Life Like trains any good?

[danspan]

I'm wondering if anyone has any feedback on the quality of the Life Like brand. My son is thinking of using his hard earned money to buy a Life Like GP-38 (Conrail) and some dome cars (Proto 1000 Budd RDC-3) and I want to know if anyone has any feedback about the quality of that brand. We've had rather bad luck with Bachmann trains so I don't want a repeat of that.

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

The standard line stuff is junk. The Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 stuff is good.

 

[jayl1]

The RDC cars are Proto 1000 - nice for the money. Mine run well. As for the CR engine - is it a Proto 2000? If not, save your $$. J-W beat me to the punch while I was typing.!

 

[DCCinstalled]

What they said... My Proto 2000 Conrail SD50 is nice!

The new proto 1000 GP15-1's aren't too bad... expensive though...

 

[danspan]

Thanks for the feedback! Another question: Is it possible to hook Life Like cars to Bachmann engines? We already have a couple of Bachmann sets and are looking at the LL Proto 1000 Budd RDC-3 dome cars. Thanks again!!

 

[MGWSY]

The RDC cars run by themselves as they are models of Rail Diesel Cars which were self propelled units. If you get the RDC then it will run by itself without a locomotive. The dome part in the middle of the car is the exhaust for the motor.

Check here.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Budd_Rail_Diesel_Car

 

[jayl1]

Thanks for the feedback! Another question: Is it possible to hook Life Like cars to Bachmann engines? We already have a couple of Bachmann sets and are looking at the LL Proto 1000 Budd RDC-3 dome cars. Thanks again!!

That depends on the couplers. If they are both knuckle couplers OR "horn hooks" they will work. If they are different, you can always change one coupler on 2 cars so they match.