Interesting, as the re-tooled 4-6-2 USRA Pacifics are being marketed as old time engines. I assume this is to keep them from being compared to the Athearn Genesis steam engines on which they were originally built.
I quess October is not that far to wait to see what the quality of these will be. I do not remember any items being discussed from Roundhouse from the recent NMRA trainshow. While there was a lot of new out of Athearn it was very quiet on the Roundhouse items.
It’s my sincere hope that the Roundhouse Pacifics will have cleared up all of the problems that were so prevalent with the Genesis Pacifics, such as little traction power, cracked gears, non-tender pickup, etc. The HO steam model market really needs a Pacific, but they also need a GOOD one. Hopefully the Roundhouse will begin to fill the bill.
Tom, that is my hope as well. I am hoping that indeed the re-released Genesis Pacifics are superb runners. If so I will be obtaining a few. I still wonder if the Pacifics are a sucess will the Re-Released Genesis Light Mikado’s not be far behind? That would be great.
I don’t think the new run of Pacifics based on the MDC/Roundhouse chassis has anything in common with the Genesis line, other than the fact that both lines are owned by Athearn. In fact, if you asked someone at Athearn about it, they’d be glad, I’m sure, to point that out. Any steamer based on the MDC line will likely not be tagged as part of the Genesis line. This one isn’t.
When Athearn bought MDC, it seemed like they were mostly going to tag the Roundhouse line for equipment from 1940 and earlier, i.e. “Old Time” just as these are. I don’t have any experience with them, but Old Time 4-4-0s that Athearn released under the Roundhouse brand since the MDC purchase got good review.
Athearn hasn’t released anything in steam in the Genesis line for some time after the very mixed success it had with several of the models it did release. You’re simply muddying the waters with the confusing topic title.
I didn’t click past the first link. Now I do see the text in the individual pages for each version. My apologies.
Interesting.
It looks like Athearn is hoping the the good rep of the Roundhouse drivetrain will rub off on the somewhat-tarnished rep of the Genesis steam line. I hope things do improve, as there were many none too happy customers in the first go-rounds with Genesis steam.
The question is still open though. Will it be more Roundhouse or more Genesis? The somewhat long-in-tooth Roundhouse line could really use the detail improvment and road specific items that I assume will accompany the Genesis label. The Genesis label could certainly use the rugged drivetrain of the old MDC line to improve the street rep of Genesis steam. It could be a good move, if they dot all their i’s and cross all their t’s.
They need to be careful to not make it too light, as that was as much a part of the original gripes with Genesis steamers as cracked gears. If they stick to the metal boiler casting of the MDC, that should solve that issue.
The price seems right, if they get everything else done right. It may be one of the last Genesis bargains before exchange rates increase the pain to our wallets.