Review: Walthers Proto GP9 Phase II w/ESU LOKSound, DCC and LEDs! Phase 2

[@TubaSoundsandTrains]

Thank you for this review! I just bought this locomotive for my son, it’s a beautiful model and our first with DCC and sound. I’m very impressed with the unit so far. From our testing of it the locomotive sounds great and runs wonderfully.

[@vermontrail-fan5557]

Nice review James! The GP9 is definitely a rare unit to this day but some are still going on many railroads especially New Hampshire’s Conway Scenic Railroad. Keep it up 👍🏻

[@kyleftw1679]

I think if Walthers made a proto version of mainline engines, that would be awesome in my opinion. Great review James.

[@Riogrande6400]

I love gp9 locomotives and especially the EMD 567 prime mover

[@ricksalmon4916]

I love your honest appraisals.

[@roberttrains8696]

Good Review James I have 9 of the Grand Trunk GP9 I had to change the stobe light GT had white Becon light on them not yellow thanks for sharing Robert Guzman

[@grantv2313]

I wish you could pop the shell to see the insides. I have one of these coming and will be putting a LM3-S from railpro in for wireless control with sound. Would like to see how they did the factory speaker.

[@natestrains1166]

Beautiful locomotive.

[@croasdail]

Love the old 9s... both GP and SD. I have more than a few. The Sd9 is what brought me to the Photo 2000 line many years ago. So good to see. That said, with you reviewed more Walthers Photo offerings. I do a lot with Athearn, but feel they and Scale Trains are getting way too much of the mind share.... anyway...

[@likesanddislikesetc]

Nice! I’ll definitely get one of these.

[@Brian_rock_railfan]

great video

[@mgr_video_productions]

Great review. Walthers Proto Geeps could give Athearn Genesis a run for their money.

[@railfanningthecsx5170]

Great job!

[@cp368productions2]

They brought back the "old style" hand brakes, the NS rebuilds have them instead of the wheel so do a few others. Takes up less room.

[@robertom5808]

Nice one

[@jwrailve3615]

I have three walthers dcc sound units if you want a consist and it’s not essential for every loco to be a scale trains or bli detail quality throw a walthers in there and they at least for me have been some of the best slow speed performers.

[@IamMagPie]

How does Walthers Proto compare to Athearn Genesis for GP7, GP9 and F7 models?

[@haylieg2780]

Not the best sound prime mover wise. I have spent a ton of time around GP nines and GP tens and they don’t sound this scratchy. One thing I would really like to see somebody do is a GP 10 in the seminal golf railroad paint scheme.

[@hansfriess]

Has the shell been retooled or is it still the original Proto 2000 shell? Looks very much like the Life like proto 2000 I have.

[@wasatchrangerailway6921]

Hey James, It must just be me because the sound from these models sounds like an organ grinder!!!! Static is all I hear!!!!

[@fstudent0198]

Which cv changes the bell rate on this ESU decoder? I want a slower bell rate.

[@fstudent0198]

Set cv32 to 1, then cv285 you set to a lower number for slower rate, higher for faster rate.

[@christopherbrown6152]

I'm new to h.o. scale and the word or brand proto confuses me proto proto 1000 proto 2000 lifelike walthers. Anyone know the differances?

[@westernpacificrr]

Life like is old Walthers. Proto 1000 and Proto 2000 is also older Walthers. Think of Proto 1000 as Walthers Mainline and Proto 2000 as Walthers Proto.

[@kyleftw1679]

@@westernpacificrr Gold line is today's Walthers Mainline, if you see Platinum Line is today's Proto line.

[@hansfriess]

Are the grab irons plastic or metal

[@thomasharroun8068]

Good job by Walthers. The locomotive has treads on the steps, which Athearn still needs to figure out for the Genesis line

[@donaldmoore8920]

Athearn needs to put tread details on Ready to Roll and Genesis models

[@Jabond07]

👏👏👏👏🫶🍻

[@stevenswett2268]

Looked like the number board overlays were crooked allowing light bleed. Kind of a hurried review!