Hi all,
I'm considering buying a 2-8-2 Mikado from International Hobby Company. I would appreciate any comments on the "Premier Gold Series" steam line of models that IHC have produced. Have people found them to be reliable? Good low speed control? Any comments appreciated
Cheers
James
I own 3 "premier gold" steam locomotives.My only regret is that IHC went out of buiness so I can't look forward to any future releases. IHC was known for low end toy grade stock.I bought the first one for that reason.I wanted to have a locomotive for "little hands " to touch.What I noticed was that any time I wanted to have a train running in the backgound while I had visitors,I would use the IHC because of it's quiet reliabilty and effortless operation.
This series while it certainly meets the "3 foot rule", is not up to the current standard for separately applied details and perfect scale speed and etc. etc.It IS NOT for the rivit counters . But it is quiet,smooth running out of the box and capable of pulling a local frieght around my 12X 9 layout all day long.
As a matter of fact I think I'll go fire-up my "Gold 2-6-2" right and let it run while I have another cup of coffee.
James,
The IHC locomotives are generally "generic" in detail and not representative of any particular RR but they do run well. If low speed response (vs. modeling a specific line) is what you're after, you'll more than likely be pretty happy with IHC.
Other than brass, no plastic locomotive is 100% representative of a certain or particular locomotive. However, there a brands that are better in that regard than others.
Tom
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
Hi!
May I give you a bit of advice ......................
Like purchasing tools, I would recommend that when buying locos to get the best one can afford. I'm not knocking IHC, but do suggest that you could do better with a Bachmann SPECTRUM (their very, very popular 2-8-0) steamer. Typically we hold on to our locos for years, and buying a "cheapie" (unless one has a specific reason as the previous poster) may cause you future regrets.
Trust me, I've been playing with trains since the '50s, and more than once have said, "I shoulda saved more money and got the ........"
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
I have a couple IHC steamers. They run well and look OK. They are not as elaborately detailed as some, but they are adequate and the price is right.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
I have one of the standard IHC 2-8-2s. It's a smooth and quiet runner, but the molds for the body are just about 40 years old now and don't measure up to modern offerings in terms of detail. The Premier Gold Mikado uses the same shell as the standard.
For the same or not much more, you can get a better detailed Spectrum steam engine. If all you need is a smooth runner and detail's not so much of an issue, the IHC is perfectly good.
_________________________________________________________________
I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem.
Connecticut Valley Railroad A Branch of the New York, New Haven, and Hartford
"If you think you can do a thing or think you can't do a thing, you're right." -- Henry Ford
thanks Electriccharlie,
exactly the sort of info I was hopeing for. You get what you pay for. Thanks for sharing
Cheers, James
Thanks Tom,
generic is OK and running well is my key criteria so your post was very helpful, Cheers
Hi Mobilman44,
advice most welcome. I take your point about tools, and know you get what you pay for. I am interested in a bachmann SPEC so it gives pause for thought
cheers James
thanks dstarr, if they run well and look OK this is good to know, Cheers James
Hi Darth Santa Fe,
smooth and quiet, hhmmmmm, that sounds just what I'm after. From previous posts I gather that I will not be hoodwinked into a model that is dysfunctional, loud and unreliable so I have my question answered. Thanks for taking the time..
Hi CTValleyRR,
the strongest and most helpful advice. I'm going to proceed to buy the IHS model and based on your (and other) comments trust I will be satisfied with the result, while acknowledging that its towards the lower end of the market. THANKS
CTValleyRR I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem.
I picked up a few IHC steamers from their Command XXV line when the local LHS had a major fire sale on all of their IHC stock. Only one of the IHC engines had anywhere the add on detail that you will find on the Spectrums. The IHC 2-10-2 has a surprisingly amount of add on detail.The rest of the IHC engines were sparse on detail to say the least. Perhaps my roster of Spectrum steamers must be different than yours?
They do run well and I was happy to find they were DCC ready.
don7 CTValleyRR: I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem. I picked up a few IHC steamers from their Command XXV line when the local LHS had a major fire sale on all of their IHC stock. Only one of the IHC engines had anywhere the add on detail that you will find on the Spectrums. The IHC 2-10-2 has a surprisingly amount of add on detail.The rest of the IHC engines were sparse on detail to say the least. Perhaps my roster of Spectrum steamers must be different than yours? They do run well and I was happy to find they were DCC ready.
CTValleyRR: I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem.
First of all, I hang my head in shame -- actually, it's the Consolidation that is the Spectrum model, the IHC's are the Pacific and the Mikado. However, that doesn't really change the truth of what I said originally.
I guess the answer depends on your definition of "detail". All 3 locos have separately applied bells, whistles, and grab irons, and molded on weld seams, rivets, pipes, steam / sand domes, valve gear, and boiler face detail. The Spectrum's firebox is painted silver, and the piping is molded separately in black plastic, and maybe it has a few more weld seams and rivets (although that may just be the difference in the prototypes), but from where I sit, that's nit picking (I don't count rivets). Obviously, the detail levels on the 3 I have are so close that I confused the manufacturers.
And yeah, DCC conversion was a breeze. Remove tender shell (although one of the axles interferes with one of the screws), pull out jumper, insert DCC plug. Da. Done.
CTValleyRR don7: CTValleyRR: I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem. I picked up a few IHC steamers from their Command XXV line when the local LHS had a major fire sale on all of their IHC stock. Only one of the IHC engines had anywhere the add on detail that you will find on the Spectrums. The IHC 2-10-2 has a surprisingly amount of add on detail.The rest of the IHC engines were sparse on detail to say the least. Perhaps my roster of Spectrum steamers must be different than yours? They do run well and I was happy to find they were DCC ready. First of all, I hang my head in shame -- actually, it's the Consolidation that is the Spectrum model, the IHC's are the Pacific and the Mikado. However, that doesn't really change the truth of what I said originally. I guess the answer depends on your definition of "detail". All 3 locos have separately applied bells, whistles, and grab irons, and molded on weld seams, rivets, pipes, steam / sand domes, valve gear, and boiler face detail. The Spectrum's firebox is painted silver, and the piping is molded separately in black plastic, and maybe it has a few more weld seams and rivets (although that may just be the difference in the prototypes), but from where I sit, that's nit picking (I don't count rivets). Obviously, the detail levels on the 3 I have are so close that I confused the manufacturers. And yeah, DCC conversion was a breeze. Remove tender shell (although one of the axles interferes with one of the screws), pull out jumper, insert DCC plug. Da. Done.
don7: CTValleyRR: I have both a Mikado and a Consolidation from IHC's Command XXV line. I'd match them against a Spectrum for detail and running any day of the week (I also have a Spectrum Pacific). Detail -- especially railroad-specific details -- is just good (the only difference between RR's is paint and decals, which isn't accurate). But they run very well, track well, and are very quiet. Both will haul a dozen cars without a problem. I picked up a few IHC steamers from their Command XXV line when the local LHS had a major fire sale on all of their IHC stock. Only one of the IHC engines had anywhere the add on detail that you will find on the Spectrums. The IHC 2-10-2 has a surprisingly amount of add on detail.The rest of the IHC engines were sparse on detail to say the least. Perhaps my roster of Spectrum steamers must be different than yours? They do run well and I was happy to find they were DCC ready.
Perhaps you may even find someone to agree with you...............
But then again, it may take a while......................................
don7 Perhaps you may find someone to agree with you...............
Perhaps you may find someone to agree with you...............
Why? It's my opinion, based on the sample of 3 locomotives that I'm looking at, and my appreciation (or lack thereof) for detail.
Your mileage may vary.
Then again, it may be a product line issue. The Premier Gold's seem to run in the low to mid $100 dollar range; the Command XXV had an MSRP in the upper hundreds (not that I paid that much for them).