Proto 2000 HO 2-8-4 C&O - Quality report for this model?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi I was wondering if there are any issues concerning this Proto model. I did encounter with the older 0-8-0 problems with stalling on switches. I do realize that the 2-8-4 has more electrical pick up opportunities.

2

Note that you do not want one of the engines from the first run. While the engine looks great it can barely pull its own weight. You want an engine from one of the later runs with the traction tires. Be careful as there are a lot of vendors holding engines from the first run.

I had an engine from the first run and contacted Walthers about updating the drivers and I was advised that you can not update the engines from the first run.

3

Yikes, thanks. I saw one of these at the store and was considering buying one.

4

Can you tell which run it’s from without opening the box?

5

I just purchased one from Trainworld for $99.00 on sale. I have level track with 22in curves and pull 20 free rolling freight cars without traction tires. This thing runs smooth as glass and quiet. I have not pushed it to it’s limit yet.

Bob

6

You would have to check the Walthers site for the model numbers. However, if it has traction tires it is a later run. If if does not have traction tires it is an early run, stay away. Read the reviews in the review section of this site, Note the unflattering comments with the first release.

Remember that there are a lot of 1st run stock for this engine, the mallet, and the two switchers which all had problems that were corrected on the later runs.

The same problem occured with the mallet, would slip easily on grades, the switchers both had problems as there were no electrical pickups on the tenders and the engines would often stall going over switches.

7

I am assuming if it has the Walthers prefix in terms of product numbers and it states Walthers on the box, the model is from the later runs once Walther bought Lifelike?

8

I am not sure, the number on the box for the 2-8-4 that I bought was 30026. There is no prefex on the box so I do not believe you could tell by just looking at the box. An advanced search on walthers site

C&O engine stock number 31674 does not indicate the engine as having traction tires in the add, I assume it does as it is the last run in the C&O nameplate. But to be safe look in the box.