what is you favorite HO engine manufacturer

[zgardner18]

I have to say honestly I went with Athearn because they are mainly the only company that really puts out Montana Rail Link engines. Atlas has the SD35s in MRL but Athearn is making it happen. Therefore I chose Athearn because I have purchased a lot of their equipment due to those reasons.

I am a big fan of Atlas and P2K too. No problems with my Atlas engines at all but for the most part my P2K units are good. (3 axle units are great, 2 axle units not so good)

Kato are good but I hate putting them together as kits. They run nicely too.

All in all, right now my all time favorate are then new Genesis. I love my 4 new MRL F45. Athearn did a great job with personally detailing each one to look exactly like the prototype. All I need to do is add ditchlights which truely isn't a big deal and they will be just perfect.

I am looking forward to the ACe's when they come out. I'm sure that they will have MRL in those too. Also I am looking forward to the GP9 and hopefully they will offer a chopped nose along with the high hoods and in MRL as well.

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

I also chose Athearn for the same reasons already been posted here.

 

[diburning]

Athearn pretty much invented the modern HO locomotive. The blue box model with the all-wheel pickup, all-wheel drive truck with the gear tower, and the can motor in the middle was the pioneer for the modern HO scale locomotive. Before the blue box, all you had was the pancake motor over a single truck that had 2 speeds, 0 and 2000MPH.

Electrically, the Athearn model is also the easiest to figure out, unlike the newer MTH models with negative common wires, reversed motor polarity, etc. Once you figure out how to wire an Athearn loco, you have graduated. You can figure out most other brands.

 

[SDJeff]

I agree with that. Atlas locos are very well made. I have two GP40's taht were made back in the 70's. I also have two Atlas silver locos that were made in this century. A SD24 which I converted to my fictional SD27J and a GE U30C that I kitbashed to an EMD rebuild I call a U30M-R-EM-645. I incorporated parts from an Athearn SD40-2 into the design.

Cool L&A loco! Any Louisiana & Delta's?
Athearn is my favorite. Maybe one day I'll get back into model rr'ing.

 

[SD45T-2]

I love that Cat decal,on the hood.

 

[SD45T-2]

Im not surprised no one picked Overland. They are great to look at,but other then that,They suck.

I enjoy how Athearn,experimented with the Mexican market,and know we have some kick ass mexican stuff.

 

[Coy]

I've had great luck with Athearn Genesis, and RTR so I naturally picked Athearn, but I am indiscriminate when it come to my purchses. I do have a pre-order for a couple of the SD70ACe's, but I also have a pre order for a couple Intermountain ES44DC's, and my most recent purchse was an MTH SD70ACe in UP MKT heritage. I also own some Kato, and proto 2000 equipment.

Basically if it looks/runs nice, and it is something I want, I will buy it, no matter the brand.

I would love some Overland brass to look at!

 

[ddecino]

Atlas has been the best diesel loco I have had. They are very smooth and quite running, with very good slow speed. Genesis Steam has been very good for the price also

 

[PEIR]

I'd have to say my favorite brand is Athearn followed by the Atlas silver line but with Bowsers upcoming C630M's that may change.

 

[julienjj]

I would say Rivarossi first, then Athearn

 

[galaxy]

I will risk neck and limb to say that like Jeffrey W.'s #2 pick, I like my Bachmann DCC OnBoard locos. I have several and they run better than my Athearn, I think. I will give that I think the Athearn is a bit quieter perhaps, but my Bachmann's serve me well, at a price I can easily afford.

ALso from everything I have read posted on forums, Bachmann seems to have an excellent service record from those who reported on it. Seems that sending off to Philly, PA, USA for repairs, repairs are made under warrantee, sometimes even out of warrantee , and if can't be repaired then a new one delivered to replace the defective one. One can hardly beat that!

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences, others may vary.
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