Steam Question

[ljudice]

I'm asking here - not on Atlas, because I want an answer, not a debate... 

What steam locos in N-scale perform to the level a Kato/Atlas diesel lover would expect??? Oh - and out of the box, not 30 zillion hours of tweaking, rewiring, re-gaugeing, etc...

[Chris333]

To just buy one and have no worries, I would get a Kato mikado.

Just about anything else is try before you buy.

[3rdrail]

The Athearn (formerly MDC) 2-8-0 is another one right up there in reliability. It also pulls like a trooper. Unfortunately, it is a 1890-1915 prototype.

[bsoplinger]

All of the Model Power locos run pretty nicely except the very short 4-4-0 which has some pickup problems. None pull very well though. All are simple to convert to DCC. The tender has a pair of motor wires wrapped around a 2 pair of power wires. Simply insert the decoder between the power wires and motor wires and you're done although the headlight will be on all the time this way. You can add a traction tire by calling the MP parts department, which is only open mornings. The pacifics are on sale regularly in the Walthers catalog for about 100 bucks.

The Life-Like Bershire 2-8-4 runs acceptably. Can be had regularly for under 100 in the Walthers catalog. The second run of locos is slightly better than the first (having LED vs bulbs), check out the n-scale locomotive encylopedia for full info.

The Con-Cor 2-10-2 runs nice, sometimes. This would be something you'd like to buy at a store where you can try it before you buy. Also expensive.

[Powersteamguy1790]

The two best steam loco's straight out of the box are the Kato Mikado and The MDC/Athearn 2-8-0.

The Kato Mikado needs the optional traction tire driver installed. It talks all of five minutes to do. The traction tire installation is documented with a pictorial on the Kato USA website.

Stay cool and run steam....

[Roger Holmes]

It may be larger than you are looking for but the Athearn Challenger ran perfectly out of the box and pulled 52 cars without any break in.  It probably could pull more I've just never tried it.

[brokemoto]

The ones that will require no tweaking or fiddling are (in alphabetical order):  Athearn/MDC consolidated, Athearn/MDC mogul, Kato mikado.

Older versions of the Kato mikado do require installation of details and the traction tyre retrofit.  The latest runs of that have everything done.

The B-mann consolidated is try-before-you-buy, but if you get a good one, and most of them of the latest runs are, they do not require tweaking.

The B-mann USRA heavy mountain is shaping up to be a good one, right out of the box.  I received mine to-day, it is underoing its break-in and is looking good, so far.

[slickwillie]

Amen to brokemoto's opinions.

But I will add that the Challenger (though expensive) is king of the hill in all aspects. Got the gizmos, the power, the looks and runs out of the box like the Energizer bunny. Unbeaten in any respect,, except of course price.

[brokemoto]

I have refrained from commenting on the challenger, as I do not have one and have no intention of buying one.

Still, I have seen them run and the look allright and they seem to pull long trains well, but that is on NTRAK, which does not have grades on its mains.

I have read mostly good things about the challengers.  They are pricey animals, though.

[Chulvis]

The Athearn Challenger and Kato Mikado are the only steam engines I own.

The Challenger kicks a$$ on grades pulling 30+ cars. Very impressed. Sound is a plus although I'd rather have a lower price point without it.  The Kato Mikado rules the rails though. Like PSG said, it needs the optional traction tire driver installed, but it is not rocket science to do. I must admit I was scared and asked a fellow club member for help, but after watching him do it, I'd say it was pretty easy. 

If you want "Out of the Box" though, then the Challenger is the way to go. Will probably be the same case for the Big Boy.

Edit:"If you want "Out of the Box" though, then the Challenger is the way to go."
Unless you are laying Atlas Code 55 track. Then you'll have to swap out the tender wheels....which does not look like fun.

[SquirrelHollow]

The Athearn (formerly MDC) 2-8-0 is another one right up there in reliability. It also pulls like a trooper. Unfortunately, it is a 1890-1915 prototype.

This is the only loco that jumped out as a winner when I read the first post.

I have the older MDC/Roundhouse labelled product.  Straight out of the box, it was a great runner.  Fairly quiet, decent detail, smooth running.  It is also the slowest creeping steamer I have. 

But, as 3rdrail stated, it's a prototype most people can't get away with on their layout.

The only thing that comes close to the Roundhouse's creep speed is the Bachmann Spect 2-6-6-2. (of my locos)  I have had good luck with mine.  I have 1 first run, and 2 second run.  They haven't seen a lot of run time, but have operated flawlessly.  I would put it in the Try-before-you-buy category, with the other B-manns.

[Mark5]

Edit:"If you want "Out of the Box" though, then the Challenger is the way to go."
Unless you are laying Atlas Code 55 track. Then you'll have to swap out the tender wheels....which does not look like fun.

I thought Athearn "fixed" this.

[Ryan87]

I thought Athearn "fixed" this.

Second Run...

[inkaneer]

I have been very picky in the locomotives I buy especially steam.  As a result I have the following:  Kato 2-8-2 (4), B-mann 2-8-0 (3), Concor 2-10-2 (1), Atlas Shay (1), LL 2-8-8-2 (1).   All run well and with the exception of the LL 2-8-8-2 pull very well.  All, with the exception of the LL 2-8-8-2 have traction tires.  I have read the reports on the B-mann 4-8-2 Heavy Mountain which have been very good and have ordered one.  I run Ntrak almost exclusively and need locomotives that I can count on to run continuously for an hour or two or sometimes, even more.   

[Mark5]

Heh, both my LL 2-8-8-2 and BM 2-6-6-2 pull well. Dumb luck I guess.

I'm worried how my luck will work out with the 0-8-0 I have on order ...