James, the Santa Fe Atlas that you have here in your picture is far one of the best engines out there. Mine is great. As for Kato, I have 2 AC4400s but haven’t run them yet, but I’ve ran my SD70Mac and loved it. It ran great with my Atlas. The RTR has great detail but thats about it. Third time on the layout and it was growling loud. I pulled it all apart, cleaned, and lubed it, and its never been the same. I won’t buy another. I have a BNSF GP60M and a SP SD45T-2 that I haven’t even ran due to what happened to my UP AC4400.
yeah i love my atlas’ they are really awesome mine even came with working ditch lights! how cool…
by the way thats a nice little layout there
lol same here. The new Spectrum SD45 is much quiet, although not as quiet as my Atlas U23B.
You know I took a look at one of those Spectrum SD45 in Santa Fe, but the darn thing look like it was going to fall apart. I have the same problem with my Spectrum Dash 8-40CW: runs great (A lot better and quieter than my RTR) but I had to heavy weather it because it wasn’t much to be proud of quality wise. Then I had to customize the way my couples sat, due to them dragging on the tracks and not being able to line up with the NMRA gauge. So the question is: What’s the price of a headache? Do you spend less for the Spectrum SD45, or do you save and get a Kato? Now after buying my Atlas Dash8-40CW, I wished that I never bought that Spectrum. Oh well, joys of the hobby.
Here is a bad picture of my Spectrum Dash 8-40CW (3rd one down)
i want the rtr athearn NS ols but thats a C40-9W.
I also want the BNSF one as well. They look great.
I don’t think Athearn makes a C40- only a C44.
thats heavy weathering there! maybe get a P2K or Kato
The window on the door was filled in after the accident in Texas with the 6936. All of the Dash 9’s had windows in the door when they were delivered new, but were modified. . Later new AC4400 production started omitting the window after the 6936 accident.
It all depends on the era you are modeling.
It is the same locomotive with software programmed to 4000HP.
I picked it up right when I was returning to the hobby and didn’t know anybetter. Instead of getting rid of it I just customized it. It runs great. Besides, haven’t you seen any pictures of some of the UP’s lately? I see many of UP’s units on the Cajon Pass just as dirty. So to me, it looks prototype.