Greetings fellow model railroaders!
I found an unused MRC C420 in HO scale on the Internet and i was wondering if someone could tell me if was this a good running model? My current layout features Atlas/Kato units plus Proto steam. How would this model compare? I used to run the older Athearn blue box units but they now run on my son’s layout. I am looking for a good quality pre DCC Alco locomotive.
You’ll find that the MRC will likely be something that doesn’t live up to the standard of your present motive power.
I have a pair of the Atlas HO C420 locos. Mine are with sound, but with or without sound, you’ll be much happier with one of those. I’m pleased with my set of Monon low hoods.
They’ll also be more expensive, but you get what you pay for. Plus Atlas seems to be doing runs so that all the variations are covered. The C420s really varied based on what the factory was building and what the customers ordered. If you want one for you favorite road, they’ve either already done it or will get to it in the future.
They had one of the early hi tech can motordrives and were pretty decent runners. Their main drawback was they wouldn’t play nice with others and could only be MU’d with themselves - they were geared too fast, in their Rivarrosi reincarnation they were given a lower rpm motor to try to compensate, it did slow them down, but not quite enough. I still have a couple that I run pretty regularly as a pair, they’re getting to be 20 years old and are still running strong.