Any opinions on the Proto 2000 series of locomotives? Especially switchers.
How well do they run. Will they run on code 75 track?
I have only a couple of the Proto2000 switchers, both SW type. The others are mostly big E units and Alco P units. They run very well. I use code 100 track but several of my friends use code 83 and they run fine on that. They should run on code 75.
All my P2K switchers (SW600/1200) run very good. Never had any problems with them. I don’t run them as extensively as my other Protos, but they are nicely detailed, good paint and lettering and fairly responsive. They tend to be a bit light, compared to BLI (SW600) or Atlas (Rocco S2) but not a problem. Then again my Stewarts are the lightest, but the smoothest runners.
You shouldn’t have any trouble on code 75, they use decent RP25 wheels.
I have different opinions depending on when the unit was produced. Proto-2000 started off being a top-of-the-line brand for Life Like. Now Walther’s owns the name.
They run very well. Yes, code 75 is no problem.
I’ve got an S1, which came as a DC engine, and an SW7, which came with DCC and sound. I added DCC and sound to the S1. It’s a solid performer.
The SW7 also runs fine, but it’s very light. They took out a lot of weight to add a decent speaker. To compensate, they added traction tires to one pair of wheels. So, the engine pulls quite well, but it only gets power from 6 wheels, not 8, so it occasionally will stall on a dead frog.
I run these on Code 100 and Code83 track with no problems. The S1, though, has very low clearance in the center of the trucks. If you use Kadee between-the-rails magnets, they must be mounted no higher than the rail heads or this engine will run aground on them. The Kadee spec calls for mounting a bit above the rail head, which won’t work with this engine.
I have a Proto 2000 0-8-0, S-1, and H10-44 switcher. Beautiful detailing and all run very smoothly on Code 83 track. I also have an SW8 but haven’t put a decoder into it to try it out yet.
Tom
Life Like Proto 2000 I have:
11 EMD GP30’s
2 EMD SD7’s
2 EMD SD9’s
1 EMD GP60
1 Alco PA
Walthers Proto 2000
EMD F7ABBA set
As others say, they run on Code 70 and up and as a rule run pretty smoothly. They aren’t Atlas or KATO but not far behind.
Beware the GP series can have cracked gears, and you’ll probably have to replace quite a few but the process isn’t difficult.
I have a fair number of Proto 2000 (Life Like) switchers and they are all excellent runners, and they look good.
Rich
I’ve been very happy with my various Proto locos, and the ones I have run on Code 70 no problem.
Some early Proto units suffered from a cracked gear issue. If you come across such a unit contact Walthers, and if they can’t provide replacements then you can use the equivalent Athearn part. But I think that problem existed before Proto did any SW type locos. The only units I have that ever exhibited that problem were early runs of the GP-18.
I have several P2000 locos and most had the cracked gears, which i replaced with Athearn gears; an easy fix. They all run great and as mentioned, look good too. I think the issue of running on code 70 track is really a case of the engines having RP25 profile wheels, which most all manufacturers follow. The early Rivarossi engines and cars had the deep flanges which wont even run on code 83, but hat is another story.
-Bob
The switchers run great, only thing better than my S-1’s are the Stewart Baldwin switchers. I have four GP7’s as well, the Reading versions were all released during the time period of cracked gears so I just replaced them all with Athearn gears without waiting for the originals to crack. Other than the potential or the gears to crack, these locos also run very smoothly.
–Randy
I don’t have any switchers, but I do have four Proto diesels (2 P1K and 2 P2K) from the Life-Like era.
P2K SD60 - extremely smooth and quiet runner with a lot of power.
P2K E7A (older design) - very smooth and powerful, but universals and flywheels cuase a lot of vibration.
P1K DL-109 - very smooth, quiet, and powerful.
P1K RDC - extremely smooth and pretty quiet, but lacks traction.
I would expect their switchers to also run very well, and the newest ones since Walthers purchased LL should be just as good or even better. I’ve never had a poor running Proto!
My Proto 0-6-0 switcher runs and sounds great. I don’t think it will pull a huge train, but that’s not what I use it for.
I have a Proto 2000 GP20. It’s very quiet, even with the sound muted. Strong sucker too, can pull a couple of my locos, and my RSD-15(which is MUCH bigger than the GP-20),cannot pull the GP20. The GP20 has no traction tires either.
Of the Proto 2000 switchers, I have the following:
24 Life-Like GM switchers (SW9/1200, SW8/900). My best running locos. Flat can type motor, smooth running, slow switching speed. The only problem is that they’re a little too light at the cab end.
14 Life-Like Alco Switchers (S-1, S-3). Open frame motor, a little noisier than the GMs, slow switching speeds. Lighter than the GM units.
2 Walthers FM switchers (H10-44). Somewhat noisy like the Alcos, slow switching speeds, flat can type motor, weigh as much as the GMs but evenly weighted.
Like Tom I have the 0-8-0, very nice runner, and the details are great, on Atlas Code 83. Kind of a light puller but adding weight fixed that.
I have an older ABBA set of Alco F1s that look absolutely awesome with a bit of kitbashing and wire handrails.
They’re amazing to look at, but on our club layout, there’s always at least one dead unit in the lash up. You can hear the tsunamis rebooting all the time, and it’s very annoying.
These are the older style with the open style motors, and I had the tops off several times cleaning and checking, to no avail.
I finally pulled them out of service and run remotored brass in their place. I’m thinking that repowering them will help big time, but it’s not on my close in “to do” list.
If they’d all keep running, they’d be just about perfect, IMHO.
They are the only units I have that do this on the club layout, so it has to be a problem with the units themselves.
I have a couple Alco S type Switchers, and an 0-8-0 as well, and they all run very well.
I used to run an older E8, and it ran very well on straight DC, but when converted, it ate Tsunamis for lunch. It got pulled out of service due to current draw problems. I hear the new release E units are MUCH better than the old ones.
I wouldn’t hesitate to buy a newer P2K of any style. Incredible detail for plastic, and great runners as well.
I agree w/ CP Guy. New P2K’s are at the top of the plastic model heap. I would buy more without question.
I certainly have noticed that the Proto Heritage Steams locomotives have certainly been rising in price. While the MSRP is not necessarily the real street price I notice that the Proto Steamers are discounted very little. I wait for the Heritage units to be sold off at low prices at the larger on line discounters who routinely end up with large batches on an almost reguare basis.
Have saved a lot of money by waiting for these clearance sales. Could not afford the Heritaqge engines otherwise.
That’s generally good buying advice for anything, though. Decide what you’d like to get, and then be patient until you can find it at a fairly deep discount.