After looking in the post archives and not finding anything recent (most posts are over 3 years old) Id like to know your opinions of IHC premier gold vs Bachman Spectrum. I see that MB Klein wants more for a Pacific from IHC than from Bachman.I am only interested in these two manafactures as the others are out of my budget. I am looking to buy an 0 8 0 penn. shifter, a K4 Pacific and maybee a Consolidation. Thank you
Bob D
I can’t comment on IHC but I have a couple of Spectrums and they are smooth and reliable. You can see a couple of them on this week’s WPF (2-8-0 and 2-10-2). I’m a dinosaur still using DC by the way. Cheers.
The ICH Premier Gold series are still somewhat lacking as to level of detail. The exception being the 2-10-2. Detail levels on the other engines in this series is still lacking. The engines do run well and are DCC ready. I have a few of the IHC and have no complaints for what they are.
I would recommend the Spectrum engines, better detail, good performers and of course the best warranty of all. I have most of the Spectrum series and while there was a couple of duds the remainder are all excellent runners.
The 4-4-0, 4-6-0 and 2-8-0’s are ideal for the smaller layouts and of course the others for larger layouts with wider radius curves.
I am going to have to give you a biased opinion since I don’t own any IHC equipment. But I haven’t had a single problem with any of my Spectrum 4-6-0’s.
I have the Bachmann Spectrum K4 and IHC 2-10-2. Obviously they’re very different locos but both run/pull well. The IHC is generic but ripe for detailing. The K4 pulls 8 HW passenger cars and even pulled 20 hoppers without squawking.
I think they’re both good bang-for-the-buck items. Can’t comment on other IHC offerings.
Bob,You are asking about 2 different beast…A high end,highly detail locomotive vs.a low end,low detail locomotive.You really can’t compare the two.
Here’s the evil…The only 4-6-2 Bachmann makes is the PRR K4 which is the correct PRR 4-6-2 locomotive…The IHC 4-6-2 doesn’t come close for a PRR K4 …
Now the IHC locomotives are generic in design and the 0-8-0,4-6-2 and 2-8-2 kinda favor the USRA designs IMHO…
Its your call.
Thanks to all who replied. It looks like ill buy a bachman pacific and as far as the shifter goes ill spring for a proto 2000 but in the 0 6 0 configuration since LL doesnt make an 0 8 0 in pennsy.Jason when do you have time being on the Nevada to model railroad.Being in Bremerton I figured you were on a boomer.
I had an IHC 2-6-0 similar in design to an SP prototype. It was one of my finest and smoothest running locos. The only problem was that as far as I can determine, these SP locos did not see service on the SP Klamath Falls branch in 1909 which is the SP period that I model. So, I started to use the parts for SP locos that I do model. I used the IHC tender frame with it’s excellent electrical pick up wipers for the SP whaleback tender on my kit bashed SP TW-2.
Peter Smith, Memphis
I don’t know about the IHC Premier Gold, which I understand is DCC compatable, but I do have one of the IHC Heavy 4-8-2’s, which is a very nice, smooth running loco and pulls quite respectably. It’s based on the C&O Heavy Mountain (but decorated for GN), and I like it. One thing about the IHC’s, even though they are not heavily detailed, they are good candidates for ‘kit-bashing’.
I also have two Spectrum Heavy 4-8-2’s, which I like a lot. They’re more detailed than the IHC, but they run just as smoothly and haul quite nicely. And since the 4-8-2 (along with the 2-10-2) is my favorite non-articulated steam wheel arrangement, I’m a pretty satisfied customer of both Spectrum and IHC.
I’m seriously considering an IHC 2-10-2, simply because of what I’ve heard of its performance, and the fact that it looks like a prime candidate for kit-bashing.
As far as the IHC 2-8-2 and 4-6-2, they look to me like very ‘generic’ versions of light USRA locos. Which again, means that a kit-basher could probably turn them into very nice locos.
Tom
Well Bob, I take small projects out to sea with me. And I do what I can during Off Crew. For those of you who are unfamiliar with the term, Off Crew is a period of time those of us in the “Foo Foo” Navy (aka the Boomer Navy) get to enjoy while our other crew takes the boat out to sea. During Off Crew we attend lectures on proper bowling alley care, shuffle board technique, and proper etiquette at the country club, so that during our next patrol we don’t make fools out of ourselves.
Note: please note my sarcasm. The Boomer Navy doesn’t really do any of the above with the exception of a period of time dedicated to training and certifications known as Off Crew. I am simply making light of a Diesel Boat sailor I know who describes the modern “Moonbeam” Navy the way I just did. Despite there being a 50 year difference in our ages I sometimes wonder if he ever actually retired from the Navy, because he can keep up with me in all of our…Navy type endeavors the are put forth with the purpose of proving our capabilities at detecting slight variations in the processing and refinement of certain adult beverages.
Ok enough of my politically correct double talk