Cheaper Engines, say under $150.00 ratings and better if under $100.00

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Being new to the game I know some names but have not owen most of the names I know.

In Feb of this year I won a cheap LL set for $35.00 with shipping. Well they worked well so I bought more. Then Ranchero (knew from a Ho slot car site) stared wishering name in my ear like Peco, Atlas, MRC, Bachman, Athearn and Protro!

Todate I have around 30 engines, hum that is 7.5 per month.

Not counting the cheap LL, Bachmans (4 wheel drive pan cake motors) and Tyco. I have 10 Atherans 1is super weight F7-A and the best one of the bunch so far. Then 2 Proto 1000’s and 3 Proto 2000’s. Sort of like the 1000’s better, no Eye Hooks or hand gaps to beak off.

From the better engines, well the Proto kick butt, Super weight F-7 hangs in there well I will add.

With the Proto being my bench mark (best) how would you rate the following names.

Athren Genesis

Kato ( I all ready know they are good in not great)

Bachman Spectrem (sorry about the spelling)

Normal Bachman that is all wheel drive.

Broadway (mainly I know about there steam engines)

Stewart (came across that name on a search for Santa Fe)

Atlas, I seen there listing but I was looking for track on E-bay.

Model Power, seen the name at LHS but I was told not great, OK at best.

Reason I like the Proto so much, low power draw (I am DC with only a MRC 1440 so far) and doubled head 12 wheel drive will pull well at 60% throttle 30 freight cars. Blue boxes need 85% power and need to double head 2 12 wheel drive engines to move the rolling stock and 20 cars max unless I throw in the F7-A Super Weight.

Before I buy more I would like to know what you folks think?

Main reason I ask? I am after a C44-9W in Santa Fe War Bonnet trim. If I found one by Proto I would not be asking this question.

Cuda Ken

2

I only have a Atlas and it is great. On ebay you can get a Atlas GE DASH 8-40B for $55.00 with DCC(Santa fe Warbonnet if you want). Here’s a picture of me GE DASH 8-40C on the club’s layout.

I’m actually trying to get rid of it.[swg]

3

Your Proto 1K and 2K locos real run for years if maintained properly.

The others I have ranked as I’ve heard about them. It is just MHO.

Athren Genesis I would rate them as = Kato

Kato ( I all ready know they are good in not great)

Bachman Spectrem (sorry about the spelling) Their stuff is good. Wouldn’t call it great.

Normal Bachman that is all wheel drive. Somewhat good. Quality control is off.

Broadway (mainly I know about there steam engines) Their steam engines are fantastic.

Stewart (came across that name on a search for Santa Fe) = to atlas

Atlas, I seen there listing but I was looking for track on E-bay. = to is very good

Model Power, seen the name at LHS but I was told not great, OK at best = to regular Bachmann.

4

So it has the Decoder in stalled? Remember I am still DC only right now but that maybe changing soon. Will be a intrelevel DCC, but what the heck.

How would you rate the other makers I have listed?

New guy, Cuda Ken

5

I really can’t rate those cause i’ve never had one, but my friend has 8 Kato’s and LOVES them. they run smooth are quit and pull well. Take a look. http://www.modelrailroadforums.com/forum/showthread.php?t=2449

6

The only people who make or have made a C44-9W in HO are Athearn (RTR and BB) and Kato. Kato stopped making their’s a while ago, but still make an AC4400 (C44 with AC box) which is better than their C44. Athearn’s Ready To Roll C44-9W doesn’t have as much detail as the Kato, but the detail it does have is finer than Kato’s. Both are very smooth runners.[:D]

Here are links to each one.[:D]

Athearn RTR: http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH80880

Kato C44-9W: http://katousa.com/ho-scale/C44-9W.html
Kato AC4400: http://katousa.com/ho-scale/AC4400CW.html

7

Thanks for the answer folks. So far as I read this, Proto’s are the best? Sure some one will think driffretly.

On the makers I listed with out sound but DCC ready, what kind of prices range?

Thanks again folks.

Cuda Ken

8

Atlas $80-$100?
Kato $100?
Other that that I don’t know.

9

Being an Alco-holic, most of my locomotives are Atlas Classics (about $100 msrp, $65 and up on-line). Excellent detailing, and very smooth running. All are DCC ready.

I also have a stable of Athearn Blue Box GP38-2s, GP60s and SW1500s. ($40 to $60)OK on detail, and once tuned up, fine runners. They are not DCC ready. The RTR versions run well and are DCC ready ($60 to $100).

Nick

10

Yeah i want to get one of those Atlas 8-40C engines in CSX paint, one in NS also. Atlas makes some nice runners, i love protos also though :wink:

11

Please email me about the GE DASH 8-40C.

12

I recently picked up an Atlas Dash 8-40CW in CSX “YN2” paint from Scale Reproductions in Louisville, KY for $80. I also picked up a $20 Digitrax decoder to go with it, and installed it myself. It runs like a dream! [:D]

-Brandon

13

As is true with automobiles, there cudaken, it is also true with model locomotives. In 1973, when I rotated from Germany with the Air Force I ordered a Chevy Malibu for delivery in New Jersey - $3400.00 and the delivering dealer informed me that it was a “crime” to let that car off the lot for less than $4000.00 - but, of course he had no choice. In 1978 when I came back from the Azores I ordered a piece of junk called a Dodge Aspen which dodged everything but repair shops until my wife entered it in the demolition derby while coming home from work one afternoon (no more Chrsler Motors in my future). In 1973 I was shocked at the price tag on my Chevy Malibu; in 1978 I was equally shocked at the price tag on my Dodge Aspen. In 1988 I forked out twenty two thousand iron men for a Toyota 4-Runner.

When will it ever stop.

Neither the Chevy nor the Dodge were worth the money I paid for them - with the Toyota I got the bargain of a lifetime. The purpose of this is to say that in model railroading there is a lot of cheap (read: inexpensive) merchandise and there is merchandise that is (relatively at least) expensive. But I will predict that within ten years your mouth will salivate over the $100.00 price tag on a locomotive. If you want a high quality locomotive for $100.00 you had better buy it now!!! Remember, these things are made of plastic and that is an oil-base product!!!

14

I’m still not sure what the original poster wants to know. Best to be a little more specific about what you are asking.

15

Dekruif
I have a spectrum GE dash 8 40c For a few years now no troublr yert .I run run it on a regular basis [robably buy more spectrm models. I have the dash 8 40c canit tell any difference except the atlas is a quiter running engine.
pat