Who makes the best HO Steam Engine?

[selector]

Mondo Train Hype?

[Anonymous]

I think TRIX are the best. I have 4 of their loco's and can't fault them. I got the new BLI J Class and it looks good and sounds good but the sound isn't very well syncronized with the wheels. The sound is still going after the train has stopped for about a second or so. This isn't the story with my TRIX Big Boy. It is spot on. Roco are pretty good too as are the new Hornby stuff.

[Anonymous]

Is there an article somewhere on how to add electrical pickup in tender for a P2K 0-8-0. Thanks

[Anonymous]

I miss Mantua. IMO, dollar for dollar, they were the best value and the first choice for museums and other layouts where the trains run all day everyday.

I like Broadway Ltd.

[grayfox1119]

This is very interesting reading thread. Just getting back into MRR'g from 1948 Lionel set, you can imagine by thoughts as I read 4 pages of "why I like this company or that". Maybe we should ask Consumer Reports to do a test of several wheel configurations from all the major vendors. We would get an unbiased opinion at least.
Maybe a better question might be, how are loco constructed, how many poles in the motor? The gearing, etc. that might answer the questions as to how one Mfgr might have a very quiet running loco, or another which is noisy and can't pull it's weight.

[doctorwayne]

Lots of good ones out there. I have a John English Pacific that I bought used in the '50's....it still runs and pulls well, brass wheels and open-frame motor notwithstanding. I have a Bowser Pacific and a Tyco/Mantua Mikado, both re-motored and re-geared that also perform well. In the past, I've had several MDC/Roundhouse locos that ran well and were a lot of fun to build. I bought a pair of Athearn Mikes and while they ran well, their pulling power was dis-appointing even after adding a couple of ounces of ballasting to each. I finally solved the problem by removing the spring on the trailing truck. The Proto 2000 0-8-0 ran smoothly and looked good but it could barely pull its own shadow. I was going to get rid of it, but I managed to add enough weight to it to obtain satisfactory tractive effort from it and decided to completely rebuild it cosmetically, including all new piping and a lengthened frame to match a CNR prototype. I bought a Spectrum USRA light 4-8-2 and while it pulled fairly well, it was noisy and ran poorly. After spending a lot of time tinkering with the valve gear and siderods and making improvements to eliminate contact between the motor and the superstructure, (all efforts resulting in minor improvements) I discovered that a couple of drivers were out-of-quarter. The engine was so improved that it too got a complete cosmetic rebuild, including raising all of the running boards to accomodate new lead-filled air tanks and a completely rebuilt front end ...frame,pilot, shielded air pumps, headlight,bell, and Worthington feedwater heater. The finished loco looks similar to a NYC L-3 Mohawk. I also have several individual locomotives that I bought because they appealed to me aesthetically and fit my motive power requirements for light, older power. Most ran poorly but I found it very enjoyable to correct their maladies and make them a useful part of my roster. However, my vote goes to the Spectrum 2-8-0 . It ran well right out of the box and pulled even better with a few slight modifications. Electrically, it seems impossible to stall them and they will doublehead smoothly with almost anything that I own. I have five of them now and I run them more than any others that I own.
The larger locomotives available today impress me to varying degrees but are not suitable for my secondary mainline/branchline layout set in the mid '30's, so I won't comment on them. All in all, I think that we're very fortunate to have such a wide selection of good quality, prototypical, and affordable steam power.




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[Anonymous]

My vote was dependent on two factors. (1) Price. (2) What I have actually seen and operated. On that basis I voted for LifeLike Heritage Series, specifically the Berkshire (2-8-4). To me this is the best looking/running HO steam locomotive I have had the opportunity to own. My Rivarossi Berk is nice and will actually pull a greater load (this is the newer Riv. model with the motor in the boiler/firebox) but it falls a little short in the details and overall accuracy.

Maybe this poll should be re-run to include price ranges. For locos under $100 I would vote for IHC.

So far I have never built a Bowser steam loco kit but someday hope to do so.

Bob DeWoody

[grayfox1119]

I am still trying to find a loco with Alesko water heater. All the locos I see made by the top companies, do not illustrate any. Who makes them?

[Anonymous]

Whichever one I own at the moment, cause it's mine.

[devils]

I went for broadway for the whole package with sound, Lifelike would edge into first place on fine detail but I haven't tried one of the new ones with sound. Bachmann take some beating for value for money. As more of these DCC/Dc decoders with sound are made available I'll be upgrading the rest of my steam models. Being able to run on either control system with out changing anything really helps especially with club layouts which are popular over this side of the pond.

[orsonroy]

QUOTE: Originally posted by grayfox1119

I am still trying to find a loco with Alesko water heater. All the locos I see made by the top companies, do not illustrate any. Who makes them?

The BLI NYC Hudsons come with Elesco feedwater heaters. Other than that, you'll have to add your own with aftermarket parts. Bowser makes several Elesco sets, in their Bowser, Cary and Cal-Scale parts divisions, and Precision Scale makes a few very nice sets, including one that has all the parts and piping you need. Use prototype photos and Kalmbach's "Steam Loco Cyclopedia" for reference.

[grayfox1119]

Ray, thank you very much for your assistance, very good useful in fo for me !!!!