good company's

bigsteel

Call me Mr.Tinkertrain
hey yall,im collecting supplies for my HO layout and need to know the good manufacturers with moderate prices.(preferably one with sale all the time LOL).as far as i know these are good companys:

1.Athearn genesis
2.Walthers (and im guessing there acquired companys)
3.bachmann (spectrum?)
4.mantua
5.Precision craft
6.Life like proto 1000-2000 (part of walthers now?).and is 1000 the same as 2000 just no DCC?
7.Atlas master series

anyone else got some more cause i dont like buyin an engine with little to no details for 200 bucks.and they dont HAVE to have sound but it would be cool and also have to be DCC equipped.but i just never bought a "new" loco just second hand locos and never in prestine shape.besides the ones i bought from a member here.thanks for your time.--josh
 

COMBAT

Member
Check these guys out. I have two of em! Nice runners with sound!
http://www.broadway-limited.com/
Good detail too!

Not a great pic but you can see them here: Santa Fe # 9847 AND BN 6332
MVC-006F.JPG


The lights and sound are GREAT!
 

bigsteel

Call me Mr.Tinkertrain
great looking engines,but a bit over budget for my tastes.maybe when i can actually collect enough money for a really nice engine ill try em out.how are they on shipping.I've heard alot of stories of waiting months for a single engine.--josh
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
bigsteel:wave:, i wouldn't count out Kato:thumb:, sure they don't come with DCC, but decoders/sound decoders are easy to install in them;). i have engines from TOWER55, and BLI, and the truth(in my eyes) is, Kato's details and superior motors make them JUST AS GOOD as Tower55 and BLI once you put a decoder/sound decoder in them;). just my thoughts:thumb:. :D -Deano
 

COMBAT

Member
I bought both of my BLI's on sale for 150 each WITH sound. I dont think thats bad at all. Kato runs good, easy dcc install but the detail is not as good as atlas. Just my two cents! :)
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
COMBAT said:
Kato runs good, easy dcc install but the detail is not as good as atlas. Just my two cents! :)
Hmm...i reckon its purely a matter of opinion;), i find Kato's detailing to be a little BETTER then Atlas:thumb:. just MY two cents:D. :D -Deano
 

CRed

Member
Bah,BLI,Kato, Atlas Master,LL Proto 2000 and T55 are all very good engines.I personally give T55 the detail edge,but by very little over the others and you don't have to install any of them.

You can find great deals on BLI engines on E-Bay,I got my UP AC6000CW for $150!Plus there's a guy that has a bunch of them up for auction every week and they go pretty cheaply too.Last week a C&NW SD40-2 went for $117 and yes that's with sound!This week the same engine went for $127 or so,still decent if you ask me.And if you're into the 50's,60's or early 70's you can get a E7 for around $100.

Chris
 

bigsteel

Call me Mr.Tinkertrain
And if you're into the 50's,60's or early 70's you can get a E7 for around $100.

WOW,is that with sound and a decoder?if it does and it comes in C&O roadname IM THERE!

so the new list of good locos that i can buy are
1.life like proto 2000 (maybe 1000,whats the diff.)
2.Kato
3.bachmann (i guess only spectrum,i've heard otherwise about non-spectrum's)
4.broadway limited
5.atlas master
6.Tower 55 (but pretty expensive?)
7.Athearn genesis
8.walthers (and still guessing acquired companys)
9.mantua
10.precision craft

so,is this a compilation of good companys,that have all around good qaulity I.E they run good,have DCC/easy install,and good details.anything i should watch out for in certain companys (bad customer service,bad replacement policies,etc),if not this is the list ill go by when buying engines.anything pretty much not on this list i wont buy unless someone says otherwise.OK time to start checken websites for good deals.anymore input is tilll helpful.--josh

and combats group buys are a given,ill buy from him as long as hes got some C&O stuff.
 

CRed

Member
bigsteel said:
WOW,is that with sound and a decoder?if it does and it comes in C&O roadname IM THERE!

so the new list of good locos that i can buy are
1.life like proto 2000 (maybe 1000,whats the diff.)
2.Kato
3.bachmann (i guess only spectrum,i've heard otherwise about non-spectrum's)
4.broadway limited
5.atlas master
6.Tower 55 (but pretty expensive?)
7.Athearn genesis
8.walthers (and still guessing acquired companys)
9.mantua
10.precision craft

so,is this a compilation of good companys,that have all around good qaulity I.E they run good,have DCC/easy install,and good details.anything i should watch out for in certain companys (bad customer service,bad replacement policies,etc),if not this is the list ill go by when buying engines.anything pretty much not on this list i wont buy unless someone says otherwise.OK time to start checken websites for good deals.anymore input is tilll helpful.--josh

and combats group buys are a given,ill buy from him as long as hes got some C&O stuff.
Proto 2000 engines are now made by Walthers and are excellent.Maybe the best bang for your buck out there IMHO.

Bachmann Spectrums are good if you get a later DCC ready version.

Kato's are excellent.

BLI's are excellent

Atlas Master Series are excellent

Tower 55 are,you guessed it,exellent.They are more expensive so unless they have a model you just really need get an Atlas or something similar.I have one which i bought because it was NP and nobody does a modern NP for obvious reasons.It's part of their Classic Concept series.

Athearn Genesis are good and I here the RTR are pretty decent minus a few details,nothing you couldn't get from Details West.I actually have an RTR CP AC4400CW and the detail is pretty darn good,I'll get the ones I need from Details West if I don't E-Bay it

Mantua makes decent steam engines as do Rivarossi,their newer steam engines are really nice.

PCM are in the same boat as Tower 55,on the expensive side,but excellent engines.So unless they have a particular model you want get one of the others and save money.

Nope no C&O,but he has two B&O F7 A/B sets starting at $150

Anyways,goodluck there's a ton of choices,almost too many if you ask me:thumb:

Chris
 

MadHatter

Charging at full tilt.
The only thing about Walthers- well this is what I hear through the grape vine- is that they always have huge waiting periods on certain products.

Tower55- is that a plastic version of Overland Models?

From what I've seen I like the Life Like Proto 2000. If you buy A LL P2K from a place like Trainworld (well anything for that matter) then they have quite cheap prices- even on Kato.
 

CRed

Member
MadHatter said:
The only thing about Walthers- well this is what I hear through the grape vine- is that they always have huge waiting periods on certain products.

Tower55- is that a plastic version of Overland Models?

From what I've seen I like the Life Like Proto 2000. If you buy A LL P2K from a place like Trainworld (well anything for that matter) then they have quite cheap prices- even on Kato.
Yep T55 is the plastic division of Overland Models.

I should have suggested Trainworld also,they have great deals on BLI engines.I believe you can get a SD40-2 from them for $130 new.

Chris
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
One note on Athearn RTR's and Athearn Gen, if you don't like soldering decoders in, BY THEM WITH THE SOUND OR DECODERS ALREADY IN THEM. the engines from Athearn that are "DCC ready"(DCC ready means YOU HAVE TO put the decoder in) really are NOT DCC ready:(. let me explain, the circuit boards in them have an 8 pin socket in them, the problem is, its so sloppy you cant just plug a decoder in them and go, like other brands mentioned here:eek:. in the instructions Athearn gives you, it says: solder the pins on the plug into the 8 pin socket. HA!, good luck with that:rolleyes:, your going to have to cut the plug off the decoder/sound decoder and "HARD WIRE" it in. really its NOT a big deal;), but i just wanted to make it clear that Athearn circuit boards are NOT like P2K, P1K, Kato, etc., with those brands you can install a decoder or sound decoder quicker then you can take the shell off:thumb:, with Athearn products...break out the soldering gun:rolleyes:.

Don't get me wrong, i REALLY LIKE Athearn products:thumb:, i have quite a few, and some of them are my favorite engines;). but at THIS TIME you are NEVER going to just push an 8 pin decoder plug into their circuit boards 8 pin socket, put the shell on and run it:rolleyes:.
:D -Deano
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
Stewart brand engines are another GOOD brand to buy:thumb:. they DO NOT come with a decoder or sound decoder, but putting a sound decoder in the F9 i have of theres was just like putting one in a p2k, TOTALLY EASY:thumb:. it took me longer to get the shell off, then to install the sound decoder(plugged right in):thumb:. RUNS GREAT TOO!:thumb:
:D -Deano
 

bigsteel

Call me Mr.Tinkertrain
looks like i have a pretty comprehensive group of good companys,so off to trainworld!as for soldering,i dont mind it.if athearn is a good as they say they are,its worth it.and i've never heard of stewrt,do they have a website?--josh
 

UP SD40-2

Senior Member
bigsteel said:
looks like i have a pretty comprehensive group of good companys,so off to trainworld!as for soldering,i dont mind it.if athearn is a good as they say they are,its worth it.and i've never heard of stewrt,do they have a website?--josh
HERE YA GO JOSH!:thumb: http://www.bowser-trains.com/ ...though you can get them from Walther's, etc.;) hope this helps:D -Deano
 

hooknlad

Member
Hi all.. Im interested in investing a small fortune on engines... I have read some posts regarding, TRAINWORLD located in long island NY.. Has anyone ever had any problems ordering from this store online? Has there been any substitute stories? Just curious before I become disappointed.. What caught my eye to them, i that the advertise every month in MRR... I know that they would seem reputable if this popular magazine advertises with them... But I am also relatively certain that MRR would take my ad for broken widgets if i paid for several pages of print - lol

Thanx brothers and sisters for your more than accurate anticipated responses !!!
 
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