Trying to Decide ...

I would strongly recommend the Lionel option.

It way cheaper than the Sunset units and you do not have to deal with DCS.

SantaFeJim posted:

I would strongly recommend the Lionel option.

It way cheaper than the Sunset units and you do not have to deal with DCS.

Ditto that.

Yes, I give a nod to Lionel Legacy....Good Searching.....The PA's look cool....

 I pretty much have my steam era from the early 40's covered. Been focusing of late on the late 40's early 50's NH. I also run Kadee's on everything. I decided to order the Sunset PA.  I have no other 3rd Rail engines. Just one A unit. Just couldn't justify 1500 on a diesel. I run everything as far as TMCC and DCS. I really like the ERR boards and how they perform. What sold me on the Sunset was the fixed pilot and easily mounted Kadee. 4 t0 5 cars is a decent passenger train for me. It will justify just one unit. If this engines a home run and I find I need another one. I'll just take my chances of finding one on the secondary market with a different Rd. No. . 

That's the thing, you have to decide what works best for you.  What works for others may not be what works for you.  And what works for you may not for others.

I'd prefer the MTH PA's.  They are the modestly priced option, look and run great and I've has zero problems with DCS for the 14 years I've been operating it.  The other options you mention will work just as well.  You just have to decide which factor feels the best for your situation.

If you want an accurate quality product backed up by the best customer service, Sunset is the way to go.  When 2 rail modelers compare Sunset product favorably to Key Brass at three times the cost, you know there is something right. 

Lionel makes a decent PA off of older tooling and they are a scale length.   

MTH's DCS is very user friendly but not a true to scale PA.  It's a bit short.

None of these choices are wrong.  It's all about what your priorities are.

PJB posted:

Whether or not it's prototypical, I think the Alco PA is a beautiful looking diesel and want to buy one ABA set to pull some of my Western roads.  So long as the diesel's road name is something western, that's fine - it doesn't need to be 100% accurate.  I'm considering options from MTH, Lionel and Sunset.  MTH PS3 is the least expensive and has 2 small motors per powered unit.  In terms of Lionel Legacy versions, I can get an AA set with one powered unit and then a B powered unit.  Again, each powered unit has 2 small motors.  The Lionel option (mid-price of three options) is roughly $1,100 for this ABA, two powered units set-up. Finally, the Sunset version offers one larger motor in each powered unit. It's TMCC with ERR.  For an ABA set, I'd be looking at almost double the Lionel price, or around $2,100.

 I'm in a bit of analysis paralysis, as I am a big fan of MTH but have been avoiding because of all the frustrating nonsensical DCS faults. I like Lionel and the Legacy control, but it seems like their QC is having a lot of challenges lately and don't want to buy just to need an RA number, like with my Vision GG1.  I see a lot of quality in what I've read about Sunset but no exp with its motive power, and the price is hard to get my mind around, given the other much less expensive options obvioulsy work just fine.  Thoughts?  

I'm going to give you a biased input; look for a Right of Way ABA set on eBay.  They were originally $1400 and now go for around $400.  

Plus:  Two Pittman motors, all brass construction (Ajin Precision, the best Korean builder), digital sound.

Minus:  they are conventional only; adding TMCC to a metal body is a PITA.  no smoke.  

What I usually see on eBay is Southern Pacific or Cotton Belt.

I have two and they are powerful (the Erie and E-L prototypes).  The Pittman motors are 7 pole skew wound with samarium cobalt magnets.  They were 60 bucks each back when they were built.  The gears are Boston.

My 2 cents.

Lou N 

GG1 4877 posted:

If you want an accurate quality product backed up by the best customer service, Sunset is the way to go.  When 2 rail modelers compare Sunset product favorably to Key Brass at three times the cost, you know there is something right. 

 

Jonathan, 

With respect, isn't that a little like people saying that, pound for pound, Atlas CZ cars are the best cars on the market?  I'm asking, not making a statement here. Meaning, it's the Zen state product.  The best combination of price, quality, detail, realism and exterior scale proportion on the new product market today.  Or, said differently, you reach a level of diminishing returns at some point and the price outweighs the benefits.  Si? No?

Peter

Traindiesel posted:

That's the thing, you have to decide what works best for you.  What works for others may not be what works for you.  And what works for you may not for others.

I'd prefer the MTH PA's.  They are the modestly priced option, look and run great and I've has zero problems with DCS for the 14 years I've been operating it.  The other options you mention will work just as well.  You just have to decide which factor feels the best for your situation.

And, that's the dilemma - each has its strong points!  

For the money the Atlas CZ cars are best value on the market for the California Zephyr.  However the Amtrak painted ones aren't quite as good a value as the skirting was all removed by the time Amtrak inherited the cars and Atlas didn't remove the skirts for their Amtrak versions.  There is no right or wrong in the hobby in my mind, it's all about what brings us the most enjoyment from the hobby. 

I prefer scale accuracy, although I have trains of all eras, types and manufacturer's.  I've even started to take an interest in Standard Gauge.  However, the longer I stay in this hobby, the more I lean towards accuracy most of the time within the limits of my budget for the models I enjoy the most.  It is a hobby of compromise for all but a very few of us. 

I'd agree that the longer I'm in this hobby (5 years now), the more I lean toward quality.  The thing is, it's a hobby and at at some point, there is a barrier - at least for me - in terms of how much I would pay for something, even if I just won the Lotto.  As an example, when I lived in Miami Beach back in the late '90s, a typical belt cost approximately $20, or $10 at Marshall's.  My housemate came home with an $800 Gucci belt.  My eyes almost popped out of my head.  To me, a belt is a strip of cowhide and either version does the same job - perhaps with minute differences - and will never be something worth anywhere near $800.  In his mind, it represented the pinnacle of quality and style.  Go figure...  

PJB posted:

I'd agree that the longer I'm in this hobby (5 years now), the more I lean toward quality.  The thing is, it's a hobby and at at some point, there is a barrier - at least for me - in terms of how much I would pay for something, even if I just won the Lotto.  As an example, when I lived in Miami Beach back in the late '90s, a typical belt cost approximately $20, or $10 at Marshall's.  My housemate came home with an $800 Gucci belt.  My eyes almost popped out of my head.  To me, a belt is a strip of cowhide and either version does the same job - perhaps with minute differences - and will never be something worth anywhere near $800.  In his mind, it represented the pinnacle of quality and style.  Go figure...  

Actually, the post quoted is not entirely true.  It's more like - if I can see and appreciate the difference reflected by the higher price, I'm in.  

By the way - the last time Lionel seems to have offered Alco PAs in ATSF dress was like 2010?!  And in Aspen (Leaf), before there was even command control?!