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In HO scale. The best bargain for detail, performance and price is locomotives and freight cars manufacturord by Athearn. You get a decent running locomotive with a decent amount of detail for $35-$45 dollars. A typical athern freight car is available for less than $10.00 a piece.
Posts: 315 | From: Lander,WY USA | Registered: Jan 2002
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posted
i'd be inclined to agree with challenger. athearn has a great reputation, a reasonable amount of variety, and the prices on the basics- rolling stock and engines other than the genesis series- are very affordable. i run about 30 of their engines, and about 100 of their freight cars, and if i had more room, i'd buy even more. now if we could just get them to make something other than another f7 or sd40...
Posts: 85 | From: owingsmills, md. | Registered: Aug 2002
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I do agree that Athearn has a good reputation. I reccomended them because not only do they have a good product, they stand behind them as well. On the few times I have had problems with their products. Which were often caused by operator error. (I.E. Me ) They were always gracious eneugh to send me the new parts I needed free of charge. Athearn Locomotives are the single largest group on my roster at neary 60% of it. There are 6 other manufactures dividing up that remaining 40%. I like their freight car kits, because they are a nice relaxing way to kill a half hour. Plus they are reasonably well detailed, and superdetailing them can be done with a little extra investment detail parts and time. They dont have as much share of my freight car fleet as the locomotives do in that fleet, But Athearn is still the largest contigent at nearly 29%. Model Die Casting (Round House) Takes up another 28%. And Walthers (Made when they still made kits) takes up another 21% or so. The remaining 22% is divided up betweem rebuilt, Bachmann-Life Like-Tyco-IHC Junk, (Kept becasue it is the equipment I got into the hobby with) some old Ambroid Craftsman Kits. Kits from that new company called LBF, and some scratch built pieces.
Posts: 315 | From: Lander,WY USA | Registered: Jan 2002
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Let me throw in another nod toward Athearn. Being a large manufacturer, it's products are blessed with an abundance of "after-market" products. Most detail and super detail companys use Athearn as a sort of standard or baseline and generate tons of products for them. This benefits the modeler in two ways: 1- Relatively inexpensive but reliable, baseline detail products that are widely stocked and easily available 2- Appearance and performance easily "upgradeable" with a large variety of detail and aftermarket products. These improvements can be done according to the modelers time frame. The beginner learns and improves new skills and benefits with a better piece of equipment. The novice and advanced have a versitile "block of clay" that can be molded to their wishes. For the money, you get a Chevy. Looks good, runs good. With a few bucks and a little bit of creative TLC, you can turn that Chevy into a Cadillac in no time.
Posts: 13 | From: Richmond Hill, Ga, USA | Registered: Feb 2003
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) They were always gracious eneugh to send me the new parts I needed free of charge. Athearn Locomotives are the single largest group on my roster at neary 60% of it. There are 6 other manufactures dividing up that remaining 40%. I like their freight car kits, because they are a nice relaxing way to kill a half hour. Plus they are reasonably well detailed, and superdetailing them can be done with a little extra investment detail parts and time. They dont have as much share of my freight car fleet as the locomotives do in that fleet, But Athearn is still the largest contigent at nearly 29%. Model Die Casting (Round House) Takes up another 28%. And Walthers (Made when they still made kits) takes up another 21% or so. The remaining 22% is divided up betweem rebuilt, Bachmann-Life Like-Tyco-IHC Junk, (Kept becasue it is the equipment I got into the hobby with) some old Ambroid Craftsman Kits. Kits from that new company called LBF, and some scratch built pieces.
