It´s the first time I hear of a Mantua 4-8-4! Can you show me some photos maybe? I googled it but couldn´t find anything. But wasn´t the Bullet-Nosed-Betty a 4-8-2? Anyway, the only non-brass CN 4-8-2 Bullet-Nosed-Betty was the one produced by Mehano as part of their President´s Choice Set series. Looks ok to me, but it´s a very light plastic model, so that was the reason why I never purchased it because I would like to pull a long passenger train with it. A CN 4-8-4 would be also very welcomed of course. But now I´m really curious about that Mantua CN 4-8-4!
Atlas-Silver & Classics
Stewart/Kato
Those are what I buy most of the time. I also have old Bowser steam engines (retired from use), Some old BB athearn deisels (also retired) And a couple of Proto 2000 only because they were the only ‘E’ units I could find.
I recently bought two Walthers Mainline DL-109’s. IMHO these are a big step up from their Proto engines. Time will tell how well they hold up.
South Penn
I run ho scale and I love my atherns even though they are older they run like true champs.
To me, the Walthers Mainline version of the Santa Fe DL-109 looks identical to the Proto 1000 version. Where do you see the “big step up”?
Joachim
The Mainline engines run much better than my Proto 2000 engines. Smoother and quieter. I don’t have a Proto 1000 to compare it to.
Isn’t the Proto 100 the models that had the drive gear cracking problem?
South Penn
DeLuxe, there is a Mantua 4-8-4 on utube… First time I hear of that too! I doubt that the mechanism is as good as the Bowser. Simon
Oh the old can o’worms is opened again; performance-wise, Atlas by far for me.
I haven’t read every post, but there doesn’t seem to be any opinion on MTH or BLI. Are these not worth the money?
South Penn
If there ever was such as thing as a Mantua 4-8-4, I’d like to see a photo of it. This reminds me of my scouting days when we sent all the Tenderfoot scouts out on a snipe hunt in the middle of the night.
Tom
Here is a picture of the snipe in question:
http://hoseeker.net/mantuainformation/mantuacatalog1996pg04.jpg
Last loco at the bottom of the page - nothing more than a Pacific with a 4 wheel trailing truck - BUT they did exist.
Sheldon
So what is wrong with Proto diesels? Pre or post Walthers?
I have about 40 of them, they all run great.
Sheldon
Are we talking out of the box or tuned??? OTB Kato drive for sure.
Hi Simon, I know that 4-8-4 very well. Was on ebay once upon a time. Spoke with the seller. It´s of course a kitbashed unique 4-8-4. Quite well done.
@ Atlantic Central: it´s not a 4-8-4 on the photo. It´s a 4-6-4 and Mantua of course did some 4-6-4´s. But for sure no 4-8-4. At least I didn´t see any yet.
Never seen a six-drivered 4-8-4 before. Will wonders never cease?
Now I can die 'cause I’ve seen everything.
Opps, my bad, guess I should read slower.
I thought it was MY old eyes![:D]
Tom
I don’t know when the Proto 2000’s were built, but all were NIB.
One runs fine but needs some TLC to run better.
One would not go around any corner no matter the radius. The slip joint for the rear truck was so long, it was binding up the truck not letting it turn. I cut about 1/2" off the female part of the slip joint and now it goes around corners. But still needs work to run smoother and quieter.
The third unit vibrates and make so much noise it has become a permanant display in the round house. I might try to fix it.
The mechanicals, weights, and electrical systems are slightly different in each locomotive.
South Penn
Well it would really be interesting to know which Proto locos you had this trouble with?
Kato and Atlas make great stuff, but their selecton does not fit my era or interests.
Sheldon
OK, Mehano, then. But yes, it’s the PC series. And it pulls just fine.
Atlantic Central:
All the locomotives are marked Life Like on the bottom. Hope that helps.
South Penn