Standard Athearn are noisy, reliable, but easy to maintain, and parts are readily available.
Athearn Genesis are quieter, more expesive, better detailed, are still easy to main/order parts. Older ones use MRC sound decoders which are notriously bad.
Proto 2K has excellent details. Probly the best and most accurate for a specific road. They come in DC and DCC w/ sound. The DCC with sound use QSI decoders, which is top notch
I’ve only had experience with BLI E units (stretched F-7 with different trucks) But the F units should be similar. They sit in between Athearn Genesis and Proto 2K in detailing, and have excellent weight! I find the “chicken screen” side vents come off a little too easy.
Stewart Hobbies makes an excellent top shelf drive mechanism with a quality motor. However unless you buy an executive series, you’ll need to apply a lot of seperate details by hand.
I own
1 Athearn
1 Athearn Geneis with MRC sound F7B, 2 F7A
1 Proto 2K F7 with QSI sound
1 BLI E-8 with QSI sound
Like any model, be careful if prototypical details matter. P2K D&RGW F units aren’t necessarily the most accurate for a specific road. By example, the P2K F3 is close but two details are wrong:
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the nose on the model has a MU door by the headlight but the real things had a stair step shaped MU recepticle box - just like that found on the famous F9 #5771. P2K got it correct on the F7’s btw.
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the panel on the upper side air grills is chicken wire just behind the door but on the real thing, the panel is sheet metal. Athearn Genesis got this detail correct. Aside from add on details, the Genesis got the main body and phase details dead on.
Check out the models for your specific road. P2k has tried to make prototype specific details but they aren’t always correct or accurate.
Thanks Tom,
I was tempted to but a Stewart F3 mechanism from Kleins as they had them on special too.
Maybe next time.
That should have said,
I was tempted to buy a Stewart F3 mechanism
I have many F units and almost all of them are Stewart’s, they run great and and look good too. Best for the price and they sell just A units so you won’t be stuck with a B unit.
Ray