What are the Trainline locomotives like? I really like the ALCO FA-1 and FB-1
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-207
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/931-264
what do they have for a drivleine? Also do i have any other choices for an ALCO FA, PA , FPA? I’d like to get a Santa fe FA-1/ FB-1
I have the 2 switchers Walthers sold, the SW-1 and the FM H-10-44. They are not the Trainline brand. Roco built them for Walthers awhile back. Both are excellent runners. I know Model Power used to sell the FA a long time ago.
Jim
isn’t model power junk?
The older Model Power Sharks are not junk. They were also made by Roco. Huge can motors and flywheels. I have a couple and they are good runners. Some of the later Model Power was indeed junk. I am just wondering what drive the Model Power FAs used. Maybe someone else knows if they are the Roco drive or the later drive.
Jim
Walthers Trainline FA’s are the old (actually very old) Trains-Miniature FA’s Of course they have been upgraded somewhat over the years but they are not the Roco models which Model Power sold. Just for information, the GP is derived from the also very old Cox model which were poor train set stuff. The walthers drive is pretty good in these.
dingoix,
I am sitting here asking myself what you are trying to do here, and let me tell you that I am lost. In a post that you made earlier today you labeled Model power junk, then now your asking if it is junk. Then said Walthers Trainline GP9M’s are good engines and am now asking if they are good loco’s. You seem to be using the word “junk” quite a bit on different train manufactures, that you seem to know nothing about. What gives? Are you trying to live up to your little saying you have got on your sig? Or are you just padding your post and trying to draw attention to yourself?
You need to think about other peoples feeling and what they own for loco’s and try to be a bit less judging on manufactures you really know nothing about because you don’t even own one, so how can you be any type of judge on its running condition. All the manufactures have some problem in some area of mechanical or details, its not a perfect world. I have worked on all kinds of brass loco’s and about every type of HO loco that has been made in the past 40 years, and have 25 years of fixing and repairing loco’s. I’m like BRAKIE, if you ask me to fix it I will or attempt to. When the LHS hands me a bunch of loco’s and parts to be repaired, I leave the word junk out of it. People like to here that its going to live and run again, not tell them its “junk”.
Now for the info you are asking about, I have 2 GP9M Walthers locc’s in the IC road, and 4 BNSF in the same model. These are heavy engines that run pretty good and quiet. Only have one flywheel though, weak on details though. They are based on the old Cox line of trains and are almost identical to them.
And to just let you know not all the Model Power stuff from days gone by is “junk” as you call it. They had one of the first Shark nose diesels made in the 70’s and have the all metal line now which is very nice stuff from what I can see at train shows, I do not own one, so that just from what I have seen so far.
As far as the co
i’m certainly not trying to draw attention to myself and I’ve been trying not to call everything “junk” (except TYCO of course) $40 seems like a good price for the new Trainline FA/FB-1 (although i bet they sell for less at the LHS) could i see a pic of the front of one(FA-1)? i’m curious about the headlights and hood
a friend of mine bought a walthers FA with an MRC decoder in it, being MRC, the decoder worked for about 2 minutes so he asked me to put a TCS in it. The detail isnt great, comperable to an athearn BB, but it runs pretty good. Its quiet except at higher speed and runs fairly smooth. If you arent worried too much about detail, or dont mind detailing the loco yourself, it is a very good choice.
so it’s compairable to b-b?
yes, I would say better, the handrails are painted and installed and they run better. About the same price too.
Umm! you want to look at your post above you made about Model Power and the comment you made in 2 other post today besides this one? You used the word junk quite a few times about other manufactures, or have you forgoten already? I can see its a wast of time trying to point something out to you, so I won’t waste any more time trying to help you. You seem to know everything already.
Sorry I don’t have a picture of the FA1, don’t even own one of them all I have is 6 of the GP9M’s like I said.
In my experiences Trainline is good for the money…if they work. I have a Metra F40 that works beautifully, but I also have an ATSF Dash 8 that has some issues on the frogs of switches (although that may be becuase of some dirty wheels), and even worse is some sort of BNSF unit my dad has (it runs so little I don’t even know what type of loco it is…). That has real issues, it is very choppy, this one has nothing to do with dirty wheels or anything. So if you can try and test any prospective purchases on a test track I would suggest doing so, if it runs well I say go for it!
i was told model power’s loco’s are junk and they don’t last
Looks like you should do more research on your opinions of model railroad engines. I for one would never let the opinion of another interfere with my judgement of a product. I like to look, run and listen to an engine before I pass judgement. Then I will look to why I might not like a certian product. Most of the time when I don’t care for a product it’s because I don’t want to spend the time making it what I need or want. It’s not the products fault it was produced at a lesser quality so you don’t have to spend big bucks to run trains. Remember It’s up to you to purchace what you want to deal with. Some like to tinker, some like to op, some like to look at ect,ect,. We all have different tastes. Thats what makes it your hobby. People are here to help with ideas on how to fix, assemble, paint, where to get the best deals, not to complain about things. So my personal opinion is button up listen to what you’ve been told and offer more of your talent rather than negative.
most of my opinons of brands come from what i’ve been told and w/ the 3+ page article on P2K gear failures a while back i decided to stay away from P2K. Why do people always tell me to buy a P2K? I’ve decided i don’t want one and that’s that. I’m an Athearn fan.
Great leave the rest alone
No offense but the FA-1 and GP9 are cheap pieces of crap.
how’s so? what are you comparing them to?
everything
so they’re not as good as b-b?