There is no controversy intended just stating the facts as they are.The Trainman is a stripped down Atlas locomotive with body detail errors…The Athearn has the metal grabs,body errors and missing details.That’s the facts by a simple comparision between the 2…The P2K is the clear winner in details but,like the other 2 has body errors…That’s a simple fact.
Then come Bachmann’s GP38-2 with its body errors and no details but,DCC equipped.
Still missing from the flock is a correct road speific detailed GP38-2 for those that want 'em.
As of now name your GP38-2 and be happy 'cause those are the best we have.
I have three Athearn GP38’s all painted for the B&M. I’ve had 'em for a while and like 'em. Decent locomotives. Reasonable detail, reasonable low speed running. They stay on the track. They were all blue box kits when I got them; and in those days they were not DCC ready, and sold for $35 apiece. I’m happy with mine.
I re numbered mine 'cause having three locomotives with the same number in the same consist looks odd. Just brush painted over the old numbers and redecaled. Athearn’s B&M blue matched the B&M blue out of the paint bottle perfectly. I improved the lights by adding an opaque ceiling to the cab and mounting the lamp above the ceiling so it just illuminates the head lamp lens, rather than lighting up the whole cab. While I was at it, I placed a second lamp in the long hood to light up the long hood headlamp, and added a constant brightness circuit.
I have 2 RTR GP38-2’s and a GP40-2 from athearn i cant say anything bad they have come along way. One of my 38’s is from the first release the BN Pacific Pride 2 i have had it about 7 years and have had no problems but back then they didnt put the grab irons on. I have never had an atlas geep before so i cant comment on them but i do have a SD24 and it runs like a champ.
BLI’s units are junk, but Ive only seen the SD40-2. The body has some strange dimensions, the sound is not accurate, and the trucks aren’t stellar. Onto the Atlas-Athearn debate. The Athearn RTR GP38-2’s cab has the same old junk that has been on there engines since they stopped using the “fat body” that the SD45’s and GP35’s were delivered with. The windows arent flush, the “weather stripping” is extremely thick, making the windows more square than they really are, and of course the running. Atlas will run better than RTR Athearn products everyday of the year. Get the atlas, which has great crisp paint and decals, and buy a few details that go right in with a pin vise.
Alec (Who is not bashing Athearn, as I have an SD60I on hold)
In my opinion, I think you should buy an athern, as for an atlas trainman, it’s a nice unit no doubt, you can get it in ns and since it’s a striped down detail wise engine, it could give you a good leason on gluing!!!