proto,bachman, or ihc

[chesapeake chaney]

i am using my economic incentive check on increasing my steam loco stock.  most steamers i want such as the 2-8-2 mikado and 4-8-2 heavy pacific come from all these companies.  i have digitrax dcc so i want sound and dcc.  suggestions please . i want to make my money last so economics have a large part in my decision.  i noticed that trainworld has the 4-6-2 heavy dcc-sound from bachman for 159.00.  is this true does anyone know?.  all suggestions will be welcome.  bwchaney  i already have the 2-8-0 consolidated that had generic sound installed on it.  i am not mechanically inclined so i cannot install the decoder and sound myself.

[Guilford Guy]

I think P2k only makes 2-8-8-4's, 2-8-4's, 0-8-0's, and 0-6-0's. Bachmann makes Heavy and Light 4-8-2's. Roundhouse Trains is reissuing the Spectrum 4-6-2's so you may want to look into that. IHC locos are lacking in detail so you may want to overlook them if your set on detail. Broadway Limited Imports is another company to look into. They make 2-8-2's, and announced 4-6-2's but those have been put on hold. BLI has a variety of steam.
http://www.broadway-limited.com/

[Daylight4449]

I personally prefer bachmann.

[Paul M.]

I think P2k only makes 2-8-8-4's, 2-8-4's, 0-8-0's, and 0-6-0's. Bachmann makes Heavy and Light 4-8-2's. Roundhouse Trains is reissuing the Spectrum 4-6-2's so you may want to look into that. IHC locos are lacking in detail so you may want to overlook them if your set on detail. Broadway Limited Imports is another company to look into. They make 2-8-2's, and announced 4-6-2's but those have been put on hold. BLI has a variety of steam.
http://www.broadway-limited.com/

However, the IHCs generally run pretty well.

i am using my economic incentive check on increasing my steam loco stock.  most steamers i want such as the 2-8-2 mikado and 4-8-2 heavy pacific come from all these companies.  i have digitrax dcc so i want sound and dcc.  suggestions please . i want to make my money last so economics have a large part in my decision.  i noticed that trainworld has the 4-6-2 heavy dcc-sound from bachman for 159.00.  is this true does anyone know?.   all suggestions will be welcome.  bwchaney  i already have the 2-8-0 consolidated that had generic sound installed on it.  i am not mechanically inclined so i cannot install the decoder and sound myself.

If the Trainworld ad says it, It's true!



Bachmann Spectrum is the best Bachmann product line, although Gene tells us that the newer blue-boxed Standard line runs as good as Spectrum. I'll test that as soon as I get my 0-6-0 from Trainworld.... my first one was defective and had broken siderods, causing it not to run at all.

[Guilford Guy]

I personally prefer bachmann.

Bachmann Spectrum Steam is pretty good, but do you own any Proto 2000, or BLI steam?
Yes Paul, IHC has one of the most reliable mechanism's known to man. If they could improve the detail, and not use 10-20 year old moldings, their locos could be real winners.

[Pacific Northern]

One of the IHC steamers I would consider is their 2-10-2. I saw one in the LHS and I was quite impressed with the detail. Feedback has been very good on that engine. It will even handle 18" curves, although it will not look good.

Now if only IHC would seriously upgrade their other steamers. The blackened side rods are a start only.

[Guilford Guy]

I was surprised to see, that despite RP25's on the 4-6-2's, an 2-8-2's, that NO additional details were added. I was rather disappointed, especially since BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's.

[Santa Fe buff]

My list:
Bachmann
And Proto. Bam, done.

[Pacific Northern]

I was surprised to see, that despite RP25's on the 4-6-2's, an 2-8-2's, that NO additional details were added. I was rather disappointed, especially since BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's.

I was not surprised that BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's. What I am waiting for is the re-release of the 4-6-2 by Roundhouse.

Hopefully they will have some added on details and not be as bland as their current 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's and 2-8-0's.

If they do it right they will have a winner, the Genesis 4-6-2 was a good looking engine. Wonder if the 2-8-2 Mike will be following..

[Santa Fe buff]

I was surprised to see, that despite RP25's on the 4-6-2's, an 2-8-2's, that NO additional details were added. I was rather disappointed, especially since BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's.

I was not surprised that BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's. What I am waiting for is the re-release of the 4-6-2 by Roundhouse.

Hopefully they will have some added on details and not be as bland as their current 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's and 2-8-0's.

If they do it right they will have a winner, the Genesis 4-6-2 was a good looking engine. Wonder if the 2-8-2 Mike will be following..

Maybe they had some problems like transportation, or how the locomotives ran.

[Pacific Northern]

I was surprised to see, that despite RP25's on the 4-6-2's, an 2-8-2's, that NO additional details were added. I was rather disappointed, especially since BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's.

I was not surprised that BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's. What I am waiting for is the re-release of the 4-6-2 by Roundhouse.

Hopefully they will have some added on details and not be as bland as their current 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's and 2-8-0's.

If they do it right they will have a winner, the Genesis 4-6-2 was a good looking engine. Wonder if the 2-8-2 Mike will be following..

Maybe they had some problems like transportation, or how the locomotives ran.

You are new to the model railroad world.

BLI has a history of announcing items and not producing, delay after delay.

The do however make a good product I have the Hudson and few mikes and some F units as well. Great running engines.I do not have any of the Blueline only their Paragon series.

[Santa Fe buff]

I was surprised to see, that despite RP25's on the 4-6-2's, an 2-8-2's, that NO additional details were added. I was rather disappointed, especially since BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's.

I was not surprised that BLI keeps pushing back their 4-6-2's. What I am waiting for is the re-release of the 4-6-2 by Roundhouse.

Hopefully they will have some added on details and not be as bland as their current 4-4-0's, 2-6-0's and 2-8-0's.

If they do it right they will have a winner, the Genesis 4-6-2 was a good looking engine. Wonder if the 2-8-2 Mike will be following..

Maybe they had some problems like transportation, or how the locomotives ran.

You are new to the model railroad world.

BLI has a history of announcing items and not producing, delay after delay.

The do however make a good product I have the Hudson and few mikes and some F units as well. Great running engines.I do not have any of the Blueline only their Paragon series.

BLUELINE? If I would've known it meant Blueline I would've agreed. I'm dumb, I even had Blueline's site on another tab! They are slow, but they do have better products, I can't believe I thought BLI was something else! I hate when I do this, I don't think of all the companies, for me, duh, BLI- BlueLineIndustires!
Sorry, things happen, and why yes, I am newer to model railroading, but not stupid.

[Guilford Guy]

BLI is Broadway Limited Imports. Blue Line is their DC Sound Equipped locomotives that are DCC Ready, and feature their own sound system. Paragon has QSI or loksound decoders in them, although Blue Line locos have the same amount of detail, but cost less since they don't have an expensive decoder from another manufacturer.

[rains train]

My list:
Bachmann
And Proto. Bam, done.

My list:
Atlas
Athearn
Proto
InterMountain
Bachmann
Walthers

That is for 3 engines and a little over 16 rolling stock!

[Santa Fe buff]

BLI is Broadway Limited Imports. Blue Line is their DC Sound Equipped locomotives that are DCC Ready, and feature their own sound system. Paragon has QSI or loksound decoders in them, although Blue Line locos have the same amount of detail, but cost less since they don't have an expensive decoder from another manufacturer.

I think it is better for me to stop replying...