Disillusioned UK modeller

Ray, Any of the P2K stuff is good and the diesels should fit in your price range(about $110 USA today). Also look at Atlas and Kato - Very good quality, but a little more expensive.

Jim Bernier

Ray wrote:

Accurate in what regard? Overall proportions, tiny details, paint schemes? I believe the short answer on the Proto 2000 models is yes. They are an excellent model for the price. There are various inaccuracies in several of the models, that are discussed at length by the various experts. I seldom know or care if a GP7 has 7 or 9 vent slots on a given access hatch. For HO scale I generally don't look close enough to count something like that.

I recommend something like the Proto 2000 S-3. Short wheel base, tough engine, great puller.

I agree, Proto 2000 is good, Kato even better. Atlas is in third, in my opinion. Jaijef

At least Atlas seems to have the good sense to offer the horrid QSI noise modules as an option rather than requiring them to be purchased with every model loco.

I really am distressed to see QSI making such a strong bid to be the number one supplier of model noise. Everything I've heard from them has been absolutely awful; including their steam noise as well.

They should take a cue from PFM, whose steam loco sound system of thirty-five years ago was ten orders of magnitude better than anything QSI has even thought about doing to date.

.................F>

Hello

I recently gave up on European modelling (German) using mainly Fleischmann and Roco. Since then I have moved to the US modelling and will never look back. Proto

2000 I am impressed with especially for the price. I have one Atlas GP40 and also I am very impressed. Just take care however, there is Atlas toys shop models and then there is Atlas serious high quality. You can't got wrong with Athearn Genesis, Stewart, Intermountain, Proto 2000, Atlas and Kato. Even Proto 1000 is good quality mechanisms with the bodies of lesser detailing than the Proto 2000. Even std Athearn items are ok to start with though full short of the previously mention manufactures. I can generally buy 3 Proto 2000 to the price of 1 Roco.

Cya Nigel

On Tue, 3 Feb 2004 17:45:53 -0000, "Ray" mumbled incoherently:

Ray, when I began MR a lot of years ago, the US manufacturers' offerings were not very good. We made up for that by scratchbuilding a lot of needed items, including much better detail. Scratch building is not all that difficult, once you get into it. Give it a go with your Brit railway first.

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=>It's not so much the detail side, it's more that the basic shape of the =>model is incorrect, grilles incorrectly positioned, panels over-size =>etc,etc, or shortcuts have been made that result in a model that looks =>toy-like. We have only one post steam era model that contains no major =>errors. =>Ray

From that p.o.v, Athearn Genesis, Proto2000/1000, Atlas, Kato, Broadway Limited, most Athearn "blue box" locos, Intermountain, Sterwart, Bachmann Spectrum are all accurate, although the detail hounds will find ample scope for superdetailing or adapting locos to a specific road's practices. And for that, there are so many parts, only the largest hobby shops can afford to stock them all.

So, go for it. For running qualities, I like Atlas, Kato, Gnesis, and Proto2000/1000 equally well. Can't say anything about differenecs in durability, though.

Wolf Kirchmeir ................................. If you didn't want to go to Chicago, why did you get on this train? (Garrison Keillor)