PROTO 2000's Alco PA, The best looking diesel for the railroad modeller?

[@randallellison6421]

Not only are the Proto 2000 Alcos nice models, but so are their E units as well! I have a Frisco E8 that I found at a hobby shop in Memphis, Tennessee a couple of years ago for under $60! Yeah, they don't have the details the current models have, but people need to remember that these models are either side of 30 years old, which is practically an eternity in the model train world! Even so, if you want something that runs good, and is relatively cheap, these are definitely the way to go!

[@Reaper1770]

I'm still going to go get a broadway limited set of E units but the proto 2000 E units are just fantastic, i've got a fair few of them. The only thing that stops me from getting more is getting the matching passenger cars. I've fitted a NYC set with sound and the only thing stopping from doing that with my PRR E8A is just because i found a good deal for broadway E8A pair. I may also in the future repaint a proto 2k to day one amtrak but thats a project for the future

[@randallellison6421]

@@Reaper1770 well, for what they were in the early to mid 1990s, the Proto 2000 E units were pretty cutting edge models. They even featured a simulated Mars light (as appropriate to the road name), that used a pair of incandescent bulbs that flashed alternately to simulate the Mars light, which was a really cool feature for a pre DCC era model!

[@Reaper1770]

​@@randallellison6421i'm actually quite impressed with how well the proto 2000 has aged from truck detail to how good they run. My p2k sd-45 is heavier and more detailed than my kato and on par with my athearn genesis

[@echohunter4199]

Interesting video sir! I was always under the impression that the older Proto 2000 units were not up to the quality and detail of modern models. I returned to the hobby 13 years ago after retiring from the Army so there’s a gap with many older models. I recently bought a new Rapido SP PA-2 with sound and I knew I’d eventually need to find some B units for it. I looked closer at the Proto 2000 P units and saw that the B units looked pretty good so I bought two Proto 2000 dummy B units for $60 for two of them and they work great.

[@Reaper1770]

I find proto 2000 very good as a starter model, there are areas where they lack suck as modern lighting or easy to fit dcc sound. My biggest issue is more so the body fit in the A units just because i've had issues with the chasis falling out of the shell. The B units are just solid i'm using proto 2000 E7B for my PRR Broadway limited consist

[@Reaper1770]

I'll be doing Athearn Gas Turbine as this coming tuesday