In general how "good" are Athern steam engines? This has major cute apeal but if it don't run, it won't be cute. http://www.athearn.com/Product/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH10901
Rodney has it exactly. These are marketed under the Athearn name since Horizon bought out MDC/Roundhouse. I think the new releases now come with a knuckle coupler instead of Rapidos. The MDC 2-8-0 and 2-6-0 are great running locos. Regards
Steve: Athearn bought out MDC. The MDC 2-8-0 is a fantastic steam loco. It's one of the best performing steam loco's in N Scale. JFYI Steve: Trainworld still has the MDC 2-8-0 on sale for $59.95. It's definitely worth the price as the original MSRP on the 2-8-0 was $190. TrainWorld Take a look at their ads in any RR magazine. Stay cool and run steam.....
I have 3. I love them. Two ran great out of the box. Third was returned to retailer who swapped it for new. new one is perfect, as well.
Thanks guys, Hmm, wonder what they would look like in GN EB or dare I , CP multi mark. Hmmm, uhn, what? Oh man, the CFO is screaming at me. CFO: You can't aford it! CEO, (me): But they have major chick apeal CFO: Buy one of those and you won't be able to aford a chick or a girlfriend CEO: < whine >But, but , but Just imagine one painted up in GN EB, you know (like an SD45. CFO: No, No, No, No, um, well, Ok, maybe.
They run so well they are the only locomotive in four decades of modeling in N scale that I went out a bought a second. They run, and run, and run some more. i have run them for eight hours straight at train shows. In addition, they will negotiate the 7 inch radius curves on my layout. The MDC Mogul runs just as well, and TrainWorld has them on sale for $49.95. These two are the best small steam around, IMHO. Now, I'm anxiously awaiting the Model Power 4-4-0!
I was looking at an ad placed for new steamers by Model Power which promised the Mogul and American by 2004. Here we are half way into 2005, and still no Mogul or American. Must be in the same warehouse as their FP7.
Add my recommendations of the MDC 2-8-0 and 2-6-0. Assuming that the only modifications that the Athearn makes to it are the better couplers and paint schemes, it will be an improvement over the old MDC. MDC's paint schemes were fine, but the proposed ones by Athearn do look to be a bit more colourful. MDC's knuckle coupler, on the other hand, is a lemon. In the case of the coupler, MDC stands for : 'Mighty Darn Crummy', 'Mostly Don't Couple' or 'Modellers Driven Crazy'. These are supposed to have Accumate couplers. While Accumates do have their problems, they are better than MDCs. Except for the Atlas' wood boxcars, every Accumate application was easily changeable to MT. On the Atlas, you DO NOT substitute MT Andrews trucks for the Atlas. What you do is chop off the extension on the Atlas/Accumate truck and body mount. As for the eight-wheeler, I do hope that it comes soon. If anyone tried that here, there would be fifty lawyers filing eighty lawsuits. I guess that such can not occur in Chosen.
Ken: Welcome to Trainboard... my friend.. There are currency problems in Korea, Ken. Stay cool and run steam....
Thanks, I needed a good chuckle. Very well timed. What is also amusing is I can't think of a single diesle I want to get rid of and yet I have far more than I can use.
Hi Ken, Welcome! I had a 2-8-0 run on my layout before I went to DCC. What a sweet little runner! I didn't buy any because I have too many projects already ongoing. Korean manufacturers, as well as Chinese manufacturers, seem to be playing a currency game or, maybe, a blackmail game. I know this only from a friend who imports furniture from both countries. It seems he has to literally show up in person, documents in hand, to get his purchases shipped, and that is not always successful. There have been many stories o full payments made, and no shipments until a further payment was made. This happens all over the world--the US included. Domestically, as you would know, we have resources to resolve these things. Once you cross international lines, it gets much tougher. I think MP has done a great job--recently. They seem to be learning what it takes to play in a market that demands better quality. Hope you'll post some of your "Steamguy Reviews" here.
Voices in my head: Look, man, trainworld even has: Life Like SD7's ASSORTED ROADS 19.99 LIFE LIKE GP-38 ASSORTED ROADS 19.99 Go for it, go ahead, get two of each and couple of the engines. /// Slowly reaches for wallet, Slides credit card out, Sees the number for "EBA", (Engine Buyers Anno), covering the card number. Starts to tremble, Slides the card back into the wallet, Takes a few deep breaths and gets some decafe Earl Grey. Thanks for the advice guys. Let's see when I get the tax bill.
Hmmm... based on that e-mail from Mr. Tager of Model Power... I do tend to see some correlation to the Korean built items not arriving as scheduled. But... I still wonder.
