Model Railroading > Walthers GP9M in new schemes

Walthers added some interesting schemes to the GP9M's including CNW, CP, Farm Rail, South Branch Valley, Ohio Central, and St Maries River RR in particular. A pair of the last scheme is awfully tempting to me, and the $55 retail make them one of the most affordable locomotives these days.

http://www.walthers.com/exec/page/new_products#trainline_gp9m

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/25/11 21:09 by funnelfan.

Seems like a bunch of interesting stuff in there, I'd pass on the GP9m but I notice a lot of other P2K offerings. Curious if this is the P2K revival that we've all been expecting. The older models had tremendous detail, had a lot of problems with the running gear although many have said that had improved later in the runs as well. Nice looking BN SD9, SD45's look good as well. Have a weak spot for that Amtrak scheme but I'll wait for a fuel tank fix, maybe the shell would fit on the old E-unit re-power kit.

The drawings and prototype photos seem nice, but as we all know the actual model doesn't always live up to the advertisement.

The GP9m is a Trainline model. I'll pass on that one.

KG

Walthers GP9M's are Tyco quality.

Bruce

Holy cow... $199.98 for standard DC GP20's? $134.98 for plated RDC's

As much as I'd like a pair of Cotton Belt GP20's, I'd have to take out a loan!

I think they're a little better than that but not much. The Tycos had brass wheels. They're starters for beginners or with the kid's Christmas train set, probably much better than the low end Life Like and Bachmann stuff is.

brfriedm Wrote:
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> Walthers GP9M's are Tyco quality.
>
> Bruce



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/11 10:46 by wabash2800.

would one of these be a step up from a B-man GP40 that came in a x-mas train set? How about suitable for a 4 year old boy?
Kevin

I have to say these trainline units aren't all that bad, especially not Tyco. The shell is the same as the old Athearn GP9 with the modified cab. The drive would be a improvement over the Athearn blue box, about on par with current Bachmann spectrum units. Granted not as nice as higher end units, but a far cry from the Pancake motors and single truck pickups that could be found in Tyco, Bachmann, and Life Like units of the 80's. Those locomotives made Athearn blue box look great, but thankfully things have improved greatly since then.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

$299 for a P2K loco with sound is darn high. I recently purchased a BLI SD7 with sound for $120 and added a decoder for $30, so the total cost of that loco was half the price of a P2K.

I owned a pair 2 years ago for a shortline I model. The shortline sold the real units so I dumped mine.(thank god) I was very happy too. They were very crude and ran poorly. Have fun.

Bruce

PS - The shortline bought ex SP B30-7's so I bought the Atlas versions and they have been a blast to run and look great.


funnelfan Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I have to say these trainline units aren't all
> that bad, especially not Tyco. The shell is the
> same as the old Athearn GP9 with the modified cab.
> The drive would be a improvement over the Athearn
> blue box, about on par with current Bachmann
> spectrum units. Granted not as nice as higher end
> units, but a far cry from the Pancake motors and
> single truck pickups that could be found in Tyco,
> Bachmann, and Life Like units of the 80's. Those
> locomotives made Athearn blue box look great, but
> thankfully things have improved greatly since
> then.