HO Locomotive Manufacturers Worst to Best (IMO)
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- čas přidán 29. 06. 2024
- In this video I'll be discussing what I feel are the worst to best of the HO companies that make locomotives. This however is just my opinion....
#video #modeltrains #discussion #vlog #youtube #trending #model #viral
Athearn is the master of diesels.
Agreed because I got one that is old but still made by Athearn
It’s SW1500 it was fresh but not being used before I think it is probably about 1980s or 1990s I was so amazed it ran
@@tacticalcalebgaming7264 Yep, even and especially the old Blue Boxes were great mechanical wise for their time (shells were meh though, thank goodness Highliners made great replacement ones)
Hopefully we get more aftermarket shells for the old BB ones, they deserve to look smart like a genesis.
Great review. You came out with guns blazin in your face no holds barred review. Yes in your opinion, you gave credit where do and pointed at shortcomings. Bravo. The industry needs to be shown areas that are less than stellar especially when charging premium prices. You stated facts from your own personal track time experience, what more could you ask for. In my book kudos on a superlative post. Thank you.
The problem with MTH was their electronics sucked! Same with Broadway's Blueline series!
But if you don't keep your track & wheels clean, any of them will run like junk!
Pretty much spot on , I would also include Intermountain and Kato in middle of pack. Best running engines but lesser detail Atlas with Kato drive from the 80s quiet reliable still have bunch , you cant kill them they keep going. Jeff.
I stepped into HO in the beginning of 2023. Because of recommendations I was buying only Scale Trains locomotives. However they seem to have motor issues in the ones built within 2022 to 2023. I now sent my second locomotive back to scale trains for a motor failure. Two locomotives had motor failures within a year of purchase. I like the details of the Scale Trains but the motor issues has me disappointed. However the Scale Trains service has been great and they turn around repairs within a month. They even sent me a prepaid shipping label. I have since been moving forward with Athearn locomotives. It's nice to hear I made the right choice. I was on the fence with Atlas and not sure if it would be something that I would be happy with. For now my focus is on Athearn and may consider Scale Trains again if they resolve their motor issues. They just totally crap out and quit working without warning. Thankfully Scale Trains offers a 2 year warranty if you register their product after purchase. Thanks for this video. On another note I'm primarily a O Gauge person and do not like MTH O Gauge locomotives.
I haven't looked at HO railroad since I was a teenager.
I had a small layout as a teenager I was continuously working on.
Back then I thought Athern was very nice and worked well.
When I retire at the end of the year I'm planning to start a new layout!
Posted before you mentioned your pics.
Looking forward to your opinion.
I did sort of the same and kept my 30 year old Athern locos from when I was kid. I just built a layout and they still run right out of that dusty ole’ box I found. Athern are bullet proof. I had many other brand locomotives in that box I saved and mostly only the Atherns ran. Ironically, my mantua/tycos with 3 pole motors mostly ran too.
Like to add some experience issues with BLI locomotives! I have purchased two different ones at different times because of the smoke units. The first one cost $ 50.00 to cover the repair. So far so good! The second purchase also with the smoke feature. I had to return because the smoke worked for about a week, it cost $ 99.00 to cover the repair! They said that their is covered for 60 days from the time I receive the unit back! It lasted about three weeks and they sent instructions to return unit! Now after getting the unit back it was fine for about a month and then all the lights came on and unit will not move in either direction!! Made contact with them because the 60 warranty was still in effect, now they do not know me or there’s no record of ever dealing with them! I am screwed! I hope everyone sees this!! It’s even harder when you’re on a fixed income! I only purchased these units for the grandkids!!!!
Bowser Century series early runs have motor issues .They burn windings and just have no torque. Sad they used a universal China motor that you would find in generic toys in the 70's with dual motor shafts and large flywheels .They are 5 polers ,but just trying to go cheap cost them.The replacement motors they have now are great. Should had did it right the first time.
Katos don't have the best details and are tragically limited in what you can get in HO scale, but hands down are the best running HO locomotives you can buy. Any time I decide I need to remotor a locomotive, such as Athearn Blue Box stuff, I put a Kato motor into it as well. The absolute gold standard for reliability; I have Katos that I've run for hundreds of hours pulling HEAVY trains up and over grades and show no signs of ever quitting.
Along the same line, old Atlas Yellow Box locomotives and Stewarts with Kato motors are also something I wouldn't hesitate to grab. Just avoid the yellow box Atlas that say "made in Austria" instead of Japan, those don't have the Kato motors and aren't worth bothering with, same goes for non-Kato Stewarts.
What about Tyco?
and life-like??
Before I go spending huge amounts of $$ on Rapido, Walthers, Broadway or Intermountain, I will start collecting brass. Brass has a very good resale value when I'm no longer here. Cheers - TN
I've got old Mantua's, Athearn and now Atlas engines. I do not own any Bachmann because they only last one year. I made improvements to all my Mantua's by changing out the magnets on all open frame (Pittman) motors to neodymium (rare earth) magnets and it made a HUGE difference in current draw and now they "creep" around the tracks. For Christmas I got 1 Atlas RS-3 Central of Georgia, 1 brass Hallmark Fairbanks-Morse H12-44 Central of Georgia, 4 freight cars Central of Georgia and 3 MOW Maintenance of Way rail cars (1 Kitchen, 1 Maintenance box car & 1 Working Caboose. Tomorrow I'm getting an Atlas Fairbanks-Morse H15-44 Central of Georgia. All are DC only as I hate the sound of HO DCC. It sounds way too tinny. Cheers from an ex-Georgian in eastern TN
I am mostly an Athearn guy, but I bought a Bowser sd40-2f, and when it arrived, one of the fans was floating around in the box.
Well laid out video sir. And I concur that model railroading is an affordable hobby compared to many others. I minimize the cost by buying second hand pieces or hidden gems that other modelers overlooked for some little problem or missing detail part. And by acquiring second hand units, I improve my modeling skills which I use to help out friends at the train club. Yes, I do buy new models but only for pieces I’ll likely never see even at the retail price since these things are like precious metals because the value always seems to go up. I can advise that newer modelers should only focus on the quality models so you won’t regret passing on some models that have inherent issues or toy like models that just clog up your storage area. Horse trading also helps me a lot, sometimes I’ll stumble across a couple locomotives dirt cheap but they’re not necessarily road names or units I collect so I’ll offer them up in trade for something of similar quality to a friend. Atlas locomotives have always ran perfect for me but I own 2 MTH models of the Challenger and an Allegheny that have sound and they both died the same way on our layout, the circuit board had a bad bridge capacitor and killed itself BUT, I also own 2 MTH SD70ACe’s with sound that I picked up for $125 each years ago and these things can’t be killed! They run perfectly but they have glaring detail problems compared to other manufacturers of the same model. And my Scale Trains Big Blow works great but the details are very delicate so handle cautiously.
I have Athearn, Bowser, Atlas and Bachmann, Lifelike
For me it's
5. Bachmann (my Bachmann slips horribly and can't even pull 7 cars)
4. LifeLike (my one LifeLike/Proto2000 has the typical problem that the gears broke on the previous owner, and are currently removed)
3. Athearn (of my 4 Athearns which are 2 each of Genesis and RTR only one didn't have loose handrails or windows, almost $300 for a locomotive the handrails shouldn't fall off right out of the box, and I hate they automatically start when you plug in the layout or put them on the tracks)
2. Bowser (I have one Bowser, I do love it, but it's finicky and doesn't want to run sometimes, it's also leaking grease from a truck. When it does run, that thing is a workhorse)
1. Atlas (I have 3 of these with LokSound V5 and never have an issue, some wrong details like my Conrail SD35 has the horn in the wrong location, and its good on cost.
Thanks for sharing this. My vote for best running locomotive (in my fleet) is Atlas with Kato drive - then Kato.😁
In the past week Ive replaced 4 speakers in 2 proto sd45 locomotives and 2 walthers mainline f7's because at full volume you could barely hear the sound. Now that they have really good Bowser dual cube speakers the sound is very good and loud. Manufacturers need to put better speakers in their locomotives.
Thanks for the insights on the different manufacturers. I'm just getting back into this hobby after 30 years and see many brands that I am not familiar with. As I'm re-learing everything about the hobby I allowed myself one new Atlas Master Silver locomotive, and a few old Athearn BBs to get me started. While there is more refinement in terms of operation and details when comparing the Atlas to the decades old second hand units, I got to say these old BBs still impress me with their overall longevity and simplicity for servicing...at worst, at least for me, a fresh set of Kadees, new wheelset, clean-up contacts, oil the bearings and drivecups, and grease the gears...ready for another several years of use!
IMHO Kato make the best Loco's. Not the best detailed but the drives are superb. These include( Stewart hobbies & Atlas) I like newer Atlas as well. I too was not that impressed with Bowser. I am surpsied how well Walthers perform as well. I don;t know about newer Athearn but I like the blue box Loco's as a lower priced alternative. Too many issues with Rapido. Bachmann is slowly (last 10 years) improving as well. Interesting video.
In my experience I've had nothing but problems with Athearn Genesis locomotives with getting them to run well. The Ready to Run ones seem to be better runners in my opinion.
Thank You Happy New Year!
did you mention Kate? By far the best runner of them all, almost bulletproof (except for a problem with their early version SD40-2 in HO, which is fixable). Perhaps not the most detailed by the new standards, but great.
I have the PRR E8 here but mine is a Walthers Proto. I avoid Bachmann products given the toxic chemicals in them and the cancer warning on the label. Bottom-line though, got to wash your hands after handling model trains.
I have Athearn Genesis NYC F3s from 2016. Great runners.
Athearn owns McHenry, that's why they use them.
Jim at Athearn has hinted that metal couplers are in the works. We'll see.
My first engine was a walthers and after 25+ years I still use it.
I have locomotives from Athearn (ready to roll and Genesis), Atlas, Kato, Life Like Proto 2000 and ScaleTrains and they all run very well. I don't have any from Intermountain or Rapido as of yet so I can't critique how they run.
Intermountain doesn't actually make locomotives, they just announce them. I preordered a bunch of them back in 2016 when they announced a bunch of Ohio Central models, the FP9s were cancelled and none of the rest have been made yet 7 years later. Everything else not cancelled still just says "Taking Reservations" on their website.
Model Power sold out to another company and is no longer. I see their E-8' in the Bachmann lineup. Their E-8's looked like they were made by ROCO and suffered from electrical continuity problems. Their trucks were not hard wired to the chassis and relied on friction fit conducting current.
Good video, I generally agree but what about Kato and Atlas/Kato? Lesser details maybe but such great running and reliability.
The reason why I didn't mention Kato or the Atlas/Kato models was because dont currently own or ever owned any of those. The list was made for what's been on the market for the last 5 years at least. And it was only locomotives I've had experience with. Now I've never heard anything negative about Kato. Mostly positive. But until I buy one, i cant say good or bad
@@NatersTrains Ah, of course! That’s fine, I just wondered is all. Thanks for the explanation.
Went from Walthers mainline to Atlas Gold and now older Genesis. My ES40DC and SD75M have been reliable, no questions asked. I've only noticed headlights sometimes are a little protruding or recessed from the housing
Most of my new locomotives are either Athearn Genesis or Scaletrains Rivetcounter. My top 5 are;
5. Bachmann
4. Walthers Mainline
3. Atlas
2. Scaletrains
1. Athearn
I have no Rapido or Bowser locomotives. That's why they are not in my ratings.
Great Review My Take would be the companys making engines should give you the option of what decoder you would like to have installed On my Layout I use all Tsunami 2 decoders had to install Buddy Boards in some like Bowser and Scale trains Just wish Soundtraxx good get their foot in the door of these manufactures.
Thanks for the video! Athearn drivetrains are too noisy. The only quiet Athearn I have is a Genesis 2.0 SD90MAC-H Phase II. Its drivetrain is quiet and can compare to an Atlas Gold or ScaleTrains. Athearn details I give an A to. Drivetrain noise I give a D. The drivetrains are smooth though. I like ScaleTrains the best, smooth, quiet, dual speakers, and dual capacitors. I put capacitors in all my locomotives is very important to me. I like Walthers Proto and Rapids too. I only have the latest RS-3 models from Rapido, but all 6 of them I bought run smooth and quiet. Regards, NS.
My top 5 based on quality, price and value:
1. Athearn
2. Walthers
3. Atlas
4. Scaletrains
5. Rapido
Honorable mentions:
Bachmann, Kato and Intermountain.
I had 2GP 50 NS that would get down and pull a train.Later came the CSX and NS WC dash 8 locomotives.I have switched to o gauge.Due to my eye sight.Athern good locomotives.
my 1972 Athearns STILL run beautifully and I have spare parts for them too even in 2024.
This needs to be a matrix with time on the additional axia because some companies have been at both ends of the spectrum.
Atlas is indeed the best to buy reliable affordable models from, particularly in the second hand/ third hand market.
I'm generally a Loksound guy, but there is nothing wrong with the Tsunami 2's .
Athearn is number 1.
Yep, Athearn, Kato, Walthers, and Atlas make up the great majority of my HO scale collection, plus an InterMountain Cab Forward. There’s almost nothing in an old Athearn Blue-box model that can’t be fixed, and the truck sideframes are easily swappable if I want to model a trade-in unit. They lack in the detail department, but this is an advantage for young modelers just getting into the hobby; that, and their reliability. 😊
I have SEVERAL (at least nine) old Athearn blue-box locos, including one that I bought at age 14 (I'm now 66). ALL of them still run (with regular maintenance, of course), and they are ALL solid as rocks - include the Santa Fe FP45 I bought when I mentioned above. I'll take then over pretty much anything.
if you run Kato and Atlas you basically won't have a lot of problems. Katos MU nicely too even in DC. Like going to a Marriott, you always know what you're gonna get.
I buy cheap, but I buy very good quality. Timing is everything.
Atlas with Kato drives are far superior to their Chinese equivalent - however, the Chinese detailing is supurb. I had one Bowser RS-3 I had to replace the motor with a NWSL unit and it was not as easy a with Athearn. Early Bachmann diesels howeled but newer versions re far superior.
For the money Atlas has always been my first choice. But now they all come from China so it's just a matter of degrees. Over the years Bachmann has improved in **detail** but I still doubt their long term reliability (also true in their British OO scale models), and what they charge on par with better brands is a joke to me. It's as if they're trying to convince us that since they charge as much they're just as good. Not buying it, literally or figuratively. The series I wish was still available perhaps with further detail improvements is IHC Premier steam locos. They have the best traction by far of any steam loco models I have. Much prettier models just spin their wheels.
MTH Ho locomotives aren’t really great but their ho rolling stock is very detail for a great price
Mantua's, varneys, and hobbytown of boston are the best! When it goes to mechanical reliability
I totally agree with you on Athearn. Athearn Gennies are my all time favorite. Thanks for sharing!
What loco is that scale trains model
emd sdl 39
Best are Athearn, Kato, Lima, Mehano, Roco, Rivarossi, Piko and Roco.
cheap post varney clone chassis Life like, except for the 0-4-0 tender loco and Nylon gear era bachmann (1980-2000) are the worst.
Nice video. I have to disagree with you on your top-rated manufacturer. I do agree that there are many ins and outs when it comes to HO-scale locomotives. Even though Athearn are descent models at best. I feel Athearn is always playing catch-up when it comes to detail and quality. Case in point, I have broken drive shafts on several locomotives whether it's a Ready-To-Run or a Genesis. I don't have this problem with any other manufacturer even Bachmann. My list would have been 1. Walthers 2. Rapido 3. Athearn 4. ScaleTrains 5. Atlas 6. Kato 7. Bowser 8. Broadway 9. Intermountain. To as far as couplers are concerned you are crying over spilled milk as the saying goes. There are major factors that go into that and I think your wish is a pipe dream. First! Modelers have been changing couplers on locomotives for years. Then, you have the various styles that locomotives use if you want to be prototypical. Last, just like the chip shortage, Kadee is having labor problems and can't serve all the manufacturers and all their models. That's why most manufacturers are designing their own couplers now. Most can stand up to normal use. If I were you I would complain more about on how manufacturers like Bowser, Atlas, and even Intermountain on how they use screws to hold their locomotives rather than to use the clam-shell design that all the others use (except Kato). I agree with you about Atlas. They seem to be picking and choosing what details they are going to put on certain locomotives. Good video, it is always to talk about these issues so manufacturers can get a better feel on what we would like and ways to make better models.
Putting scale trains so far behind is… questionable at best but then again it’s your opinion.
@@yankeesforlife24 Problems I have with Scale Trains couplers have a tendency to be low, separate truck holders, no parts diagram, had problems with contacting their repair department, lately parts are loose or not applied right. I feel these problems could be a simple fix, but they refuse to change these things.
Is your 1 to 9 also worst to best? Or best to worst?
@@TobiasL1000 Best to worst.
DANGEROUS to list the Manufacturer ..
BUT .. 3 or more of its locomotives, 2 Steam/ 1 Diesel ARE USELESS
local Hobby Shop and several who do repairs tell me “WONT TOUCH THEM WITV A 10 FOOT POLE” … WOW! The Manufacturer will repair fora fee … but if they “FAIL OUT OF THE BOX”
… WHY BUY THEM!!!🤬
Why buy them? I guess I could always spend my money on nasty Ladies of the Evening I suppose. Or those clear drinks that make you lose all coherency. Or even worse. Just remember, you dont have to buy the stuff yourself............
Just sayin
I’ll take tsunami 2 any day over ESU way more reliable than ESU in my experiences
Atlas, Kato and some Walthers lines are twice the model of the athearn. And now Scale Trains, Rapido, Intermountain Bowser and a few others got the athearn beat hands down in the quality of prototype colors and some parts inaccuracies. Athearn has so many other products it just appears to me they got a little much on their plate to get everything perfect, it's about money money money is how I see athearn.
22:16: Fart horns.
Man, I bought a $1,500.00 steam engine from Lionel and the sound board started smoking and I have to go back and forth with them, when you pay for CHINESE JUNK this is what you get. I don't buy new anymore. I have heard horror stories about these manufacturers, JUST STOP BUYING GARBAGE.
My American pattern is made up of Marklin.
How boring can it get?
You need to watch other You Tube channels. Your speech patterns are awful and you just ramble. You might have good info but your presentation is very poor.
Am I supposed to care what you think? If you dont like how I talk, go watch those other CZcams channels yourself and dont watch my videos. Because really, your opinion is like your a--. You have one and it smells like sh--.
Right let’s see your content then? My man is out here putting in the work his own style. If he was like “other CZcamsrs” you’d call him out for trying to imitate them. I like his style because it’s personal. It’s him. You’ll just be an ass no matter what.
I agree bachmann will always be at the bottom, great details, but even the plus and spectrum are questionable at best..junk