are arguably the best "starter" locomotive you can get. Aside from their running qualities (generally very nice for their price) and value, they are extremely easy to take apart for repairs, lubing and such. My younger son learned HO loco maintenance with a Trainline GP-9.
On the downside, quality control is a significant issue on their earlier models (the Dash 8-40Bs in particular, many of which had a notorious wobble). More recent models, however, are really quite good.
Juan
I have the FA/FB set. They have been good runners so far. Right now I'm running DC still, and they have a tendency to uncouple when run as a pair, but that's probably my trackwork as much as the locos (I'm guessing). When the FA is run alone it has the tendency to stall on dead frogs at lower speeds.
The FA has fallen 4 feet to the carpet-covered concrete floor twice without any issues (except knocking off a letter board that was easy to glue back on).
The colors for the NH warm-orange and hunter green scheme is off.
The shell is extremely difficult to remove. I plan to put sound into them eventually, and I almost left the shell off and running other locos because they are so hard to open. It was also tough to get the headlight in correctly to put the shell back on for the FA.
Minor complaints for an inexpensive locomotive, though. This is the primary one I run with my 3-year-old daughter because you never know what might happen...
It's easy to replace if I need to, and I'm planning on using it to improve my modeling skills (applying.modifying details and repainting it and applying new decals).
Randy
rrinker wrote: Apparantly the GP9M is the oddball of the Trainline lococ, as my FA's have both trucks driven as well as all-wheel pickup. And I'm pretty sure the others do as well.
My GP9M has all wheel drive, and I've never heard of them having 4 wheel drive until now. Maybe it was something found only on the very early ones?
Cox made this same GP9M in the 1970s with a 4 wheel drive mechanism, so maybe cacole has one of those and mistook it for a Walthers?
I have a GP9m. The detail is chunky, and the shell is a little too wide. But it is a strong puller with a smooth drive.
Nick
Take a Ride on the Reading with the: Reading Company Technical & Historical Society http://www.readingrailroad.org/
I too have the GP9. I think it is an ok starter loco. I would say maybe comparable to a blue box Athearn. I think the electrical pick up is a little cheap as it only has wipers, but it works. I added a decoder with little effort. I think it is ok. Don't pay too much for one.
By no means is it as good as a P2K or Atlas loco.