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12444
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 Posted - April 25 2015 : 3:38:06 PM
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Poll Question:
Hey, all. As you know, I have 3 HO Sscale Proto 2000 loco's. I have a CB&Q SD7, an Erie Railroad E8, and an Illinois Central E8. I think they're great loco's. They're built well, have great detailing, and run like champs. The E units pull like nothing else, also. My Erie E8 has out pulled an old Athearn blue box DD40 on my club's layout! So, what do y'all think of HO scale Proto 1000 and 2000 loco's?
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I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
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Posted - April 25 2015 : 3:56:00 PM
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Only problem is first run steam as it's tractive effort lagged. The second runs are good. Oddly, the diesels do sometimes split gears like an Athearn. Yet to get one. They're nicely detailed models and now I'm waiting for Walthers to bring the whole line back.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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12444
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Posted - April 25 2015 : 4:04:25 PM
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quote:Oddly, the diesels do sometimes split gears like an Athearn.
Originally posted by Redneck Justin - April 25 2015 : 3:56:00 PM
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The diesels use drivetrains very similar to Athearn's drivetrains, heck, most of them are almost direct clones of Athearn's drivetrains. That might be where that gear splitting potential comes from. You get a heavy load behind the loco, peg the throttle and get the wheels a' hoppin', and there goes a gear!
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
Edited by - 12444 on April 25 2015 4:04:48 PM
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Posted - April 25 2015 : 4:43:37 PM
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Overall I do think they are great locos, although I have occasionally got a split gear. Easy enough to replace so not an issue. The details are impressive too.
Those P2K E units do pull like crazy. Nice and heavy. And I have a pair of P1K F3s - an A and a B, both powered - and I would say that they are the best running, smoothest, quietest pair of locos I own.
http://tycodepot.com/
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 12:52:38 PM
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Man, this died quick. No voters at all in the last however long it's been? :( Come on, people! Tell me your opinions! Vote! Do yer thing!
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
Edited by - 12444 on April 26 2015 12:53:29 PM
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 2:24:20 PM
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My P2K GP30 is a very reliable hauler and runner....
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 2:25:51 PM
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I own F3s and FA2s that were early models. Both were basically blue Athearn drives with an improved motor. Detail is good. Neither model had enough weight. OK models with a premium. Price.
Regards, John
I can make more generals, but horses cost money. <> Abraham Lincoln
Edited by - JRG1951 on April 27 2015 11:23:34 AM
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 2:30:02 PM
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quote:My P2K GP30 is a very reliable hauler and runner....
Originally posted by shaygetz - April 26 2015 : 2:24:20 PM
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Nice GP30!
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 3:20:45 PM
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Myself not being one of model railroading's "elite", I think they are great engines and I voted that way. Reading many other forums the Proto 1000 and 2000 things are frequently bashed as having a poor drive and detail etc. It appears to me that the "clique word" these days is Kato. Then they install $300 worthy of detail parts and a $150 dollar sound system and still complain that the fuel tank is 6 scale inches too short.
Just not my cup of tea. I still think that Blue-box locos are great and the early Proto stuff just helped my Athearn parts supply go further. From what I see on eBay these days the earlier Proto items are at bargain prices.
Randy
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 3:23:17 PM
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quote:Myself not being one of model railroading's "elite", I think they are great engines and I voted that way. Reading many other forums the Proto 1000 and 2000 things are frequently bashed as having a poor drive and detail etc. It appears to me that the "clique word" these days is Kato. Then they install $300 worthy of detail parts and a $150 dollar sound system and still complain that the fuel tank is 6 scale inches too short.
Just not my cup of tea. I still think that Blue-box locos are great and the early Proto stuff just helped my Athearn parts supply go further. From what I see on eBay these days the earlier Proto items are at bargain prices.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 3:20:45 PM
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Some people.... Why do they have to have everything absolutely immaculate and perfect? I'd like to know what gets into their heads... Model railroading is about having fun at first and getting things realistic and accurate a bit later on. It seems that these people think it's the other way around.
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
Edited by - 12444 on April 26 2015 3:25:44 PM
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 4:30:01 PM
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That PRR GP30 is not a Proto 2000. It is a Bachmann Spectrum.
Kris Carver-Seaboyer
Modelling the Grafton Terminal Railway, set in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1978-1984 time frame
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 5:27:48 PM
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First my experience with proto locomotives goes back to their start up to the $175. loco era. Older Athearn Blue box locos are more reliable. The splitting gears on early 2 axel diesels when you have over a dozen of them gave me a distrust in the line. I gave up trying to get replacement wheel set from Life-Like then Walters and never was able to get any from them. I would buy used Athearn F units and geeps just to get wheel sets to replace broken sets. On most of my P2000 2 axel diesels all four axels were bad so I spent a lot to repair my proto diesels. Now I know to look better at Athearn diesels I would find at train shows because on many wheel sets were already changed. I am glade the life-like designed them with all that prototype lettering on the wheels making them easy to notice.
* Another thing I didn't like is small details would fall off when I ran my proto diesels and I have no idea where the parts went.
* I haven't bought any proto diesels new in almost 15 years.
* Also when Athearn was bought out and the blue box line stopped, that was when I stopped buying their products. In the last 15 years I acquired only I newer type diesel of theirs and that I got used. Before That I purchased many, very many. Now the only new cars I buy are either Bowser or Accurail at hobby stores. I only look for old trains now. They work and are easy to work on.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
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 Posted - April 26 2015 : 5:52:07 PM
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Those people?
Good judgement comes from experience & experience comes from a lack of good judgement.
My experience has very closely mirrored Toptrains. If that makes me a elitist, then so be it.
I prefer to discuss ideas and not group people into clicks. There is plenty of that on other sites.
Regards, John
Men do not quit playing because they grow old; they grow old because they quit playing. <> Oliver Wendell Holmes
Edited by - JRG1951 on April 27 2015 11:21:56 AM
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 6:00:59 PM
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quote:It appears to me that the "clique word" these days is Kato. Then they install $300 worthy of detail parts and a $150 dollar sound system and still complain that the fuel tank is 6 scale inches too short.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 3:20:45 PM
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I'll say amen to that.  
http://tycodepot.com/
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 6:05:43 PM
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quote: quote:It appears to me that the "clique word" these days is Kato. Then they install $300 worthy of detail parts and a $150 dollar sound system and still complain that the fuel tank is 6 scale inches too short.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 3:20:45 PM
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I'll say amen to that.
Originally posted by JNXT 7707Â -Â April 26 2015Â :Â 6:00:59 PM
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So do I.
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 8:28:10 PM
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Many years ago; maybe ten, when the Proto cracked axle thing was really in full swing, I too had problems. Walthers had recently taken over Life-Like and when I contacted them all I had to do was tell them how many engines I had that were defective and in the mail I received the amount of new axles to fix them. For free.
Right about this same time I became a Walthers dealer. One of the things I learned was that Walthers was supplying free replacement drive axles for every Proto engine ever built. I thought this was generous; them warranty-ing things they never made a nickel on. But they wanted to keep the Proto name "clean".
I also learned that they had run enough replacement axle production to have replaced every axle that Proto had ever put out and then some. Too many people got on the freebie band wagon and ruined a good faith attempt by a manufacturer.
I might mention here that the company "A-Line" also produces decent axle gears for these Athearn/Proto issues. Just the gears; you have to re-use your wheels sets.
Randy
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 8:40:05 PM
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quote:Right about this same time I became a Walthers dealer. One of the things I learned was that Walthers was supplying free replacement drive axles for every Proto engine ever built. I thought this was generous; them warranty-ing things they never made a nickel on. But they wanted to keep the Proto name "clean".
I also learned that they had run enough replacement axle production to have replaced every axle that Proto had ever put out and then some.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 8:28:10 PM
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Interesting. Are they still doing that?
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
Edited by - 12444 on April 26 2015 8:40:34 PM
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 8:59:55 PM
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quote: quote:Right about this same time I became a Walthers dealer. One of the things I learned was that Walthers was supplying free replacement drive axles for every Proto engine ever built. xle production to have replaced every axle that Proto had ever put out and then some.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 8:28:10 PM
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Interesting. Are they still doing that?
Originally posted by 12444Â -Â April 26 2015Â :Â 8:40:05 PM
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One of the issues I ran into in the 2000's was when I acquired a Proto- BL-2 engine. It developed a split axle. So, I called Walthers, as everyone said it was free. I got a run-around over the phone, which Dealer did I buy it from? I bought it at a train show, I said. Got a receipt? No, it was a small vendor. Well, we don't replace those. Huh? I thought it was a free repair on the item, what difference did it make where or from who I got it from? I eventually got 8 axles, as I said I had two of the engines. But I met heavy resistance to the "free" fix at first. I wasn't looking to resell, I just wanted to fix my engine(s). I know people do and would abuse that, but I wasn't one of them. I used up 4 axles, but have the other 4 somewhere as spares in case my other Bl-2 develops the problem, might as well get as much use out of the original parts as possible. At any rate, I doubt they are "free" anymore.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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12444
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Posted - April 26 2015 : 9:33:52 PM
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quote: quote: quote:Right about this same time I became a Walthers dealer. One of the things I learned was that Walthers was supplying free replacement drive axles for every Proto engine ever built. xle production to have replaced every axle that Proto had ever put out and then some.
Originally posted by rbturner - April 26 2015 : 8:28:10 PM
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Interesting. Are they still doing that?
Originally posted by 12444Â -Â April 26 2015Â :Â 8:40:05 PM
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One of the issues I ran into in the 2000's was when I acquired a Proto- BL-2 engine. It developed a split axle. So, I called Walthers, as everyone said it was free. I got a run-around over the phone, which Dealer did I buy it from? I bought it at a train show, I said. Got a receipt? No, it was a small vendor. Well, we don't replace those. Huh? I thought it was a free repair on the item, what difference did it make where or from who I got it from? I eventually got 8 axles, as I said I had two of the engines. But I met heavy resistance to the "free" fix at first. I wasn't looking to resell, I just wanted to fix my engine(s). I know people do and would abuse that, but I wasn't one of them. I used up 4 axles, but have the other 4 somewhere as spares in case my other Bl-2 develops the problem, might as well get as much use out of the original parts as possible. At any rate, I doubt they are "free" anymore.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â April 26 2015Â :Â 8:59:55 PM
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That's kinda funky. I wonder why they did that...
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
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Posted - April 27 2015 : 07:13:49 AM
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As everyone knows who got into the early first run proto locomotives, the axels were not very good. I was told by a few people, which makes this hearsay that the problem was in the grease LL used. Then the story changed to the grease was made from animal fat. I just think they weren't made right.
* The good thing I can say about early proto locos is that on the E units the drive wheels were sprung making them good pullers. At one time between my NYC and Pennsy I had 5 of them. I am still looking for a Erie. The fun is in the looking.
* Well next Sunday, May 3, and the following Saturday, May 9, are my next 2 train shows. The 3rd is one I never went to that is a once a year show at Franklin NJ. I am not sure about this one because I never went there before. The 9th is the Allentown show at Merchants square Mall. This I know is a good one. I will have a table at each.
* There are things that matter and others that don't. I still get excited at shows in my search for whatever I'll find. More than half the time at a show I am not at the table. I am wondering around looking for I don't know what. Then someone I know from here like Nelson, Pete show up and talk of what they found and we look through the items gleefully enjoying every moment. Then one of them, most of the time Nelson, will say didn't you see the whatchamacallit! This is the type of trains you've been looking for. Of course my interest peaks and I asking where it is. Now I have probable spent hours already looking up and down the isles. Of course digging through trays of trains, and boxes under tables and for the live of me have not seen what is being described to me. Also it is always very low in cost, you know CHEEP. I like that !!! Well most of the time the item is very close to our tables. Yes I do get embarrassed and Nelson and others can really rub it in. I am laughing right now. I have no idea how I miss these things.
* Well another show. Another adventure. See you there one day.
frank
toptrain
" It's a Heck of a Day " !!!
Edited by - toptrain on April 27 2015 07:45:22 AM
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Posted - April 27 2015 : 3:54:13 PM
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quote:That PRR GP30 is not a Proto 2000. It is a Bachmann Spectrum.
Originally posted by graftonterminalrr - April 26 2015 : 4:30:01 PM
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I stand corrected...still get the two confused to this day.
My P1K F unit is a very nice runner...
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12444
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Posted - April 28 2015 : 8:58:24 PM
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quote: quote:That PRR GP30 is not a Proto 2000. It is a Bachmann Spectrum.
Originally posted by graftonterminalrr - April 26 2015 : 4:30:01 PM
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I stand corrected...still get the two confused to this day.
My P1K F unit is a very nice runner...
Originally posted by shaygetz - April 27 2015 : 3:54:13 PM
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 Nice looking loco you got there.
I'm home schooled, I love to work on cars and anything with an engine and wheels, I love model RR'ing, and listening to Dire Straits.
Edited by - 12444 on April 28 2015 8:59:39 PM
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Posted - April 29 2015 : 11:33:38 AM
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The Proto 1000 F3 is a very nice piece with a correctly tooled roof contour and a very good nose. It isn't perfect but as the story goes, it's second only to the Highliners/Athearn Genesis tooling and the Rapido nose. Apparently WalthersProto used the P1K F3 as the basis for the Proto F7 and F3.
Trucks are Athearn clones with the infamous cracking axles. Yes, Athearn parts work. Don't rely on freebies from WalthersProto as that ship sailed in 2009.
The motor is a can motor and appears to be a Chinese copy of a Mashima. It works well and the flywheels are good if somewhat small. Don't try to plug and play a decoder; you'll have to hardwire. Sound would be doable but challenging.
Kris Carver-Seaboyer
Modelling the Grafton Terminal Railway, set in New Brunswick, Canada in the 1978-1984 time frame
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Posted - May 22 2015 : 12:53:03 PM
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Last I checked I had well over 30 Proto units. Great running engines and can be had dirt cheap on the jet and shows. Most you come across will have split gears. I have replaced them in all my GP 7,9,18,20 units along with the BL and F3 units. The F units don't seem to be plagued as bad but it does happen. All my P1k is now dcc and the conversion is rather simple. I can see how a novice mught he turned off by them given the well established solid axle issues but to me, they are simply amazing locos.
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - May 22 2015 : 1:37:56 PM
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I've had experience with only one Proto unit, a Monon BL2. It's actually my wife's and we ran it only briefly when it was new, and the directional lighting stopped working in short order! First in one direction, then the other!
Glenn
I was thinking of the immortal words of Socrates, who said, "... I drank what?"
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Posted - June 01 2015 : 6:05:34 PM
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| The only beef I have with P2K is they're somewhat responsible for the short release format we have now. Early runs of their engines they over-produced on obscure road-names leading to them being dumped below cost at shows and later on eBay. This caused production runs to be cut way back as manufacturers didn't want to follow the standard retail model.
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Posted - June 01 2015 : 7:04:35 PM
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quote:The only beef I have with P2K is they're somewhat responsible for the short release format we have now. Early runs of their engines they over-produced on obscure road-names leading to them being dumped below cost at shows and later on eBay. This caused production runs to be cut way back as manufacturers didn't want to follow the standard retail model.
Originally posted by lvrr325Â -Â June 01 2015Â :Â 6:05:34 PM
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I have gotten two Lehigh Valley Alco A/B sets for cheap because of that.
http://tycodepot.com/
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Posted - July 04 2015 : 12:44:56 PM
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quote:
My P1K F unit is a very nice runner...
Originally posted by shaygetz - April 27 2015 : 3:54:13 PM
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Yup, I have one of those, and it's pretty good. I also have a Proto 2000 Santa Fe GP9 locomotive, and I do like how highly detailed it is, though I do have to handle it a bit more carefully. Among taking it out of the box, it did require a bit of assembly, and then later when I bought a decoder for it (as it was DCC-ready) I had to disassemble it again, plug the decoder in, then put it back together, but it was worth it. It runs very nicely on my layout, and it even looks good pulling older Life-Like/A.H.M./TYCO cars too!
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