*New* from Athearn!

[kf4jqd]

Hello Everyone:

Today I picked up my replacement Rock Island locomotive that fell off my shelf and broke.

At the hobby shoppe we opened it up to make sure everything is there. To our suprise, Athearn now uses plastic hand rails! You heard me correct. No more metal hand rails. Then we removed the shell of the locomotive. It looks the same.

So, I am going to start a poll. What would you like better: Plastic or Metal handrails?

Andy

 

[IMRL393]

It depends!

I like the Kato plastic handrails - they were much easier to install than Athearn metal rails.

But...

I had more trouble with the Stewart plastic handrails.

So it would depend on if the Athearn plastic handrails were more like Kato's or Stewart's in design!

- George

 

[rockislandmike]

I heard that was happening; I'm curious whether the SD40-2 which is supposedly in the postal system will have the plastic or metal. I believe the plastic handrail is one-piece, which is why I voted for the plastic. Getting those metal stanchions on the handrail and then getting them all aligned is the most god-awful process.

 

[Topo]

For me, the old metal handrails were a real pain to install&paint...
but in the RTR Genesis line, they look superbe...

So, I have mixed feelings: if I'm supposed to install it, I prefer plastic handrails. But if they came installed (and painted, if necessary), the metallic look (usually) better.

 

[kf4jqd]

They're nice!

I just got done putting my locomotive together. The plastic ones are ALOT better to work with than the metal. They are a signle peice of plastic. Easy to paint too. I think everyone will like them.

Andy

 

[60103]

Which metal handrails? The ones where the stancions are flattened at the top with a hole drilled through? or the ones where its flattened the other way and you have to bend it around the hand rails until it breaks?

I haven't bought an Athearn unit for umpteen years.

 

[Wolv33]

Type of handrails does not matter to me. Whatever is easiest to install. I think the plastic will be a lot easier than what I have been used to though.

And, IF for some reason, I do not like the plastic ones, I can always go to a shop, get some scale wire, and make the metal handrails. I have done that a time or two, when people from Ebay promised that the "locomotive was new in the box" and it was missing all its parts!