hello,bought new units,sound great! two problems.no number board lights or markers.also,you have to hold remote very close.is this the norm.besides this,they run well.thanks in advance.
Are you running them on DC I assume?
Maybe try some fresh batteries in the remote to help with range.
Are they advertised as having lighted markers (i.e. class lights) and number boards? I didn’t think these were factory options on the Athearn F units.
My F3s lack these lights:
The markers and numberboards are not lighted and not advertised as lighted. Running the unit on DC with the remote that is furnished is a problem!
Two down and one to go.
CZ
Southwest Chief - Where did you get your shrouded baggage/dorm? Is it a Halmark brass?
I have several of the older Genesis F units (including two sets that came with the SuperChief set). I don’t recall any of them having lit marker boards. That would be way cool if the newer ones had working marker lamps and lighted number boards.
I only have experience with a couple of the DC wireless controllers. Yes, the range is very short. My father discovered if he connected the antenna to the track it worked a whole lot better. I’ve not seen this work by just reporting what he said.
Halmark Brass [(-D] I think being out of focus helps conceal the true identity. She started life as an IHC Santa Fe combine:
Added a Train Station Products roof adapter and a lot of other details and I ended up with a resemblance to an El Cap baggage/dorm.
I have close up photos of the car, but took them down from my website for more photo room. I’ll have to repost those.
I though the Hallmark one was N-scale. There was an Article in an MR a little bit back that mentioned that, and IIRC, that was N-scale.
Also, I think P2K F-units have lighted numberboards.
I haven’t heard of anyone having good luck with the remote control for the sound yet. I’m sure that SOMEONE has, but I just haven’t heard of it. And no, none of the F-units that I’ve seen from Genesis have had lighted class lights and number boards…it’d be nice, and can probably be done pretty easily (the castings for the class lights are done in clear plastic on the Highliners undec shells) if one is willing to do a little extra wiring and add a couple of micro bulbs (or one small bulb and fiber optics).
SWC:
Have you looked into the P-S Dormitory-Lounge kit from Union Station Products? I have one, and it’s a nicely done kit. Add the TSP topper, and you have a nice model of one of the transition cars. [:)]
I tried the USP sides, and didn’t like the outcome (I think it was more the fact that it was my first attempt with styrene sides), so I used the brass car sides from NKP, along with detail parts from TSP and came up with this:
Hallmark made both. I used to own the N-scale set (1984? vintage), but sold it when I switched back to HO. I purchased the HO version some time later (1990?). I really don’t like them, they short circuited a lot and sound tinny rolling down the track. I fixed the short circuit by putting in double insulated wheel sets (so much for any possiblity of track powered lighting). The only way I know to fix the tinny sound is to do the interiors with soft materials, which I’ve not had the gumption to do yet.
Hmmm, I think I’ve lead the thread off topic!
I was also upset by the short range of the remote,so I called Athearn. I found out that the FCC is the problem. I have a question. The new "modernized " Genesis F7’s are out and I was wondering what time frame would they be for? I talking of the ones with the light blue stripe on the sides.
Early to mid 1970s sounds about right for the “modernized” Blue Bonnets. I’m hoping Athearn makes a Yellow Bonnet variety, specifically the passenger units 304 or 315. I have the Intermountain version of 304L, but I like the Athearn/Highliner shell a lot better.
And yes this has gotten way off topic [:-,]
I am surprised that Genesis F units have no illuminated number boards. My old F unit Stewarts do as do my Intermountain F units as do my BLI F units.
Who would even keep any of the old F units or PA or FA units if they do not have illuminated number boards.
Nothing looks so toy like as the old first generation diesel engines with their blank number boards and of course those without cab windows. Time to send those units to the wrecker.