Model train brands in the USA

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Dear friends !

I am a big fan of model trains. I have recently moved from Germany to the USA. I have used MÄRKLIN, FLEISCHMANN and KLEINBAHN products in Germany. Now I would like to know which are the most reliable model train brands in the USA.

Please help me.

Thanks and best regards

Honguito

2

BLI (Broadway Limited Imports)–

Walther’s (Life-Like) Proto 1000 and Proto 2000

Atlas

Kato

PCM (Precision Craft Models)

Athearn (Genesis, RTR, BB)

Bachmann Spectrum

Walther’s trainline

3

Bachmann of course!.. Just joking my friend. Welcome to trains.com. It would depending on the scale you model. I myself am an N scaler, and most of my locomotives are made by Kato, Spectrum and the higher end Life Like’s. As for my rolling stock. Most of it is made by either Atlas or Micro Train Lines (MTL).

Tracklayer

4

I model in HO…

Rolling Stock:

  • The majority of my 1970s era locomotives are Atlas. Quite and smooth running with exceptional detailing. However, they do list for between $100 (DCC ready) to $250 (DCC and Sound). BTW all my recent locomotive purchases have been Atlas. At this point, I probably won’t buy anything else.
  • The majority of my 1990s era locomotives are Athearn Blue Box kits. They have the classic Athearn growl, but run reliably and are strong pullers. The detailing is a little sparse, but hay…they only cost me 30 or 40 bucks.
  • My two lone steamers are Bachman Spectrum. Good detail, and smooth running. I also have a couple Spectrum diesels. I’ve never had any problem with them.
  • My Reading and Delaware & Hudson cabooses are Proto 2000 (Walthers), Atlas, or heavily detailed Athearn kits. My Pennsylvania RR Cabin Cars are PRR specific Bowser kits.
  • Most of my freight cars are Athearn or MDC kits. Decent detailing and inexpensive. Note - most of the MDC kits are now produced under the Athearn brand.
  • I’m slowly upgrading my fleet with Accurail, Bowser and Branchline kits. A little more expensive, but the detailing and paintwork is better.
  • Nearly all of my coal hoppers are Bowser kits, with a few Accurail ones sprinkled in.
5

What scale are you?

6

You can still do Marklin and the others here! The larger train shops have them… they just are not quite as popular.

7

There are a few more, Intermountain and Red Caboose.

Rick

8

None.

All of our “USA” trains are made in China. Welcome to modern globalization.[;)]

Of those made in China & a few in Japan,

  1. Atlas

  2. Kato

  3. Lifelike proto 2000

  4. Athearn

There are others, but these are the ones I am familiar with.

9

Not all of them are made in China. Accurail, Athearn Blue Box, Bowser, Branchline Trains, Pikestuff, Rix Products, and some Con-Cor kits are some that come to mind immediately as being made in the USA. It seems like I heard Intermountain kits are made over here. I am not sure if LBF kits are still made here. Anything RTR is almost guarenteed to be made somewhere else. It seems a large percentage of kits are still made here.

10

Welkomin! I model a modern Canadian layout but I live here in the USA most of the time, and here’s how I’d break down both my equipment and what I’d love to buy more of:

What I have:

Most of my engines are Athearn, Atlas, Stewart, Kato and Proto 1000/2000 (refered to on the forum as P1K and P2K respectively.) I’ve also got a couple Broadway Limited Imports (BLI) but they do not have nearly as many engines for my time period as I’d like. I’ve also got a couple Bachman Spectrum diesels, but I wouldn’t suggest them.

For freight and coaches I’ve got mostly Athearn, Walthers, Kato, Accurail and Intermountain. Here I’ve got a few LBF and Life Like freight cars, but I wouldn’t suggest them either.

Now of what I’d love to get more of (and will focus upon in the future if I can as per prototype:)

If I had my way I’d buy mostly Atlas engines from now on, along with Athearn’s Genesis line, those seem to be the highest quality to me. As for rolling stock, I (just like everyone else) wish Kato would expand their HO product line, but realistically, I like Walthers and Intermountain for freight cars, they’re truly impressive. I was also amazed by Walthers line of passenger cars, they were in my oppinion exceptional and they offer a very wide range.

Marklin sells here in America, usually under the name Trix. I’ve got one of their 2-8-2 Mikado engines for some steam excursions and it’s right up there with the best diesels I own in running qualities. The detail is also excellent for a non-brass model.

I’d check out the Walthers website if I were you, as well as being a producer they also act as one of the largest sales firms for just about everything in railroading (except Athearn, Roundhouse and MDC) their site is www.walthers.com

Proust!

~METRO

11

I believe Micro-Trains and Kadee are made in the USA as well.

Rick

12

I’d add Stewart(now owned by Bowser) to this list.

Jim

13

Revell (better known for their automobile and plane kits) has a small line of HO scale plastic locomotive kits. These are meant to be static models…but I’ve been experimenting at powering the East German diesel.

Blue-box Athearn engines (to me) are the easiest to work on, and give the best “bang for your buck.” Up until recently, my locomotive roster was about 95% Athearn, and, except for the now-dead Baldwin S12, they were all good runners and required very little maintenance.

I don’t have any experience with or Kato’s HO stuff, but their N scale engines are excellent. Kato also makes a nice line of track.

Atlas locomotives are good. However, I’m more familiar with their N scale ones.

Walthers (formerly Life-Like) Proto2000 engines are pretty good as well. Be aware though, that they can suffer from cracked gears. Walthers will replace them. However, Athearn parts will fit too.

Bachmann engines seem to be hit-or-miss. I’ve had no troubles with my older Spectrum F40PHs, other than some gear whine from lack of use. However, some people have had problems.