Taking GP9 recommendations

I have to recommend Williams based on my experiences with them. I have only replaced a couple of tires on my diesel locos and it was easy. If you really must have a loco without traction tires, you can get the flanged wheels without the traction tire groove and replace them. You'll need a wheel puller, but it isn't a hard job. I replaced a few wheels on a couple of mine.

CN6167,

Why not get another postwar Lionel GP9 with Magne-Traction? Here's a photo of my favorite engine. My dad bought it for me in 1961.

Bill

If you don't want traction tires, you've limited yourself to Lionel, I believe.  Right now, Matt has a Williams GP-9 in Western Maryland scheme for $70 plus shipping - you can't go wrong at that price!!!

https://ogrforum.com/d...ent/5934960426006495

You said you "want something that runs like that." That would be an engine with a Pullmor motor. WBB have can motors. Very different. Many like the can motors, but there are Pullmor lovers too. I have several Lionel Geeps from the late '90s (the ones I'm talking about were made '97-'99). The later ones had diecast pilots, trucks, fuel tanks, and are solid runners with good weight to them. The ones made just a year or two earlier may have had a plastic fuel tank, but they ran fine, too. They're pretty bulletproof engines. These Geeps are known for their great sounds (RailSounds), they have TMCC, directional lighting, magnetraction, and the later ones all came with electrocouplers. They've had threads here before about these Geeps, and everyone likes them. 

Interesting -  I took "want something that runs like that" to refer to reliability and durability, not operating characteristics.

breezinup-I'm with you.  I'm a big fan of all the TMCC geeps.  In fact, I'm thinking of gathering a collection.  I just got the first TMCC GP9  -Southern Pacific #06-18562-,  from a fellow forumite and it is the smoothest runner I've ever seen.  Runs like a dream on the whole layout and will crawl as slow as a pullmor will allow I'd say.   And the sounds are awesome.  The horn actually quills with my Cab1.  It's a beauty.  I'm dropping in electrocouplers.  Long may he run.  He's a he.  Painted black and macho looking.  I've got 5 TMCC geeps right now and a list.  They are all different and very cool.  If the economy would pick up, I would get a few more.  They are out there.    

I've got one of the 1996 NYC TMCC Geeps.  It's got a pullmor motor and magnetraction.  A previous owner installed the electrocoupler aftermarket kit on it and it's got the directional lighting plus the roof strobe and a great sound system.  I love running mine almost as much as my JLC GG1 and Legacy SD80's  I paid $125 for it a year or two ago, but I'm sure you can find them for a little less.

These Lionel Geeps we're talking about have got reliability and durability covered, too. They're also fun because you can swap shells easily, putting MPC era or later Geep shells on newer TMCC/Railsounds version chassis to get the roads you want, with improved motors, command, sound, directional lighting, etc. I've done that with CP Rail, Nickel Plate, Santa Fe and Soo Line Geeps that didn't originally have TMCC and R/S. The engines are pretty cheap on the bay, as noted above. I buy the engine for the chassis, and then sell the unwanted shell.

I have three of the early Lionel TMCC GP-9's, PRR, B&O and B&M.  The B&M came from the powered-dummy-powered "lash-up", although I only have one of the powered units and the dummy.  The one issue I had with this pair immediately was that with the powered unit and dummy and an 8 to 10 car train, the wheels on the powered unit would lose traction and spin occasionally.  I resolved the problem by purchasing a magnetraction truck equipped with traction tires.  I've also replaced the  nylon drive gear on each of these with brass and that seems to have improved their pulling power as well.

For pure reliability in a Geep however, I'm with Mike.  WBB is the way to go.

Curt

The Cadillac of Geeps is going to be either the Atlas or Lionel Legacy.

I like the Atlas a bit better for looks, but the Lionel has sound advantages.

For an older classic Geep, gotta be a Lionel CC offering in PW or archive

paint.  WBB offers some advantages of both types, while for pure 567

sound, Mike Proto 2 is the best.

Curt,

Where did you get the brass drive gears?  Do you have a part number?

Thanks,

Fred

My favorite is the MTH Premier 20-2898-1UP GP-9

Another Lionel favorite is the 6-18567 PRR GP-9.

Another Lionel favorite is the 6-18563 NYC GP-9

Another Lionel favorite is the 6-18513 NYC GP-9 which has the later "cigar band" logo on the front.

I like the Williams units myself......