Atlas Gold or Silver

[budinoh]

What is the difference? One sells for alot more than the other. I am searching ebay for locos available in HO in the RF&P which I have chosen to model and found both of these brand locos listed. I also found some others but those 2 caught my eye due to price. So what is the difference?

Jeff

 

[NWCanuck]

They are both the same as far a quality and performance. The only difference is that “Gold” comes DCC Sound and Decoder equipped out of the box, hence the higher price, while "Silver" comes DCC ready meaning you can add these features at a later date but at this point they are only DC.

I personally buy the Silver because I can afford to buy multiple locos in a limited run of the same make (i.e., SD35's, GP38's), for $100-$125 and add Sound and DCC later as needed, versus only being able to afford one loco of a certain make at $200 plus (Gold Version).

The other thing to remember is that if you have three Silver locos, you may only need to sound equip one with DCC and Sound and the others with only DCC saving you money over buying all three in DCC and Sound equipped (Gold Versions). This is especially true when consisting like units, why have sound in all three when you only really need it in the lead unit?

 

[hamltnblue]

Atlas Gold has decoder and sound, Silver doesn't.
Here's a typical release of one of their loco's with a descriptor of what's included:
http://www.atlasrr.com/HOLoco/hodash840cw4.htm
The mechanics are the same, the difference is in the decoder/sound

 

[UP2CSX]

I agree with Brad, I buy the Silver versions mostly with an occasional Gold for an engine that looks like it will tough to shoehorn speakers into. The mechanisms and detail level are the same for both. I also tend to run one sound equipped engine in a consist. Too many make the sound just too overwhelming.