athearn genesis problems

dominic_c · January 31, 2011, 7:42pm

I have an athearn genesis dcc sound F7ab units. Both are powered. At different times and at different locations on the track, either engine will slow down for a split second then go back at normal speed. I have run the two engines seperately and both do it. When running together, I’m not sure they are doing it at the same time or one is doing it to slow the consist. Again, it’s not a full stop. Its a slowing down then returning to it’s normal speed. Sometimes you can hear the brake sound and sometimes you don’t. This does not happen to any other engines I have. I have cleaned the wheels and the track. If it slows down in a certain spot, I’ll clean the track after the train passes and when it comes to that spot it will pass without slowing down. I find myself rubbing the track everywhere it might slow down. Eventually I get the spots(which are random), and the units will run good. But eventually the slowing down starts again. I’m thinking this is not a dirty track problem. THIS DOES NOT HAPPEN IN DC so I’m thinking it’s a decoder problem. Before I send it back, has anyone else experienced this problem? And if so, was it resolved with out taking it back? Can anyone direct me to where they sell these boards for the Athearn Genesis so I can replace it myself? Please let me know

Thanks

Joe C

Pittsburgh Pa

Hamltnblue · January 31, 2011, 7:47pm

Describe your layout including size. Also how may places do you have wires hooked to insert power to the tracks? It sounds like it might be rail joiners beginning to fail. It’s pretty common to start having problems after a while. This is one of the reasons you should have multiple feed wires on a layout. Others solder their joiners to fix the problem.

Train_Modeler · January 31, 2011, 7:56pm

A couple of things:

It could be loose wires on the board on on the other end(trucks/motor) Make sure the wires for the cap are good(if not wires, then SMB.
That loco may have an MRC board in it. If so, maybe you can send that one back and get a Tsunami. If it is an MRC I would put a Tsunami in it anyway.

Richard