Quality of IHC Diesels(Yet more questions.......)

[james saunders]

theres some good deals there now, NIB P2K's for $70, im not trying to convince you to buy off ebay.. but its simple and just look at the feedback [:D]

your decision tho' [:)]

[loathar]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

The reason that i am looking at IHC is that i found their prices, and being a kid, money is hard to get. Proto 2000, is VERY expensive, and i need a few good runners that i can get easily. You need to realise that here in australia those $40 Proto 2000 units just don't happen, they retail for $130 australian average.
I thought bachmann was total crap, and should be avoided?
My main concern with BB kits is how hard they are to assemble. My hands aren't the greatest at fine movements. Could anyone say how hard they are to assemble?

Thanks
Alexander

The Bachs aren't crap. Even the cheaper ones. I don't know what they cost where you live but if you're looking for a descent quality, lower priced loco that will be reliable, they are a good value.
If your going to go with the IHC you will have to do maintanance and maybe some modifacation. (weight) You get what you pay for.......

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The Bachmann's standard line locos sold during the '80's and early '90's are crap! I know! I have 3 of them and not a one of them run worth a darn. They never did, even out of the box!

I'm a firm believer in Athearn's quality. Even they're cheap trainset locos are great. I've got one. All I did to it as a modification was too put a super weight in it. It runs so quiet, people think it's a P2K product. I even had one guy who thought it was made by some high-quality European company. Definity, go for athearn. Their BB kits are great and their Genisis locos are superb, down to the last detail.

[Anonymous]

The current standard Bachmann locos are fine - they've done a lot to solve the performance problems, and as long as you get a good one (of 11 Bachmann UK and US diesel locos I've bought, all have been smooth, quiet, and reliable) you won't be disappointed. As I said, just make sure what you're getting is one of the latest ones with the 8-wheel drive and pickup, can motor, and full pilots (the easiest way to spot the new ones). I'm giving serious thought to using the mechanisms in British EMU kits now - they'd need two £30 power trucks otherwise, and with the Bachmann locos at £20 or less it makes sense if the truck wheelbases are close enough.

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

Hey, i need some sort of agreement here, should i a) buy an IHC diesel, b) Get a new bachmann or c) save up for a Athearn bb?

thankyou
alexander

The Athearn would most likely only be an extra $5, and will outlast the other two, but they're all good. If you want the best quality of the 3, then go for "c".[:D] You could also just buy the one you'd want most from any of them.[:D]

Athearn's newest BB kits have plastic railings that are easier to install than the old wire ones, which should take about 5-10 minutes off the time it takes to build it.

[Anonymous]

As far as the quality of IHC locos are concerned,.......[%-)]what quality? I owned several and they all were so made, that they made the Life-Like beginner line look like craftsman level stuff.

[Anonymous]

I going to add my vote for the Athearn BBs - they are to model RR'ing what the early Volkswagen Beetle was to automobiles: Inexpensive, reliable, and [with maintenance] they last forever![:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe


The Athearn would most likely only be an extra $5, and will outlast the other two, but they're all good.

Not here in australia, the exchange rate mucks everything up.

thanks
alexander

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe


The Athearn would most likely only be an extra $5, and will outlast the other two, but they're all good.

Not so here in australia, the exchange rate mucks everything up.

thanks
alexander

[METRO]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

Either of them would fit my prototype, whitch is from janurary 1972 to the creation of amtrak. A very tight fit, as i have 2 LL trainset gp38-2 locos, whitch are on the chopping block when i get the athearn locos. i also have one cheap bachmann f7 in santa fe passenger livery, with 2 passenger cars, whitch will be ran till it stops working.

thankyou

alexander

Oi mate, Amtrak's first day of running America's passenger trains was May 1st, 1971, also the GP38-2 was not introduced until January of 1972. You're free to freelance as much as you want though.

As for which one to go for between the F7 and the GP38-2, the F7 is probably going to be cheaper, but the detail is better on the GP38-2, and they both have simmilar performance. What line are you modeling? That might help make the advice easier.

Cheers!
~METRO

[jeffrey-wimberly]

QUOTE: I going to add my vote for the Athearn BBs - they are to model RR'ing what the early Volkswagen Beetle was to automobiles: Inexpensive, reliable, and [with maintenance] they last forever!

[#ditto] I agree completely

[Anonymous]

I also add my vote for BB. With Athearn, you've got something that's sure to run well.

Also- what are you people talking about? I've bought 2 BB and you don't have to put the shell on. You could run it right out of the box, without installing handrails, if you wanted.

[Don Gibson]

PROTO 1000 mechanically is a Chinese copy of the Athearn BB drive with superior lighting - and runs better too.
Early 4 wheeled truck Proto 2000 's used the same chassis with superior bodies.
Later 6 wheeled truck Proto 2000's used a better-yet chassis.SD-60 for example..

IHC does not manufacture anything. They import from several foreign makers, therefor their product line is uneven. I don't recall any IHC product favorably reviewed - which may say a lot. Most magazines let the manufacturer pull any product review that is not favorable. That way they keep the advertising dollars.

Bachmann has augmented their line with 'Spectrum' products - mostly steam. They seem to be improving their product's- for more money.

If it's better, it costs more. Some things don't change.

.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by METRO

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

Either of them would fit my prototype, whitch is from janurary 1972 to the creation of amtrak. A very tight fit, as i have 2 LL trainset gp38-2 locos, whitch are on the chopping block when i get the athearn locos. i also have one cheap bachmann f7 in santa fe passenger livery, with 2 passenger cars, whitch will be ran till it stops working.

thankyou

alexander

Oi mate, Amtrak's first day of running America's passenger trains was May 1st, 1971, also the GP38-2 was not introduced until January of 1972. You're free to freelance as much as you want though.

As for which one to go for between the F7 and the GP38-2, the F7 is probably going to be cheaper, but the detail is better on the GP38-2, and they both have simmilar performance. What line are you modeling? That might help make the advice easier.

Cheers!
~METRO

I must have got my years mixed up, oh well, i can add that to the list of things i am freelancing. I am doing UP, and BN, with a bit of SF, because my brother likes it.

The GP38 and F7 bb kit are pretty much the same in price, however a RTR F7 A+B is cheaper, by a few dollars. go figure.

Also, what is a RTR husky? i don't know what it is???

thanks
alexander

[Don Gibson]

dingy

99.9% of the BB diesels out there were sold as KITS. Only since Horizon took over did they come with RTR.

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Unless I'm mistaken, A husky is a switcher. Fell free to correct me if I'm wrong, anyone. I'm not real big on switchers. If it don't have at least 8 wheels, I don't run it. Does anyone remember the old Cox locomotives? I had a couple of them a long time ago. I later noticed that they were seemingly identical to Athearn locos of the time. I found out only a few years ago that Cox didn't make thier own locos. They were Athearn locos made with the Cox emblem on them and packed into Cox boxes. Anybody remember that?

[METRO]

A Husky Stack is a kind of intermodal car, Athearn made an industrial switcher called the Hustler. I think it was based on a GE 25 Ton four wheel switcher.

Cheers!
~METRO

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

IHC does not manufacture anything. They import from several foreign makers, therefor their product line is uneven. I don't recall any IHC product favorably reviewed - which may say a lot.

Actually, I believe the only products they import now are from Mehano. They did used to do Rivarossi, but switched to Mehano pretty quickly.

Some of their stuff is actually very good. I've done a couple reviews on them, and both were positive. The 2-6-0 is actually a very detailed engine, and I have yet to see a Mehano drive that doesn't run smoothly.[:D] So far, I own 7 or 8 engines made by Mehano, and they all have perfectly smooth and quiet drives.[:D]

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by METRO

A Husky Stack is a kind of intermodal car, Athearn made an industrial switcher called the Hustler. I think it was based on a GE 25 Ton four wheel switcher.

Cheers!
~METRO

Thanks fot that

DARTH: Whitch IHC models are the good ones? Any diesel, or just steam?

Thanks

Alexander

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

DARTH: Whitch IHC models are the good ones? Any diesel, or just steam?

The diesels, the best ones are the ones with one or two flywheels. (C-628, FP45 and SD35) The C-628 needed a little modification in the gearboxes at one point, because one gear in each truck wasn't held in enough, causing it to slip and make the engine jump. I don't belive the others have this problem.

The GG-1 electric is also a good one.

The steam, I'd say they're all good. All but one have the same drive. The old-time 4-4-0 has a different drive, so I'm not sure about its running quality.

My C-628 is one of the smoothest running engines I own, and I have some Kato, Proto and a few others.[:D]

[Anonymous]

Is it possible to add flywheels to the ones without flywheels?

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

Is it possible to add flywheels to the ones without flywheels?

It should be. A-Line flywheels should fit pretty well, but they have Athearn style couplings, so you'd have to either find a way to change the coupling, or put in Athearn style driveshafts.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

Is it possible to add flywheels to the ones without flywheels?

It should be. A-Line flywheels should fit pretty well, but they have Athearn style couplings, so you'd have to either find a way to change the coupling, or put in Athearn style driveshafts.

It would be cheaper to buy athearn locos straight up.

What is the SD24 like? Worth the money?

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

What is the SD24 like? Worth the money?

I don't have the SD24, but what I do know about it is: it uses the old Tyco shell, which isn't too bad, it has a plastic frame, no flywheels, open pilots, and it has their basic 6 axle drive, which is used in the SD35, SD40 and FP45. So it may be worth the money, if you don't mind the open pilots.[:D]

I have an AHM FP45 with the same mechanism, and it runs very smoothly, and the gears are quiet.[:D]

[Anonymous]

Speaking of IHC, I've got a 4-6-2 and love it! My only gripe is it sometimes stalls going slowly thru a switch but since I cleaned my track it usually doesn't.

Also, I'd like to say that ANYBODY could put together an Athearn BB. Putting the handrails on isn't hard and doesn't take too long.

[Anonymous]

What are open pilots? It would probably be better to get an athearn SD9.

Thanks
Alexander

[Darth Santa Fe]

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

What are open pilots? It would probably be better to get an athearn SD9.

The pilots are the parts of the engine on the front and back that have the couplers on them. Some manufacturers open the pilots for truck mounted couplers, giving them an unrealistic appearance.

The Athearn SD9s are good engines. I have two Athearn diesels with the same drives as the SD9, and they run nice and smooth.[:D]

[jeffrey-wimberly]

QUOTE: Also, I'd like to say that ANYBODY could put together an Athearn BB. Putting the handrails on isn't hard and doesn't take too long.

It is when you have severe nerve damage and arthritus, brother.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Darth Santa Fe

QUOTE: Originally posted by alexander13

What are open pilots? It would probably be better to get an athearn SD9.

The pilots are the parts of the engine on the front and back that have the couplers on them. Some manufacturers open the pilots for truck mounted couplers, giving them an unrealistic appearance.

The Athearn SD9s are good engines. I have two Athearn diesels with the same drives as the SD9, and they run nice and smooth.[:D]

Well then it is athearn SD9 for me!!

Thanks to everyone for helping.

Alexander

[simon1966]

Funny thing. My Athearn BB SD9's (i have 2) are arguably my worst running locomotives. I have a really hard time keeping them on the track. I have replaced the wheels (NW shortime Nickel silver) and all the wheels are in guage. I find that the trucks just don't seem to pivot very well. I guess I have a couple of tight curves, but these are the only locos that I have that consistently derail.