model power fp7

Model Railroader Layouts and layout building
1

Anyone have one of these N scale engines. Are they any good?

2

Train set quality…

David B

3

thanks I will stay clear. Kirk

4

True, the current one by Model Power is entry level. However, Intermountain is due to come out with FP7’s at some point soon (maybe next month?). Their website indicates a November release with several roadnames:

http://www.imrcmodels.com/newsncomingsoon.html

(Scroll down until you see the FP7’s)

5

It’s been my experience that anything by Model Power is on the same level as Tyco.

6

Nope, you cant compare the 2. Model power actually TRIED to make a loco that could compete with LL. It does feature all wheel pickup and drive and is reasonably make. Tyco made nothing but locos that were engineered to break in a few hours of use.

Where this model comes up short is on the details.

David B

7

Model Power might not be the best brand, but I find they are good starts for dummies or parts, because they are usually extremely cheap. Running them is really not so bad if you don’t mind the noise and the fact that they accelerate like slot-cars. Detail them and put them behind a nice Athearn unit and you are set.

I took one of their poor quality Plymouth Switchers and kit-bashed it into a Marklin like “German State Railroad Company (DRG) class Köf II small locomotive”. I liked the model, didn’t want to pay for it. I threw a shorter motor in it from ebay, and it worked rather well.

With Tyco models, I usually took out the drive gears in the trucks anyway. You have to assume the market they were aiming for was willing to buy a disposabe locomotive.