I am looking to get a loco and cars for my layout, and I see the cost range from $15 - $100+ for locamotives, and $2-$10+ for the cars. What is the difference between them? What do I get for spending a ton vs. going cheap?
WOW! Talk about a loaded question! Every person on this forum will probably give you a different answer, but here's my two cents worth (and that's about what it's worth! ). First, engines: 1. I'd stay away from Bachmann (non-Spectrum), Life-Like (non-Proto-2000) and Model Power. You might find a jewel among their offerings, but not likely. 2. Athearn always offers good quality engines, and unlike most of their competitors, they can be easily fixed if something goes wrong. You may read an occasional complaint about Athearn engines, but these usually relate to their more-than-scale-width shells from their earlier offerings. These can be had for about $40 or more. 3. Spectrum, by Bachmann, isn't too bad, and their quality has improved over the past couple years. Bachmann's Plus line is also acceptable. Expect to pay between $50-70 each. Walthers also offers mid-range engines of very good quality. 4. Atlas, Kato and Proto-2000 are the cream of the crop, but expect to pay at least $100 each at your LHS. Each offers exquisite detail and extremely smooth mechanisms, and are clearly the best plastic engines you can buy. Atlas Master Series diesels also come with DCC decoders installed, which could save you $20-30 each if you plan on using this control system. Stewart Hobbies also offers an excellent line of engines, but might be over your budget. Freight Cars: 5. For the dollar, Athearn blue-box car kits are the best. All you need is a screwdriver and a hobby knife to assemble these kits, and they run forever. Most cost about $5 each. Model Die Casting/Roundhouse cars cost a little more, but they are of about the same quality. 6. Accurail and LBF both offer kits that have more detail than Athearn or MDC, and cost a little more per kit (~$10). Intermountain, P2K and Red Caboose kits are a bit more still. 7. Atlas, Intermountain, P2K and Athearn Genesis all offer ready-to-run cars that are top-of-the-line, but you're also paying top dollar ($15 or more, up to $30 in some cases). Excellent detail and time savings, but may be beyond your budget. All prices I've mentioned are suggested retail; you could save as much as half by shopping around, especially online (such as eBay). I'm sure I've left out someone's favorite line of cars or engines, but I don't have a Walthers catalog in front of me. Speaking of Walthers, I suggest you pick up on of their 2003 catalogs - they contain just about every HO item available, and are a wonderful reference tool, as well as a model railroader's version of the Sears Christmas catalog! Hope this helps! Pat
I've built a little HO layout on a tight budget, and learned lessons along the way. My experiences: </font> Avoid brass track like the plague. There are good reasons why it is so cheap and available.</font> Buying from eBay is a gamble- you can win, you can lose. I've bought most of my rolling stock over eBay and found that while half of it is junk, it usually costs less than half of what you'd pay in a hobby shop, so it works out well.</font> That being said, your local hobby shop offers a lot more than sight-unseen traincars and it is well worth paying a bit extra to buy from a hobby shop. Perhaps you could buy your first locomotive(s) there, and any scenery that will be close to the viewer. That way you get the advice and experience of a hobby-shop owner, you get good new motive power, but you still get so save money on the traincars by buying them used.</font> I do hope that this helps. I've not nearly the experience of many people on this board but I do have recent experience building under a budget.
AKrrnut sumed it up pretty good, but my feelings are; do u want really nice equipment now or do u want some that needs fixing up later. Are u into DCC, if so u go with the engines that have the plug built in. For my experience i like buying both. i like working on inexpensive Life Like cars and getting them to look like the proto, its like kitbashing And if u don't like brass send it my way
For $CAD 60, you can buy an Athearn "blue-box line" locomotive that has all-wheel drive and electrical pickup, runs well, and will be reliable for many years. If you decide to add DCC later (I don't recommend starting with DCC), installing a decoder in an Athearn isn't a huge job. Similarly, the midrange rolling stock is your best buy starting out. MDC/Roundhouse, Athearn, and Life-Like/Proto 1000 are all good bets for under $CAD 20. They'll have lots of weight and body-mounted couplers. The MDC/Roundhouse and Athearn are simple kits that go together in less than an evening. The latter are a major factor in preventing derailments in HO scale equipment. The Life-Like (Non "Proto 1000" and "Proto 2000"), Bachmann, and Model Power stuff are all okay starting points in their way, but they take more work to get as reliable a model as MDC or Athearn. Hope this helps!
Just to clear up, $40 for an Athern Engine is what I woiuld consider pricey accept for their newest biggest models or their Ready to run equipment. A Blue box GP-38-2 or SD-40-2 will run forever and should cost between $25-$35.
Re: online stores, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention our sponsor, Internet Trains. They have a good site, decent prices, and broad inventory. Trainworld (www.trainworld.com) in New York City is also very good, although they don't offer online ordering and when you call them up they're so hyper you feel like the meter is running. They have everything in stock and some great specials - as much as 70% off retail. My favorite for all-around service, inventory, and prices is Toy Train Heaven (also like their name). See adds in Model Railroad Craftsman or check out www.toytrainheaven.com. And on the subject of rolling stock, I'd put in my vote for Roundhouse over Athearn. I think their quality & realism is a notch above Athearn, and worth the buck or so more per car. On the other hand, I don't think Accurail is worth the higher price. Intermountain, on the other hand, has much better detail than Roundhouse or Athearn. If you like steam, one of the best deals is IHC steam engines from Trainworld, TTH, or direct from IHC (www.ihc-hobby.com). They're solidly made, run forever, and can be bought on sale for $30-75. Most have electrical pickups on both engine and tender, a real advantage for smooth running over insulated switch frogs. Those that don't have tender pickups can easily be converted. Best of Luck! Dan
I've used 1st Place Hobbies a few times http://www.1stplacehobbies.com and found them good. Nice prices and a website that I like very much - easy navigation, good search facility, clear indication of in/out stock.
