Can anyone tell me about the quality of the new Model Power Locos? They have metal bodies and flywheel drive and are reasonably priced. I can’t find any photos or reviews.
Model Power seems to have been left in the dust as Tyco faded away and Bachman moved up in quality with its Spectrum line. I’m wondering if this is an honest effort to catch up with the rest of the industry or if it’s just a half hearted attempt to put a few slap-dash improvements on an old (and poor quality) line of models. [#dots]
“Science fiction and trains are both cool…they just don’t go together!”
Read Doug Adams
I’ve seen the new Model Power locos advertised, and they look pretty good - detail looks a little chunky but that doesn’t bother me. I’ve got one of their N-Scale FP7s that would be a decent loco if the motor mount was better designed - the motor has too much freedom to move around under load. Still trying to fix this one!
I have an MP USRA Light Pacific 4 - 6 - 2 in N-scale. It pulls pretty well, although I haven’t tried to see how many cars it will actually pull up a 1.5% grade.
We did find a problem with the wipers on their steam locomotives. Apparently, the original design as shown at the various shows wasn’t the one they used in production. That error bit them, since my LHS has called Model Power to investigate and was told that MP had recognized that they had erroneously put that design out. They offered to take back the locomotives that we had bought and replace them with the original design.
Since my loco is in transit from MP, I don’t know how it will function with the new design. I’ll post as soon as I get it, get the decoder in it and fire it up on the line.
Joe
You’re probably referring to the re-released Mantua line of products to which Model Power bought the rights. I can’t comment on the quality of their locomotives because I haven’t seen any yet, but their boxcars are all metal and very heavy – too heavy, really. They come with metal wheels and knuckle couplers, and have good detail, but you probably would not be able to pull more than six up a 2 percent grade they are so heavy.