I have an MPC era semi-Scale Hudson and I’ve come to appreciate its qualities. It’s a solid loco, didn’t cost a lot and because it has an open-frame motor, I just leave the Sound of Steam unplugged - there is no rectifier in the tender. It smokes well and pulls reasonably well.
It also has a die-cast tender with 6-wheel trucks which I rather like, I believe it’s the same as the one on the Williams semi-Scale Hudson?
TBH, if I were shopping at a budget something like that would be on my list.