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Athearn HO scale Southern Pacific MT-4 steam locomotive
As a lifelong fan of the Southern Pacific railroad, this model steamer is a longtime coming. I can’t wait to see the latter version of this classic locomotive with the San Joaquin painted Daylight tender to boot!
nice
There are great number(s) of ESPEE modelers in N-scale that would love to have Southern Pacific MT’s, both with and w/o “skylines”.
I personally would love a MT-4 painted in “Daylight” colors to haul my San Juaguin Daylight. A “green boilered” version would be nice too.
I hope Athearn makes this model in N-scale.
It’s so nice to see relatively inexpensive steam engines released in a western road besides Union Pacific. I know a model in that roadname by a quality manufacturer almost guarantees lots of sales which they obviously need to stay in business. Sigh… Now if only Athearn would release Northern Pacific steamers; especially their beautiful 4-8-4s. I think the Sonics will return to Seattle before that happens!
It’s a beautiful locomotive model, I have seen them in local hobby shops. I hope it sells well, then maybe Athearn would consider doing a “C-#” consolidation. We all need some good quality “smaller” locomotives, 2-8-0s, 4-6-0s, 2-6-2s and the like.
I’m a big fan of steam locomotives, and this one looks real nice.
Maybe,I am the only one model railroader in this place,but I have an small layout, and also like me the short steam locomotives. I live in Dolores Hidalgo Gto. México
Nice article. Too bad there aren’t more road names.
I remember as a teenager looking at a similar model in O scale produced by Scale-Craft at the Hudson Bay store in Winnipeg (the price - $125.00 CAD in 1943) and thinking what a superb engine it was. Too rich for my allowance at the time. Since then I’ve graduated to HO, S, and now Ga 1.
Very dissapointed in this latest Athern Genesis. I have them all and this one is not up to the earlier models. Weak sounds, no pulling power, no hand held DC sounds as in the previous Genesis. This model, for the money is not a good buy. In the Bachman Spectrum class.
I really have to wonder if the MR staff has ever reviewed a new model that they did not like???
Nice looking but like most Athearn steam locomotives this one has very poor pulling power and is virtually useless on a railroad with any grade at all. Rather than rate drawbar pull in ounces I’d like to see it expressed as a percentage. Drawbar pull/Locomotive weight. Using the numbers in this review (2.4/26) that works out to about 9% and that is very poor. Reasonable pullers should rate at least 20% - more is better!
It’s my understanding that a second version will be coming out with the skyline casing or alternatively that a snap-on skyline casing will be included so that the buyer can convert his engine to the skyline configuration. Am I right? Sure hope so!
My friend just got one and we ran it through. It does look good and runs well, but the sound quality was not there. It was also not very loud. On a small layout, it would be fine, but at a train show where we typically run our trains it could barely be heard.
It’s a waste of money, luckily mine broke down after a week, and I got my money back. Maybe next run will be better. Till then, Trix, MTH, BLI and some brass engines will be my mainstay. My 1980’s brass MT4 uns better!
Just opened up my MT-4 and the sound is OK but none too loud in default mode and my back up light isn’t working (I haven’t checked the CV but I shouldn’t have to). Other than that it looks great and is a good addition for Espee modelers. A mikado or consolidation would be nice!
Overall I am very pleased with this model. Ran perfectly even through #4 switches. Pulls 20+ cars with ease. I found the bell too loud and the chuff not loud enough but they were easy to adjust to my liking by downloading the free instructions from the SoundTraxx website.
I saw this run at my local club. Not sure how it would pull as it ran light all the time I saw it . It looked great Sound was OK but like most steam DCC that I’ve seen, synch of the steam chuff and speed seem to be a problem. I ran real steam on a tourist RR and chuff rate relative to speed (and amount of weight being pulled, position of the J bar etc…) is very apparent I know DCC affords a lot of ways to vary speed and perhaps overcome or improve the synchronization. Cant wait to experiment with my own steam engine . Otherwise, a nice addition to a steam fleet.
reallt was not pleased