MB lein has a good deal on this F3. Does this unit have a reputable decoder or is it one of “those” that arent worth having?
TIA
I’m assuming you meant M. B. Klein. Can you provide a link to the specific locomotive you are interested in? As far as I know, all Athearn Genesis with factory installed DCC/sound come with MRC decoders.
You might also want to try contacting them on your own. Here is a link.
Yes, It was supposed to be M B Klein (my K finger is weak today).
And I did call them and it is indeed an MRC decoder. Based on this, I did not order one.
I wouldn’t give up on the F3A. I have 4 Athearn sound DCC loco’s, and have had NO problems with the MRC decoders. if you get a bad one, Klein will exchange or Athearn will supply a replacement decoder for you - changing the decoder is an easy job. Aside from the decoder, the Athearn Genisis F3A is about the best looking F3 around!! My [2c]
Bruce:
I THINK the current Genesis F3’s have a multi-pin socket for your choice of soundboard.
The older sets came with QSI’s DC-DCC electronics. Current releases are MRC’s to lower their cost, which is why M.B. Klein is offering ‘a deal’. The original release (which I have) had none of the above.
The QSI equipped added about $100 to the price. I suspect the combined MRC/DCC plug is the best of both worlds. Speaker installation alone will cost you $100.
Bruce:
I THINK the current Genesis F3’s have a multi-pin socket for your choice of soundboard.
The older sets came with QSI’s DC-DCC electronics. Current releases are MRC’s to lower their cost, which is why M.B. Klein is offering ‘a deal’. The original release (which I have) had none of the above.
The QSI equipped added about $100 to the price. I suspect the combined MRC/DCC plug is the best of both worlds. Speaker installation alone will cost you $100.
As I Remember C&NW in the early 50’s, all yellow/green passenger engines were E-8’s - including commuter, and the Proto 2000’s ran pretty good - once you glued the detail so it wouldn’t fall out.
I haven’t bought any Genesis with sound because of the wide consensus that the MRC sound decoders are the worst on the market. All my 12 Genesis F units are without sound and I may add a “3rd party” sound unit to one or more some day.
The sound in the Proto 2000 F units is supposed to quite good tho.
The factory installed sound units used in the Genesis F3’s are MRC units only. QSI units were never available factory installed. Wishfull thinking.
Perhaps you are thinking of the BLI F7’s which had the QSI sound installed.
If you are a subscriber of Model Railroader you can read their 2006 review of the Genesis F3 with the MRC decoder in the Product Review section of this website.
No problems with the sound-it sounds good…The MRC DCC decoder has problems…Best to run these sound systems on DC not DCC.
Better: Buy the DCC ready and add the DCC/Sound of your choice.
I’ve got a Genesis F3A Santa Fe passenger loco and a F3AB SFin the freight scheme. I run them all on DC, and I love them.
Can’t tell you about the sound quality, but I’ve got a non-sound DC Genesis Rio Grande F-3 A-B set and I couldn’t be happier about both the running and pulling qualities. Very smooth, very powerful, and extremely responsive to my MRC Control 20 powerpack.
Fine locos, IMO.
Tom