Loco Brand Questions

[Signal Maintainer]

Hello, new member here with a few questions. Any help would be greatly appreciated...

I have not setup a layout in over 15 years, so I know many things have changed since then. I'll be starting mostly from scratch since much of my old HO stuff has been past down to family.

I keep reading that Kato & Atlas are on top as far as quality, smoothing running locos go. Is this the general consensus? If so, who makes an Amtrak P42 Genesis in Phase V colors? I know Kato makes them in N scale but didn't see it in HO.

Thanks!

 

[jbaakko]

Walthers has Athearn make a P42 in Phase V about once a year. They sell out fast and are hard(ish) to find.

 

[Signal Maintainer]

Thanks for the reply, how is the quality by Athearn?

 

[tcwright973]

Walthers is taking pre-orders now for the next release scheduled for August.
Tom

 

[jeffrey-wimberly]

Athearn's quality on the RTR (Reaty to Run) stuff is pretty good. Their BB (Blue Box) is so-so but is generally good. Most of my Athearn locos are Blue box. Proto 2000 (Life-Like by Walther's) is good with Proto 1000 being second down the list. Avoid Life-Like standard line (cheap) like the plague!

 

[Signal Maintainer]

Walthers is taking pre-orders now for the next release scheduled for August.
Tom

Thanks for the head ups!

Athearn's quality on the RTR (Reaty to Run) stuff is pretty good. Their BB (Blue Box) is so-so but is generally good. Most of my Athearn locos are Blue box. Proto 2000 (Life-Like by Walther's) is good with Proto 1000 being second down the list. Avoid Life-Like standard line (cheap) like the plague!

Thanks for the info...I guess Athearn is my only choice at this point if I want a P42 in Phase V paint.

 

[Airslide]

i got an athern F unit at a garage sale. it was part of a set. it looked beat up but it runs like a champ. I only have 4 locos, three bachmans that i got new and the athern is tougher than all of them. Athern is definitly the way to go.

 

[Rogue]

I have an Athearn/Walthers P42 in Phase V colours and it looks great and runs like a dream, I definately recommend them!

 

[Rotorranch]

I have a P40/42/AMD103 Athearn in early Amtrak colors. I like it. It runs well, although a bit noisy. (Typical Athearn growler.) Once I put a decent sound decoder in it, (and ditch the MRC sound decoder I installed in it) I'll be quite happy with it.

Get the Athearn...it's about your only choice for that model.

Rotor

 

[Signal Maintainer]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Maybe I'll just do an N scale layout so I can get the Kato one...LOL.