Has anyone compared these two locomotives? A friend of mine suspects that the Chinese factory contracted to do the Spectrum model is also the supplier to IHC and that the two are virtually identical.
If not I’m wondering which is the better buy.
I have not done any detailed comparison, at all, but I can tell you the same molds, for the body or undercarriage, were NOT used. And the motors are different. And the DCC set-up provisions are similar but different. And the valve gear is different. I have seen both for around $130. I could not make a decent call on value here as I have no experience with detailed IHC engine(s). Seeing as how a Spectrum 4-8-2 was $110, and this one has a decoder, I would say that price is reasonable for a Spectrum.
Bob;
The Spectrum unit is an excellent model of a USRA Light 2-10-2. The IHC is an inconsistent representation of a 2-10-2 steam locomotive, of no specific prototype.
Operation wise, they are similar, the IHC has a bit more tractive effort.
At my last check, the IHC steamers came from Slovenia (formerly part of Yugoslavia), not China. Mehano is the company that makes the models.
Bachmann is owned by Kader Industries base in Hong Kong. They have thier own factory in southern China.
Guess it was pure coincidence that they came on the market at virtually the same time. I’ve only seen the IHC model in the ad in MRM. I might end up getting the Spectrum model.