As I plan on modeling Frisco late 50’s era, the F3’s wll be my main freight pullers. Athearn made the F3AB set in Frisco logo–they appear to no longer produce it, and it’s not available on most internet sites, but it is available on one, hence I’m strongly considering picking up the set. Having talked to my club members and reviewing threads here, the Athearn Genesis seems to get generally good reviews, but I’d like just a brief feedback/review from you all here before I purchase the pair from any of you that have the set, specifically:
Pulling power
Detail quality
Reliability
How this set compares to your other locos.
Ballpark figure of what you think the AB set should go for (remember Frisco is a fallen flag and Athearn no longer produces it in Frisco logo)
I have a genesis ab set for SP. Let me tell you, they are the best engines on my roster. They are smoother than my katos!! They can pull at least 20 cars ( at least! ) and I have never had a problem with them. Now, I bought the AB set at a collectors tran store for $50 out the door!!! I don’t think you will find them for that price, but they are selling for $200-$210 at www.discounttrainsonline.com. I would say that is a good price.
Yes, that’s internettrains.com, the only place I’ve found the Athearn F3’s in Frisco, they’re asking $220.98. Seems a little stiff (only about $38 below MSRP), but beggers can’t be . . . One of the vets at my local club, when talking about specific road name releases: “they come and they go” meaning sometimes one does have to “snap them up”. Frisco isn’t like UP or PRR, etc.; limited numbers released will probably always make this an issue, though sometimes not. I just picked up a Stewart Baldwin DS-4-4-1000 for a great price at MB Klein, so there are “deals” to be had out there, sometimes it’s just a matter of luck/timing. Anyway, thanks for the info.
I have 5 different examples of the Athearn Genesis F units, F-2’s, F-3’s and F-7’s. They are all the same under the shell. I’ll tell you, they are all Great pullers. The level of detail is fantastic. They are pretty heavy locomotives which helps with their pulling power.
If I have to be super picky and point out things I don’t care for about these locomotives, I could think of 2 things…
I wish that Athearn would redesign their coupler mounting boxes. When I installed a Kadee #5 on my F units, none of them would correctly line up with my couplers height guage. I had to install a Kadee #36 in the front and #38 in the rear. These couplers pockets can be a little tricky to assemble for the first time user. Once you have them mastered, they become easy and once installed allows for the perfect height of the Kadee coupler.
Converting these F units over to DCC can be tricky for the first time user. Most of the newer engines out there that are “DCC Ready” come with a socket that you simply inset the decoder into. The Athearn Genesis F units don’t come this way. You’ll have to break out the soldering iron. You have to physically remove the entire circut board and replace it with Digitrax DH163AO decoder or equivelent. You can reuse the tiny plastic clips to resecure the wires to the leads, but its better to just solder then in place. The you’ll have to solder a 1000Ohm 1/4 Watt resister inline with any of the lights if you don’t want to blow them in seconds. Again, this isn’t difficult to do, but can be tricky for the first timer.
If you don’t run DCC then #2 won’t be an issue for you at all.
Other than that, these are fantastic locomotives that should bring you years of great performance.
I went on a buying spree last year and purchased 3 Genesis F units, a CNR A/A unit, a CNW A/B unit and a Frisco A/B. Now that I have put more thought into my yet unbuilt layout I realize that the Frisco units do not fit. Would anyone have a Genesis GN F unit series, or one of the CN or CNW F series you would want to trade?
I have one of the DC A units, and it is one of the best diesels I own.[:D]
Now, to answer your questions,
Pulling power, I’d say about 40 free rolling cars just for one unit
Detail quality, I don’t think you’d find a better one in brass
Reliability, the only problem mine has is a slight chirping in the motor, but other than that, excellent.
How this set compares to your other locos. I’d say it passes P2K, Atlas and Kato in detail, and runs just as well as the others.[:D]
I don’t think you’ll find better F-Units from anyone, as long as you get the second production ones with Roco motors. The earlier ones had gears and wheels that had off-center holes, causing some noise and jerky running. They also had a faster, higher current draw Buehlur motor and over-sized couplers.
Train Control Systems (TCS) makes a special semi-plug-n-play decoder for the Athearn Genesis F units with incorporated 1.5 Volt headlight regulators. Without these regulators, you have to add resistors if you use a different brand or type of decoder.
I installed decoders into six of these units for club members, and they all run very smoothly. The TCS decoder gives you complete control for special lighting effects on the various F units, such as mars lights, red backup lights, etc., according to the road name and what was used on the prototype.
I have 8 units, 3 CNW F 3’s, 2 CBQ F 3’s and 1 F7, 2 ATSF F 7( warbonnets) and 2 MStL F3 on order. My only complaint is the dam lights burn out too fast.
I use Kadee 58’s in a 30 series draft gear box, but I think that Kadee #148 “whiskers” would work with the boxes that come with the locomotive.
Actually, the TCS A6X doesn’t use dropping resistors because the resistance value is dependent on the current draw. The right value for your bulbs may be wrong for another brand, or for dual vs. single headlights, etc. There’s no way they could select one resistance value that would cover all possible combinations.
Instead, they use a much more elegant solution in the form of a 1.5v regulator, which is able to handle varying current needs. I don’t know exactly what one they use, but here’s a link to some data about what I’m sure is their big brothers, the LM78xx series of voltage regulators: http://www.fairchildsemi.com/ds/LM/LM7805.pdf
I agree with your assessment of the A6X. I have one in a Genesis SD70, and am quite happy with the results. [:)]
I also have a couple more waiting to go into an AA set of Genesis F3’s I have. Just not enough time to get to everything…[:(]
I paid $159 each for two A/B sets of ATSF warbonnets from my LHS, they were moving them out to make room for sound units. I paid $155 for an A/B cat whisker set at Discount Trains Online. All are straight DC.
As others have noted, they pull great, they are quiet and smooth, and the detail is excellent. I had to file some material off the back edge of the grab irons to reliably negotiate 18 inch curves, I think this was required on 2 or 3 of six total units. Factory “close” coupling is okay on 18" curves, but I doubt you will be able to use much of the even closer coupling adjustment without going to bigger curves. Unless you have to mortgage your soul to buy them, I think you’ll be as happy or happier with these as any other locomotive in the under $300 per unit cost range.
Pulling: Not as good as InterMountain. Detail: V.Good. Reliability: QC is Variable. (Some excellent, some with problems).
My appraisal: Genesis has better ‘looks’.InterMountain & Stewart better ‘runners’.Genesis has better headlights. (I have several of each).
If you are looking for a specific Road such as Frisco, you will have to pay whatever it takes to acquire. Custom paint jobs will cost you $$$ - like $250 +.
SO: If you find something you want. you buy it - and take your chances.
If you use the TCS decoder with the 1.5 volt provision ,it isn’t a plug & play situation. I found this out the hard way. I installed the decoder in my usual way, Pull out the old circuit board & solder in the decoder & read the instructions later…if at all. In about 2 sec. the headlight bulb blew. Checked the instructions & learned that there are soldering lugs that you have to solder the leads to the bulb to. After a trip to the train store for another bulb, Replacing the bulb & resoldering the leads to the proper places, all was well. Another problem with the TCS decoder was memory loss. It would forget it’s address, again reading the instructions I learned about a CV that allowed you to lock in all CV values. Doing this ended the memory loss problem… The lesson, You guessed it, read the instructions FIRST… Jerry