Athearn VS Atlas

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J

Jason K

Member
I like both. I was wondering what one is the best between the two for detailing parts,motors,parts and etc.


Thanks
Jason
 
I have both. Athearn Genesis gets closer to specific prototype than Atlas does, but they also cost a little more. The two companies do not overlap much, at least for what I want.
 


Atlas has the best drive and quality.

Athearn has the best variety and the newer stuff will be roadname specific, although Atlas has sort of caught on to the road-specific trend.

Athearn tends to release stuff faster, and has more new products as they're owned by a larger company. Atlas is a smaller company.
 
Details West and Cannon as a couple of examples that make detail parts. Some are specific to an Atlas or Athearn but most are generic to the hobby manufacturer but specific to a prototype like an SD40 or Dash 2 units, etc. As far as I can recall neither Atlas or Athearn offers anything other than replacement parts for their products.
 
So basicly is totally up to me what one I like the best between the two of the.Again it is like ford vs chevy or mac vs pc thing..Here I go again.lol.So what are the places that make custom parts for them I think that is the only way I came to a decision now.I know I have 4 athearns and looking at trying a few atlas's just too see what one I perfer.

Thanks
Jason
 
I'm a Athearn man in HO even though I have some Atlas locomotives..

Athearn has the larger selection of locomotives from a SW1000 to a 4-8-8-4.

Drive wise Atlas is hard to beat.

I have 2 Athearn GP40-2 bodies on a Atlas drive..I did this so my GP40-2s could run with my Atlas GP38s and U23Bs.
 
Jason K said:
...So what are the places that make custom parts for them..
Thanks
Jason
Click to expand...

Jason;

http://www.precisionscaleco.com/
Brass and plastic parts for both steam and diesel. Limited selection for diesels.

http://www.bowser-trains.com/Main HO.htm
Very similar to PSC, has both brass/plastic detail parts. Listed on the page under two product lines, Cal-Scale & Cary. Limited for diesels as well.

http://detailswest.com/
For the diesel detailer. All of their parts AFAIK, are for diesels. They have hundreds of different detail parts.

http://www.mgsharp.com/Details_Associates.htm
Similar to Details West, tons of diesel details, but this isn't DA's website, they don't have one, but this appears to be one of their big retailers & distributors. They have hundreds of different detail parts as well.


Between this companies, you should find any part , detail wise, you need.
As Mike mentioned, Cannon & company, makes custom doors, cabs, hoods etc, for detailing diesels.
 


Well I will get a atlas and try them out.They sound alittle better then athearn I will just have too see what one I like better.It looks like detail parts are about equal for the athearn and the atlas.So I will get a atlas being that I have 3 athearns now.

Thanks for the input guys

Jason K
 
kbkchooch said:
really?:confused:
I do hope you are talking about the sound equipped models, not the old BB growlers!
Click to expand...

Karl,Every time I read that statement I have to laugh..BB locomotives was never a true growler,howler or screamer..

The true growlers,howlers and screamers was the old diesels of the 50/60s from Hobbytown,Varney,Tenshodo and brass diesel locomotives with the KMT drives.:D
 
Brand new to here and a novice to model railroading, but, when I have a choice between Bachmann, Walthers or Athearn I'll choose Athearn every time! Quality is way beyond the first two. Haven't tried Atlas yet. I have several items from each and although my Bachmann set is good, it isn't compatable with the other two without changing all the couplers. Walthers has tons of good stuff and is easier to find locally and on the internet, but everything I have from Athearn looks and feels of a much higher quality. I just wish that they would keep more stuff in stock. More than half of the equipment they show on their website seems to be "Out of Stock".
 


Brakie said:
The true growlers,howlers and screamers was the old diesels of the 50/60s from Hobbytown,Varney,Tenshodo and brass diesel locomotives with the KMT drives.:D
Click to expand...

Don't laugh, but, I have a pair of Alco Models Baldwin Sharks with KMT drives (brass for the noobs) and I decided to run them at on of our module deployments. Even though they have can motors and flywheels, I actually had people ask whose sound chip was in them!!:eek:
 
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