Has Model power found the key?!

[jettrainfan]

My mom told me i could order stuff and get things from the hobby shop for Christmas. I was told the budget was $150 so i planned on looking on model train stuff and hobbylinc. I went to Ho scale diesels first and my mouth dropped!
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mdp/mdp96854.htm
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mdp/mdp96855.htm
http://www.hobbylinc.com/htm/mdp/mdp96851.htm

Can these run as good as they look?! If they have the background story of walthers trainline, then Its Heaven all over again! Any info would be great!

[jward]

those appear to be the old mantua/tyco gp20s, which date back to the 1960s. i can't say how they run, but you can get much nicer detailed locomotives from other manufacturers at a similar price, look in the bachmann catalogue for examples....one thing that would stop me from buying one of these is that after all these years they haven't gone to a solid pilot. this tells me that this locomotive has truck mounted couplers, which just about everybody else have taken great pains to eliminate in favour of the much better performing body mounts. all in all it looks like an old pig in fresh lipstick.....

[jettrainfan]

Well, your info hasn't failed me yet. If your talking about the GP35-50(sorry,don't want to mention all of them)I sort of see where your coming from. If its gonna run like a nightmare in more ways than one, I'm taking second thoughts. Thanks for the info.

[lmackattack]

yea some of those may also have 4 wheel pick up and 2 wheel drive. if they still are like that it will be a PITA just to get them to run any slower than full speed LOL

Buy some old athearns on ebay for that price. I just got 2 powered switchers for $34 shipped!!!

[ABC]

Model Power speaking in generalities isn't that good. They have 2 or 3 nice engines, but that is it. The mantua engines on the other hand that are pretty much the same company are better quality and like they say..."You get what you pay for"...

[r0bert]

the MP gp30s are the same as the trainline ones
all wheel drive, can motor, no flywheel, tyco shell

[Nigel]

First off, the other respondants should visit the manufacturer's website before answering.

http://store.modelpower.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=2790

The MP GP20 have 8 wheel pick up, 8 wheel drive, a flywheel, LED lighting and magnetic couplers.  The reviews on this model in MR several years ago were very complimentary on the running smoothness and speed range.  There was an article in the same time frame on using the Mabuchi motors Mantua used to re-motor Athearn GP50s for superior speed control, smoothness and more prototypical speed range.

The drive is quite good.

The shell is excellent for the mid 1960's vintage that it is.  It has a scale width hood (Athearn's first was the SD40-2 in the mid 1980's).  The detials are not state of the art sharp today, and the battery boxes in front of the cab are way over size to clear the original drive - they could be modified.

Bottom line, if you want a GP20 in HO, there is this one, the P2K model and brass.

In terms of detail quality, the MP GP20 is roughly equivalent to Bachmann's GP40 - basically the lowest detail quality in Bachmann's current offerings.

[jward]

if you do want a nice looking, excellent running model power engine, try the metal train f7. they are also heavy enough to pull almost anything you put behind them.

as for the model power gp20, 8 wheel drive or not, that shell is still one ugly piece of work. comparing it to the bachmann gp40 is not fiar to the bachmann unit, which has an enclosed pilot, no unprototy[ical limps on the nose, etc.....unlike mp, when bachmann upgraded the drive in their gp40 they upgraded the body as well.

[CNE Runner]

I have a railroad buddy who has purchased the new Walthers GP15 (in DC) and says it runs extremely well. That locomotive is well within your budget.

Ray

[sparkyjay31]

Also try modeltrainstuff.com  They have fantastic prices, the service is just as nice, and they have real time inventory.

Be careful looking at Wholesale Trains.  When it says "available" thats exactly what they mean.  It could take months to fill your order.

For $150 you should also be looking into a dcc and sound diesel, if you think you may go that route someday.  Lots can be had at that budget that will run just fine on standard dc.  Check eBay.  Lots of reputable dealers there. 

[jettrainfan]

I was looking at the DCC dash 8s(my dad and i want a Santa Fe one BAD!!!) And i was looking at a DCC B&O(my favorite) F7a. So i have been looking because i got DCC E-Z command. Thanks for the info! I found the items for a great price!

[jbsmith]

found some excellent deals on some Bachanns

The UP you actually get is much nicer than the one in the photo, wich appears to be an N scale,,

http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/160-61501

Santa Fe
http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/PROD/160-61502

I got both of the above,, the product description of the UP is misleading or incredibly out of date, or describing the N scale.
Both are good decent runners. Strong motors. Reasonably quiet.
Would buy them again.

other Bachmanns
http://www.trainsetsonly.com/page/TSO/CTGY/13040-engspec

[jbsmith]

you are doing the right thing,,researching before buying.

I have had only one model power. It was new,,and yet it was staight out of
1968.
Traction Tires.----to me that now raises more red flags than a China pride rally in Beijing.
It had a Pancake motor, 4 wheel drive w/traction tires, 4 wheel electrical pickup. the piece o' junk cr@pped out after less than 2 hours.

Or was it a Life Like?
Model Power and Life Like,,bottom of the barrel,,intro level,,,good inexpensive gifts for kids to see if they like model trains and will most likely
wreck them anyways.

If you want quality and will take good care of the trains Go with
Bachmann,Atlas Trainman,Athearn or Atlas, all are good quality, reliable,
and easy to find, and won't break the bankroll, depending on where you buy them.

[jettrainfan]

Walters train line is a good company. Trust me, the picture is SCRAP compared to how it looks and runs. I had mine when i was getting into ho scale and earning money for my 3ed diesel (tyco scrapper and a anthem f7a&b set from my grandpa) So i was new to it all, the reason im mentioning this is because(well you know this one too...) it looked like something bachmann made in plastic! It still runs my line 2-3 times a week when i don't want my Gp40-2 running. I got enough Santa Fe F7s right now.  i have 3! (2 A and 1 B) I'm trying to build on my B&O roster now  The original plan was the L&W R.R.(my layout) was gonna be mostly B&O but i was wrong! 90% of my diesels and steamers are Santa Fe! Even this old 2-6-2T i bought from a train show was Santa Fe! (i didn't know till the next day) So im gonna try to get some Conrail and B&O soon. Thanks for the info!

[Hellhound]

I have the MP GP-20 purchased from Model train stuff. It has all wheel drive and all wheel pickup. It is heavy and runs good. This is a big improvement over the older RS-2 which jerks to a start, is way too light to pull many railcars and stalls on an up hill climb.