Athearn Genesis Soo Line GP9 DCC/Sound

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Hi, heres some info about the Genesis Soo Line GP9 with DCC/Sound, Direct from Athearn:
It Features:

  • Celcon handrails
  • Separately applied wire grab irons
  • Etched radiator intake grills
  • Etched radiator fan grills
  • Correct “nub” style walkway tread detail
  • Window glazing
  • Separately applied air tanks
  • Operating headlights utilizing microbulbs
  • Sound units have Soundtraxx Tsunami™ factory installed
  • McHenry® scale knuckle spring couplers
  • Prototype specific details per phase and prototype, such as:
  • Grilles
  • Fuel tanks
  • Fans
  • Dynamic brakes
  • Battery access doors
  • Electrical cabinets
  • Sunshades
  • Cut levers
  • MU stands
  • Air filter box
  • Air horn
  • Headlights
  • Bell
  • Truck sideframes
  • Pilot details
  • Many headlight options
  • Antennas

In my opinion, the Genesis GP9 is a must buy for people interested in the Soo Line. The sound version works in DC or DCC. My layout is DC so i can tell you that you can blow the RR crossing sequence horn in DC. To blow the horn, you just spike up the throttle a little bit and the horn will blow. The beacon also strobes in DC. The bell rings when the engine is going in slow speeds. The sound is fantastic, and you can always expect that from Tsunami. Details are very nice, and none of them were broken in shipping for me.The handrails are pretty flimsy, but look prototypical. The only unprototypical thing i see is that Soo line GP9s did not have chains on the front and back handrails until around after the Soo was bought by CP. The locomotive runs very smooth at low speeds and is very quiet! The engine isn’t very heavy and weighs a little less than the Genesis GP15-1. If i left anything out, please say so! Overall, the engine is great and all Soo Line fans should get

2

Here are some pictures of the locomotive:

3

I agree the GP9’s look great; I’m almost too afraid to dismantle them for weathering because of the fine detail. I got four C&O geeps and think they are great. (I can’t wait for the GP7’s) Have you (or anyone else) noticed a delay in the sound of the locos? I run them at realistic speeds, but still notice a mismatch between the movement and the sound…the loco moves, or speeds up, before the sound responds. I haven’t had much time to run/tweak the CV’s to see if this could be the issue. I run NCE at home and Digitrax on Freemo.

4

Standard Tsunami operation, the loco moves before the sounds rev up. Unprototypical.

ANd if only Athearn would stop using those horrible light bulbs. They are the last holdout, everyone else has long switched to LEDs.

–Randy

5

There are times I like the bulbs, especially in older ditch lights, also easy to work with in adding ditch lights. I’ve used light pipes with LEDs, but bulbs can be easier to add.

Randy, what happens when a light engine is sitting in the yard, brakes released and reverser put in F or R? I have seen them move/creep–maybe that’s more unusual than I think, but I understand it to be pretty normal.

Richard

6

In the decoder manual it tells how to set up manual or auto notching. Auto notching can be adjusted some what by how many speed steps before the sound changes to the next notch. Joe

7

I haven’t actually heard any delay, but on the other hand i have a DC layout.

8

I’ve got all four of the genisiis B&O gp9’s in the Enchantment Blue pre-Chessie scheme. They look and sound great, but I need to figure out a way to tone down that fresh-from-the-paintshop sheen. Most of these units were quite faded by the early seventies!