Da'Bobs N-Scale Mancave If you do ever get into HO, you'd better stick to just HO and N. Da'Bob's Z scale, N scale, HO Scale, O gauge and G scale Mancave is just too long! :D
Just bought one of these in DC. Wanted an ES44 for a custom paint job, but didn't want to spend a paycheck on something that I might goof up. This is one of three reviews (another being your MTH dash 9 review) that convinced me to try MTH. Mine will eventually be converted to dcc, but for now it has a little flickering and jerkyness until you get to 18-20 on the DC dial. That's fine, 20 is probably slow enough. After that, everything is smooth and high speed seems fine. Also discovered after stripping the paint, Many of the grills are metal etched. Be careful about scuffing them with your brush. Some doors and covers are plastic, but still nice add-ons. I'm very happy with this and now plan on a couple more for my project. At the price, if the motor fries, I'll still be ahead adding a new kato.
Thanks for the update James. I agree that it is annoying when the ditchlights flash on UP and BNSF units - the real ones don't (at least any of them I have seen). I don't care if they come flashing but there needs to be an easy way to change it. Athearn uses a Tsunami and they have a CV that can adjust flash vs non-flash easily. Intermountains Lokosound hides that CV somewhere up in the 300-series - very hard to change. Someday, maybe you could do a head-to-head GEVO review looking at smooth running, ease of programming, maintenance issues (they all run fine out of the box), and how they speed match to other brands. The MTH looks like a very nice late type GEVO but I am still leery of MTH's HORRIBLE customer service. Athearn isn't perfect but I can get parts and get questions answered easily.
This is hands down my favorite HO scale diesel product from any manufacturer. I'm not sure that I'll get any of the PS3 units but I'm in love with the DCC ready/Loksound combo. Best of both worlds. If I can aquire a PS3 unit I might be able to confirm a way to get those ditch lights solid. I had to go through similar workaround in one of my vids on getting a DCC ready model to properly flash on F2, MTH has them wired all together. Much of the ps3 hardware is still in the DCC ready model and shares alot of common wiring.
Rodimus Prime I chose Intermountain, paying too much for a locomotive that doesnt have the correct sounds, I could get a IM one for a cheaper price with the correct sounds.
CSXtrainman13 you can get the dcc ready version and put loksound in it. Sure intermountain is cheaper and it should be. The packaging is poor and items arrive with damage all 7 of my intermountains were damaged on arrival. They are noisy, the lighting is dull, theres light bleed through on the ditch lights, step painting is sloppy, they have low torque motors, mth with loksound and tcs wow speakers crushes the sound of an intermountain. Details are barely diff, if anything better on mth. Im not even a rivet counter and intermountain issues have made me sell all but 1 of their engines I had. Going all mth now
I would love it if you did a review of the brand new Broadway Limited Milwaukee Road S3 #261. A lot of people have been waiting a long time for it to come out, so it would be great to see a review of it.
It's great that you do a pull test, but without anything to compare it to, it can be difficult to know if a number is good or not. What would you say is the average result on a pull-test?
Great review man (thumbs up). Are all the trains (Athearns, MTH, Intermountain, Walthers Proto) made in China? Is Kato still made in Japan or have they also moved their manufacturing to China?
SquidRides Judging by the close design and function of the boxes and clamshell packaging I’m pretty sure they are all made in the same factory by the same company. There’s just not enough of a market to support separate manufacturers. Kato is still made in Japan and it’s highly unlikely they would ever move their production to any other country. I’m most familiar with the production of a food product and we produced and packaged the same product for over 20 different brands-many of them in direct competition with each other.
A nice review. I got one in the CP paint scheme. Happy with the details but the sound is a bit disappointing. I might be tempted to put a Loksound decoder in it.
now i own a athearn blue box union pacific c44-9w is the ES44AC a better or improved of the c44-9w or dash 9 as they were also called? or is there no thing that these two locomotives have to do with each other?
railroadpics _ i think you bumped your head there buddy. I've got 5 intermountain es44ac and dc and you cant compare to the athearn genesis model. The athearn's look better, sound better, and stronger then intermountain hands down.
The only thing Athearn edges out IRC is is in Pulling Power. Athearn has them beat there. But the ES44's from IRC are hands down the best in sound & detail. LokSound basically murders Tsunami when it comes to sound.
railroadpics _ loc sound i agree with you but im slowly taking out the tsunami sound and changing it with tcs wow sound. I think there the best if you ask me. But i hsve to disagree with you on one thing. I dont think they look better, i think intermountain is alright but not better all around. Yes the loc sound version i have sounds good but i think tcs wow will put them to sleep especially with keep alive . Cant wait for them to put out the GE sound versions.
great Review but the BNSF is a ES44C4 and the bell dose not sound like a E bell the horn i don't mind but MTH should have put esu loksound sound in them other than that I really love the detail
Hi! Nice review again! I am in between this MTH ES44AC and the Athearn one. Please I really appreciate your opinion wich will cause impact on my final decision. Thank you!
+Northwest Railfan The MTH sound is superior, its his camera making it sound bad, MTH sound is really loud out of the box, he is a bit too close, should of turned the volume down for the video.
Good review as always. MTH botched the sounds though. The horn is definitely not a K5HL. Prime mover doesn't sound like a GEVO. Ditch lights on BNSF and UP should not alternate. No tinted side cab windows. For $300 this isn't acceptable.
Proto maX couplers are kadee clones.Same .They copied them when the copyright ran out with the certain kadee coupler at the time .Just like life like copied the Athearn truck with the older p2k locos.Along with a near but better copy of the standard Athearn motor.They used the same motor mounts,gears.Athearns a little better.Thanks for the review .Great locos!
+SouthernPacificPatch The MTH sound is superior to loksound, its his camera making it sound bad, MTH sound is really loud out of the box, he is a bit too close, should of turned the volume down for the video.
These newer models are not meant for modelers; they’re meant for hobbyists. Take it out of the box, plunk it down on the layout and turn the power on. That’s not modeling, that’s playing. To use these as a basis for modeling you have to be a master disassembler and that’s not fun. Of course, the manufacturers thumb their noses at us which is too bad. I will not give a positive review of any locomotive that ignores our segment of the market no matter how good the hobbyists think it is.
Completely agree the sound is terrible I saw there csx version and could not get over the audio clipping if I did get one I would probably wait for tcs to come out with the gevo pm been impressed with there decoders so far they sound the closest to everything I hear at work
I have the Ns version, Pre-ordered an waited for months. incredibly disappointed in the sound, the horn is god awful and the engine sounds nothing like GE Locomotive. sounds like a hydrologic crane or something, I don't even know where you find a sound file like that? jesus its awful.
They look nice, ok very nice indeed. Still sticking with N scale, for now.
Da'Bobs N-Scale Mancave If you do ever get into HO, you'd better stick to just HO and N. Da'Bob's Z scale, N scale, HO Scale, O gauge and G scale Mancave is just too long! :D
Just bought one of these in DC. Wanted an ES44 for a custom paint job, but didn't want to spend a paycheck on something that I might goof up. This is one of three reviews (another being your MTH dash 9 review) that convinced me to try MTH. Mine will eventually be converted to dcc, but for now it has a little flickering and jerkyness until you get to 18-20 on the DC dial. That's fine, 20 is probably slow enough. After that, everything is smooth and high speed seems fine. Also discovered after stripping the paint, Many of the grills are metal etched. Be careful about scuffing them with your brush. Some doors and covers are plastic, but still nice add-ons. I'm very happy with this and now plan on a couple more for my project. At the price, if the motor fries, I'll still be ahead adding a new kato.
Love MTH and been waiting for this review. Thank you!!!
Just hard getting anything MTH over here in Australia :(
Magnificent review!!
The models have graham white e-bells yet the sound decoder sounds like an EMD bell. Great video though
Amazing detail on the UP one
Wow! Looks like MTH has upped their locomotive detail!
Thanks for the update James. I agree that it is annoying when the ditchlights flash on UP and BNSF units - the real ones don't (at least any of them I have seen). I don't care if they come flashing but there needs to be an easy way to change it. Athearn uses a Tsunami and they have a CV that can adjust flash vs non-flash easily. Intermountains Lokosound hides that CV somewhere up in the 300-series - very hard to change.
Someday, maybe you could do a head-to-head GEVO review looking at smooth running, ease of programming, maintenance issues (they all run fine out of the box), and how they speed match to other brands.
The MTH looks like a very nice late type GEVO but I am still leery of MTH's HORRIBLE customer service. Athearn isn't perfect but I can get parts and get questions answered easily.
I recently bought this in the Norfolk Southern livery. Its an absolute pearler of a loco.
Wow gorgous loco! Love mth's boxes
This is hands down my favorite HO scale diesel product from any manufacturer. I'm not sure that I'll get any of the PS3 units but I'm in love with the DCC ready/Loksound combo. Best of both worlds. If I can aquire a PS3 unit I might be able to confirm a way to get those ditch lights solid. I had to go through similar workaround in one of my vids on getting a DCC ready model to properly flash on F2, MTH has them wired all together. Much of the ps3 hardware is still in the DCC ready model and shares alot of common wiring.
Rodimus Prime I chose Intermountain, paying too much for a locomotive that doesnt have the correct sounds, I could get a IM one for a cheaper price with the correct sounds.
CSXtrainman13 you can get the dcc ready version and put loksound in it. Sure intermountain is cheaper and it should be. The packaging is poor and items arrive with damage all 7 of my intermountains were damaged on arrival. They are noisy, the lighting is dull, theres light bleed through on the ditch lights, step painting is sloppy, they have low torque motors, mth with loksound and tcs wow speakers crushes the sound of an intermountain. Details are barely diff, if anything better on mth. Im not even a rivet counter and intermountain issues have made me sell all but 1 of their engines I had. Going all mth now
Another great review James, those are great units. Mth is sure giving athearn a run for its money.
Nice I wish I had one but thay look vary good!
I would love it if you did a review of the brand new Broadway Limited Milwaukee Road S3 #261. A lot of people have been waiting a long time for it to come out, so it would be great to see a review of it.
why does it say "Incredibles 2 Twin 3pc Childrens Sheet Set" in description?
no idea why, I removed it
Just got mine in the BNSF scheme... Waiting on the "war bonnets" to come out!
I like that they use metal for the rails. Plastic sucks. The sound is getting better all the time.
Scott
I got one for my birthday
How is the mth es44ac compared to the athearn genesis?
It's great that you do a pull test, but without anything to compare it to, it can be difficult to know if a number is good or not. What would you say is the average result on a pull-test?
Nice start up sequence!!
was it hard to put on the snow plow
cool job! thank you :)
Can we get a pull test
whats up with the prime mover sound !??
Great review man (thumbs up). Are all the trains (Athearns, MTH, Intermountain, Walthers Proto) made in China? Is Kato still made in Japan or have they also moved their manufacturing to China?
SquidRides Judging by the close design and function of the boxes and clamshell packaging I’m pretty sure they are all made in the same factory by the same company. There’s just not enough of a market to support separate manufacturers. Kato is still made in Japan and it’s highly unlikely they would ever move their production to any other country. I’m most familiar with the production of a food product and we produced and packaged the same product for over 20 different brands-many of them in direct competition with each other.
A nice review. I got one in the CP paint scheme. Happy with the details but the sound is a bit disappointing. I might be tempted to put a Loksound decoder in it.
The horn of union pacific is incredible
The BNSF is a C4 version, that is cool.
Engine looks great, but the sound is terrible.
now i own a athearn blue box union pacific c44-9w is the ES44AC a better or improved of the c44-9w or dash 9 as they were also called? or is there no thing that these two locomotives have to do with each other?
Pulling power
Hello,
Question: the UP version can move without automatically starting the machine sounds? Mine (3E+) does and I hate that feature.
Thanks.
And the mechanical bell is correct for older GEVO units but not these releases. Am E-Bell would be correct.
James great review like always but give this model a 6 out of 10. The athearn genesis model is 8 of 10 because of in depth details.
Intermountain has the best ES44AC.
railroadpics _ i think you bumped your head there buddy. I've got 5 intermountain es44ac and dc and you cant compare to the athearn genesis model. The athearn's look better, sound better, and stronger then intermountain hands down.
The only thing Athearn edges out IRC is is in Pulling Power. Athearn has them beat there. But the ES44's from IRC are hands down the best in sound & detail. LokSound basically murders Tsunami when it comes to sound.
railroadpics _ loc sound i agree with you but im slowly taking out the tsunami sound and changing it with tcs wow sound. I think there the best if you ask me. But i hsve to disagree with you on one thing. I dont think they look better, i think intermountain is alright but not better all around. Yes the loc sound version i have sounds good but i think tcs wow will put them to sleep especially with keep alive . Cant wait for them to put out the GE sound versions.
George Ferrer TCS has great EMD sounds and i expect the same for GE and Most likely TCS will have the best.
great Review but the BNSF is a ES44C4 and the bell dose not sound like a E bell the horn i don't mind but MTH should have put esu loksound sound in them other than that I really love the detail
Looks great sounds pretty good. I know it's not prototypical and probably because I live in NS country love flashing ditch lights on my model trains.
what controller are you using? and also does it smoke?
Hi! Nice review again! I am in between this MTH ES44AC and the Athearn one. Please I really appreciate your opinion wich will cause impact on my final decision. Thank you!
Are you going to review the Dash 9? I think MTH knocked that one out of the park.
Awesome review! Those look great but the sound sounds really generic.
+Northwest Railfan The MTH sound is superior, its his camera making it sound bad, MTH sound is really loud out of the box, he is a bit too close, should of turned the volume down for the video.
Good review as always. MTH botched the sounds though. The horn is definitely not a K5HL. Prime mover doesn't sound like a GEVO. Ditch lights on BNSF and UP should not alternate. No tinted side cab windows. For $300 this isn't acceptable.
i just bought three mth in bnsf
Tropicana reefer cars and ttx box cars in ho scale would be great, thanks.
Flashing ditchlights are wrong and sound is horrible.
They sound like jet trains
Does it have a cab light?
Mihir Padhye
is it for ho scale
Look up at the title.
Proto maX couplers are kadee clones.Same .They copied them when the copyright ran out with the certain kadee coupler at the time .Just like life like copied the Athearn truck with the older p2k locos.Along with a near but better copy of the standard Athearn motor.They used the same motor mounts,gears.Athearns a little better.Thanks for the review .Great locos!
That sound is absolutely horrible. I'll stick with Intermountain and loksound.
+SouthernPacificPatch The MTH sound is superior to loksound, its his camera making it sound bad, MTH sound is really loud out of the box, he is a bit too close, should of turned the volume down for the video.
+axle17921 incorrect sounds though. Sorry but Loksound is currently the leader in Gevo sounds
+axle17921 You clearly have no idea what a gevo is supposed to sound like.
+SouthernPacificPatch actually I do considering Im a conductor on NS, we often use them.
+Arnold Harner I too am in train service,and no matter how crappy your railroad maintains its locomotives...GEVOs do not sound like that at all.
That’s wrong!
This loco has a great sound!!!!
These newer models are not meant for modelers; they’re meant for hobbyists. Take it out of the box, plunk it down on the layout and turn the power on. That’s not modeling, that’s playing. To use these as a basis for modeling you have to be a master disassembler and that’s not fun. Of course, the manufacturers thumb their noses at us which is too bad. I will not give a positive review of any locomotive that ignores our segment of the market no matter how good the hobbyists think it is.
Nice looking model!! Sound is disappointing, sounds nothing like the prototype.
Completely agree the sound is terrible I saw there csx version and could not get over the audio clipping if I did get one I would probably wait for tcs to come out with the gevo pm been impressed with there decoders so far they sound the closest to everything I hear at work
I put loksound in my MTH unit, see my channel for the video.
I have the Ns version, Pre-ordered an waited for months. incredibly disappointed in the sound, the horn is god awful and the engine sounds nothing like GE Locomotive. sounds like a hydrologic crane or something, I don't even know where you find a sound file like that? jesus its awful.
boatx22 i think you should stuck to. O scale mth
Worst decoder I’ve ever heard otherwise I nice model.