Good affordable pullers

Williams by Bachman is still readily available.

There is always the used market if you can't afford new. that opens up diesels form K-line, Williams, Weaver[ Circa 1995 from Samhongsa and after 2000 with "China drive"] MTH Ps1 diesels as well.

Trainworld has an assortment of Williams GP38's on sale, as well as other Williams locos.  Most have sounds.

https://www.trainworld.com/man...gines/williams-gp38/

https://www.trainworld.com/man...iams-diesel-engines/

Keep your eyes out for a good, used Lionel Train Master diesel; they have always been good pullers. You should be able to pick up a MPC/LTI version for a song compared to the "as new" price.

Picked these 4 up for way less than 1/2 of value  great runners

Thanks for the replies, guys.  I will look into the train master.  I saw a nice CNW one on ebay.  But the CNW never had a true Train Master.    I am disappointed that Bachmann\Williams discontinued the fallen flag roads.  I am looking into the CSX GP or B&O also.

Williams locomotives are everywhere.  They can be had anytime.

There are 50 Williams GP9s on ebay right now. A few at the other auction sites.

Pete

Blick Fang posted:

Thanks for the replies, guys.  I will look into the train master.  I saw a nice CNW one on ebay.  But the CNW never had a true Train Master.    I am disappointed that Bachmann\Williams discontinued the fallen flag roads.  I am looking into the CSX GP or B&O also.

CNW aka "Cheap & Nothing Wasted" did have "Baby Train Masters" SO, stretch your imagination - all the model manufactures do!

Echoing the recommendation for WbB. I have several that I keep for running on the club's modular layout. I also keep a good selection of Weaver cars that I pull. Consists of 30-40 cars are no sweat for these locomotives. They run for hours on-end. Just make sure the gears are lubed well before running a new engine.

There's a bunch to choose from on eBay right now less than $150. 

jhz563 posted:

Williams by Bachman is still readily available.

Tons of Williams and WbB out there new and used.......forum sponsor Trainworld has some on sale now. 

What is WbB?

Thanks!

WBB-  Williams by Bachmann.

Williams was bought out by Bachman a while ago.

Hey how do those trainmasters like 031 turns?

No problem. The originals in sets came with 031. My Williams FM has pulled 32 cars without breaking a sweat. I am sure it could pull many more than that.

BTW when shopping for original Williams make sure it has True Blast II sound. That way you will be sure it has two motors and each has a flywheel. All Williams by Bachman came this way but some early Williams came without flywheels and some of the smaller engines like the NW2, 44 tonner post war style, and Alco FA only had one motor.

Pete

hello

I have a lionel gp9 custom wit tmcc and the car to go with it 200. plus shipping the only thing that neesds fixed is a cam on one axel is loose  it works the speed sound the faster you go it will speed up the motor sound may be a easy fix I thought jb weld might fix it kevin

kwisor@sc.rr.com

Blick:

Williams continues to be an awesome puller. Plus they now have TruBlast Plus which includes engine noise. So it boils down to whether or not you want conventional or command control. While it is true you can buy a command control loco and run it manually you are paying a bunch of money for a feature you are not using. All the major manufacturers sell conventional locomotives and I don't think you can go wrong with any of them.

I do have a question for you - I bought a new Williams F3 with True Blast Plus but the volume was next to nothing. I have sent it back to Bachmann for 'repairs' or at least I hope repair. My question is how do you find the volume on your loco? Can you hear the horn from 6-10 feet away over track noise?

Thanks

Joe

I could hear the horn with my gp 9.  Didn't have any fancy sounds.  I am not a big fan of the small speaker

I have a few Williams ( some are Williams by Bachmann ) and have no complaint of any of them. I have 4 GG1's ( love my GG1's ) and train world has them on sale for $300 I believe it is with true bast plus. I also have AA B&O from the set. and there a nice pair ( one power, one dummy ) 

You can usually find Williams on ebay some good prices, some average prices and some even ridicules prices. 

For a postwar steamer I recommend Lionel 2035 but it will not out pull the Williams diesels with good weight and rubber tires mentioned above.

Charlie

If you want steam that is basic but pulls, is geared good enough it runs like it has cruise but is conventional with horn and bell get a Bachmann Baldwin 4-6-0.

Shop around and can find under $200...several roads.

For GPs...find an MTH with PS-2...can be found under $200...have cruise, diesel sound and runs conventional or MTH command control.

I have purchased NIB MKT Railing Scale GP-7 engines with PS-2 for under $150...they are out there you just have to hunt...

kwisor posted:

hello

I have a lionel gp9 custom wit tmcc and the car to go with it 200. plus shipping the only thing that neesds fixed is a cam on one axel is loose  it works the speed sound the faster you go it will speed up the motor sound may be a easy fix I thought jb weld might fix it kevin

kwisor@sc.rr.com

Hi, this is very cool. Nice pics . Do you still have it ?  Im just starting to get into trains. Im not sure exactly what I want, but this gets my attention. 

Best regards, Brian Hoffmaster 

The Atlas O Trainman line of locomotives offers a variety of diesels for various eras at very affordable prices.  I recently purchased a RSD-4/5 in SP Black Widow for $229 in a conventional model.  They are very well detailed and excellent pullers.

Rolland

Two of the OGR Forum sponsors sells Williams by Bachman ... Marios and J&R Junction.  Check them out.    The Williams and WbB locomotives are great pullers!  I own several.

TexasSP posted:

Trainworld has an assortment of Williams GP38's on sale, as well as other Williams locos.  Most have sounds.

https://www.trainworld.com/man...gines/williams-gp38/

https://www.trainworld.com/man...iams-diesel-engines/

Any thoughts on relative merits of the Williams versus the LC+ version for approximately the same price? Am considering a good diesel puller as well.

http://charlesro-com.3dcartsto...om/store_L84941.html

Thanks!

For 2 rail steam, the older US Hobbies and Max Grey brass imports are great pullers.   The price of these older brass locos has dropped considerably in the last decade or so.    They don't have the new electronics and are not as detailed as more recent museum quality pieces but they run well and you can add whatever electronics  you prefer.     And the construction is sturdy for brass models.   

For good old plain pulling without more detail than can't be seen after 4 feet the original Williams are fine.  If you need more detail with good pulling power, R-O-W are hard to top.   John in Lansing, ILL

I have a couple lc+ pieces...fit well with lionmaster and railking...kinda cheesy whistles...but smoke synchro with chuff on steam...speed control and runs on same power supply with legacy or dcs...now finding on used market for half price or less sometimes. 

Amazing pullers, really,  for their size.

+ for lionchief+!

gibson man posted:

I have a couple lc+ pieces...fit well with lionmaster and railking...kinda cheesy whistles...but smoke synchro with chuff on steam...speed control and runs on same power supply with legacy or dcs...now finding on used market for half price or less sometimes. 

Amazing pullers, really,  for their size.

+ for lionchief+!

Thanks for this! They seem like kind of a remarkable value:

https://www.trainworld.com/man...us-gp38-w-bluetooth/

I'm skeptical of how they will hold up, but for that price it might be worth trying.

Affordable and good pulling = used Williams still for me.  Double and triple headed they are hard to beat on the used market.

I own a variety of first generation Jerry Williams diesels, they are no frills with basic sound systems, good pullers even up grades and easy to repair. I also have a Rock Island Williams by Bachmann RS-3 diesel engine, basically the Jerry Williams version with the upgraded sound system, horn, bell and running diesel sounds are a definite enhancement.