"new" model power steam?

"Frank Eva"

From the looks of the rather small photos, no thanks.

-- Cheers Roger T.

I hear 'ya! The only interest I have in them was the really low price they posted on their website. I'd gladly pay $75 for a DCC socket-equipped 0-6-0 Goat Switcher with Slopeback Tender, simply because I think it's cute, and rather unique. However, if their prices have doubled since they were originally made available in Model Power's online catalog, I will probably pass as well.

Well, as RTR, they don't measure up modern plastic steamers like the Bachmann Consolidation. But as the basis for kitbashes they have a lot going for them. Good smooth running mechanisms, solid Zamac boilers for weight, and easy attachment of detail parts. My best steamer in a kit bashed Mantua Pacific. It was a fun project that came out very nicely. I used brass detail parts (pilot, air compressors, ladders) to build up a complete new all brass front end assembly, replacing the rather poor factory plastic front end casting. The Mantua's were in production for a long time and there are plenty of them at train shows for quite reasonable prices.

David J. Starr

Model Power has promised improved tooling. It remains to be seen how far they go. The catalog is back up at the MP website, and the prices haven't changed. This means that an 0-6-0 Camelback with Slopeback Tender is still going for only $80. The most expensive one they're offering is the articulated logger w/tender, and that's $140. I wonder where MR got the $150 price? It's obvious that most of these will go for much less than $150.

The advertisement in the September Model Railroader is for N Scale Steam Locomotives - I believe the earlier comments were about their HO Scale line ...

That's the answer, then. Model Power has been advertising their own N scale Pacifics for a long time. I do not believe these are based on anything Mantua did - I'm not even sure Mantua did any N scale stuff...

Model power did indeed buy the Mantua line. When you can find them on eBay for $25-$50 they're a reasonably good buy. Unless Model Power has made MAJOR changes to the Mantua line, that's what they're still worth.

Don

-- snipped-for-privacy@prodigy.net

Have you looked at Bowser prices lately?

Jim Stewart

Isn't that contradictory?

I demand that my locomotives, steam and diesel, to run superbly AT low speed.

-- Cheers Roger T.

No, Swiss watches aren't really made to run slow.

"Joe" >

Was I just being slow and not getting the joke?

-- Cheers Roger T.

I had a Bachmann that ran like a Swiss watch. Tick tick tick tick tick tick...with every revolution of the wheels.

Jay CNS&M Wireheads of the world, unite!