Favorite N Scale Manufacturer

Favorite Manufacturer

  • Atlas

    Votes: 23 31.1%
  • Bachmann

    Votes: 7 9.5%
  • Kato

    Votes: 30 40.5%
  • Life-Like

    Votes: 1 1.4%
  • Micro Train

    Votes: 8 10.8%
  • Other

    Votes: 5 6.8%

  • Total voters
    74

Dan Vincent

Member
I prefer Atlas, Lifelike, Kato and Intermountain.

Lifelike has given us some extremely nice locos for very low prices and they run just fine.

I like the ERIE RR, so Atlas, L/L and I/M are tops on my list. I also have Erie-Lackawanna and Kato has done a few sweet runners in E-L.
 

davido

New Member
right now the only rolling stock on my layout are micro trains. i do own quite a few atlas cars since atlas offers more variety than MTL. the atlas cars all hve been converted to MTL trucks/couplers. imo the micro cars look better. run better and are more "hefty". just need more slsf, southern and ic.

EDIT: converting atlas to mtl trucks/couplers brings the price for atlas up to that of MTL.
respectfully

david
 

Dan Vincent

Member
Hey Sunfish, which Arnold 0-6-0? I had a small german-looking one that started out at about 40MPH. Which one are you referring to?
 

rcwatkins

Member
I chose Kato. They are a bit pricey but worth it. Atlas you sometimes need to worry about customer service, if you aren't careful you could buy a crappy LL or Bachmann, and who wants to pay up to $250 for MT's that don't compare w/Kato, Atlas, etc. Other good loco manufacturers include Intermountain. ;)
 

Grantha

New Member
It is difficult to specify one favourite manufacturer. Which is my favourite really depends on what item you are talking about. As far as Engines are concerned Kato is my favourite with Atlas a close second. For rolling stock MicroTrains is my favourite but Intermaountain and LBF are closing fast for second spot.
 

Knifeguy

New Member
Kato definately, worth every penny, will last the longest. Atlas second. I don't have any micro trains YET, but they are supposed to be pretty good too.
 

iain wilkinson

New Member
iain wilkinson

I have over 60 kato engines and 35 atlas engines and the kato,s run the best but i lkie the detail on the atlas engines better.
 

Knifeguy

New Member
Update: :cool:
BTW added a micro trains..2 powered F units..A & B, B&O line. Very nice. A little noisy compared to Atlas and Kato, but, definately a quality unit.
 

grglmn

New Member
My favorite is Life Like, not because they are the best, but because they are the best value. Also they mostly do early diesels and are now doing steam so they focus on what I am interested in. I briefly had some Kato E-8s so I could compare them directly to my life like early run E-8s, the Katos looked better, started at a little lower throttle and were quieter, but both locos have good paint and detail on the shells, don't stall, run well at all speeds, and even coast on flywheel effect if you throttle down quickly, which is really cool. If I could get Katos for $30 (vs. the $20 I can get the LLs for if I shop around) I would say its worth it, but to me they are not worth twice as much or more than the Life Likes.

I do love my Kato Mikado, but haven't tried the new Life like steamers
 
Hummmmm?

I wish I could post an honest judgment but everyone is in such fierce competition to stay ahead of the game hell before you know it Tyco may try to get in the game.

Although I've got to say Bachmann it staying true to there (Must be) Policy To produce the cheapest quality Trains Even though they have improved some of their junk it's still just that, Cheap Out of scale crappie running goofy paint A$$ Backwards Geared But now somewhat good Motors.

It almost seams as though Everyone is in the best quality race, Life-Like has Improved so much in the past Few years I give them a Big thumbs up and even out of scale company's are trying to get in the race.

I think it's Because N-Scale is the fastest growing Hobby With so many different Details, Engines, Cars, Ect, Plus so many More that still haven't been made yet it leaves the window for Modelers and Manufactures alike "oh never mind less space consumption"

As far as the best there really is no best If you consider Factors Like Custom Painting, gearing, match compatibility, Ect. It all depends on the modelers Preference.

Well, at least in my opinion.
 

Tad

Member
All of my diesel locomotives are Life-Like and Atlas. They make the types I need and I am pleased with them.

No one has made an N locomotive scale locomotive decorated for my home road, so I have to look for the correct types and do that myself. One of my three connecting roads is another southern shortline, so I also have to decorate locomotives and a caboose for that road.

Atlas did make GPs for the MoPac and the Rock, I just wish they would do a set of GP7s in "Bankruptcy Blue." :cool:

I have a Bachmann 2-8-0 Consolidation and an MDC 2-6-0 Mogul for steam locomotives. Both are outstanding and are the types that my home road had when it was steam. :cool:

For freight cars I like Micro-Trains when they make cars that I need. They are the only ones beside Red Caboose that have ever made cars decorated for my home road. :thumb: :

Atlas especially for their pulpwood racks and tank cars. I also like their Piggyback flats and I have other Atlas cars that I like too.

Red Caboose for their Thrall All-Doors and they made them in my home road. :D

Deluxe Innovations for woodchip hoppers.

Walthers for modern log cars and for the pulpwood cars that I use as bulkhead flats.

MDC Roundhouse kits, some are really nice and they had a good selection of different roads and types. Inexpensive and a snap to build. I put Micro-Trains trucks under them.

Life-Like for cabooses for my home road because they are the only one that makes the type I need. :)

I generally use Micro-Trains couplers, but if a car has Accumates on it and I have no problems with them I leave them alone.

I don't have anything made by Kato because I have never found anything that they made that I needed for my roads.

I am not locked into a certain brand. I do look for quality equipment and I buy what I need from who makes it.
 

grumbeast

Member
It used to be Kato hands down... however I think this has changed. I have no problem buying Kato / Atlas or Lifelike, it simply depends on the prototype locomotive you are interested in. Lifelike are a little bit behind but only for the reason that the locomotives are still a pain to convert to DCC (they look and run at least as well as Kato / Atlas.. just look at the 2-8-8-2!)

And while they are not to the same standard, I have a model power 4-6-2 and its a dramatic improvement over previous MP locomotives and runs and looks acceptable.

To be frank we are all spoiled currently in N, manufacturers should be applauded for the huge improvement in the last several years

Graham
 
I get different stuff from different manufacturers. My engines are all Bachmann spectrums they are cheaper and easy to fix plus they would replace any engine no matter how they broke for $15. My rolling stock is model power and atlas they are the cheapest I found that stay on the tracks. My tracks are from Atlas. Scenery stuff comes from woodland. Buildings came from walthers.
 

Will_annand

Active Member
iain wilkinson said:
I have over 60 kato engines and 35 atlas engines and the kato,s run the best but i lkie the detail on the atlas engines better.

Take the Atlas shells and put them on the Kato bodies. ;)
 

uacturbo

New Member
Biggest surprise so far is that anyone voted for Bachmann. Cheap crap.

Maybe that Bach-mann (or is it Bach-man?) dude is being paid OT to add votes to the poll!

Kevin
 

Livesteam

Member
i only see 9 that voted and just because you dont like it doesnt mean every one hates it,This is not like racing where you have to have the best, its a fun hobby, i think all companys are good in there own way. :)
 
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