Hello this is my first post here. Was wondering if anyone has tried the Athearn 2-8-0 N scale steam locos? I have heard that much of what is available for N scale steam are poor runners but this loco was getting good reviews on how well it runs.
Athearn bought out MDC, so that’s basically the MDC 2-8-0 with different paint and better couplers. I have one of the MDC versions and it is a great little loco. Very smooth, decent pulling power for a small loco (it has traction tires). Since it’s the same mechanism, I’m sure the Athearn version runs just as well.
Regards
Ed
I have two of the MDC 2-8-0’s and one of the MDC 2-6-0’s and they are awesome runners. As stated, these are basically the same as the Athearn models. I also have many other steam including 4 Kato Mikado’s with the traction tire upgrades and 5 Bachmann Spectrum 2-8-0’s and 2 Spectrum 4-8-2’s, and the MDC’s are every bit as good as the rest. You wouldn’t do bad to pick up a couple of these little beauties, thats for sure.
The Athearns and the MDC’s are basically the ame with the exception that the Athearns have an automated coupler and the MDC’s don’t. Also, Athearn hasn’t yet released the 2-6-0, though it is scheduled to be released soon. I bought the MDC’s because I could get them for a song at Trainworld and then I could add a Micro Trains 901 Coupler for just a couple more bucks.