I’m a bit curious on how well the RTR F7s are… They’re pretty inexpensive, but how do they look, perform, and how easy are they to convert to DCC?
The ones I’ve seen on-line are analog units and are not equipped with any kind of plug. Moreover, they appear to have the same motor and drive setup as the old BB F7’s. I have one rtr F7. I’ve looked at the inside of it and it appears to be the same as the old ones. That doesn’t mean they can’t be converted. I’ve got an old BB F7 running on my layout as I type this that I converted to DCC last year and it runs great. The biggest trick was isolating the motor (not hard) and wiring the decoder (easy). The rtr units shouldn’t be very hard to convert. I used a NCE decoder with a hardwire harness. Digitrax makes a decoder especially suited for Athearn locos (DH123AT).
They look really nice. The paint and lettering is definately a step up from the BBs. As noted above, they are the standard BB drive but have the extra weight for pulling. The one thing I didn’t like is that with the AB sets, the B unit is a dummy.
All in all, I do think it is worth the extra money for Genesis and IM units if they are available in your road if you are having to pay retail for the RTR units. If you are getting a “deal” for RTRs, I would go for it.
A very popular model when it sold for $10 (original price 55 years ago). People are dumping these since better engines are now available (for more money).
TODAY’s F-7 winners: Genesis; InterMountain; Proto 2000.
‘In-between’: used Stewart (excellent drive); MRC. (To avoid) Tyco F7.
ANSWER: Good? (OK).
MINUSES: Steel wheels (arc); primitive headlight; molded-on grills, handrails; power consumption (2X). PLUSES: Cheap & Dependable.
There are several dozen of these locomotives being used at both clubs…These are the “old” Blue Box locomotives that’s been available since the early 50s.They are still the best low end F7 made.As far as DCC Digitrax makes a harness for Athearn drives.You will need to isolate the bottom of the motor from the frame by using electrical tape.
I dumped the BB’s to reduce the amount of power required to move a set. If you want RTR F units from Athearn, try to get the DCC ready units and put in a good decoder. Dont get stuck with those MRC decoders.
I use BLI and have an eye on the Proto. Several companies make a good set of F units in the Hobby.
A 2 unit set of my BB units draws 1/2 amp same as 2 Atlas 4 axle loco…Thats good…2 of the newer RTR unts draws a tad less.
As a side note…My older BB unit wheels has turn silver like nickel silver wheels after hours of running…
Would this have anything to do with the 1/2 amp?
One thing I found is the Athearn units are greatly affected by grade - unlike say Atlas or Kato units, they will tend to slow down considerably going uphill and speed up downhill. However, once I converted to DCC and put in a decoder with Back EMF (“cruise control” if you will) my F7 became a really good runner and has seen regular use in passenger service since.
BTW the A and B units use the same drive, if you buy say an A-A or A-B set with one being a dummy, you can go out and buy a single powered unit and replace the dummy chassis for a powered one.
…Or you can buy a Genenis powered chassis. I believe they make DC/DCC Ready versions (A and B) and DCC versions (also A and B).
The one thing I don’t like is the CPR model has an F7A as a lead unit, while the CPR never had F7A’s. They only owned FP7A’s, which are four feet longer.
Well I guess my next saving project after athearn’s FEF-3 will be for an F7… Debating on which manufactorer and roadname still.
in the spirit of good fun, I think your recollection is high! I remember a sticker price of $6.95 in 1958. Since discounting was rare back then, sticker price was what you paid.
It was my first engine, received for Christmas 1957 at age 12. It was part of a 4-car-plus-caboose freight train set. After a couple of months I decided it would look much better with a second diesel unit so I put in a “req” for a matching B-unit, also powered, for my birthday. That’s why I remember the price. I think I had the world’s most overpowered freight train! In case anybody’s wondering, the diesels were in the PRR passenger tuscan red 5-stripe scheme. It wasn’t until decades later that I learned this scheme was not correct for PRR F7s.
I think they’re a great model — and not only because one of them was my first engine. If my prototype railroad of choice owned any F7’s I think I’d still own a fleet of them.
May I also point out to everybody that Walthers still produces, after many years, what they call a “Diesel dress-up kit” which is very inexpensive and worthwhile. Basically it is a set of grab-irons and clear plastic windshield and porthole lenses specifically designed for Athearn F’s.
(Funny — you can’t get Athearn models from Walthers anymore but you can get this dress-up kit!)
I Paid like 14 dollars retail for a B&O switcher. I got a dummy calf (8.00) because being told I didnt need dual powered units at low speed across dead switch frogs… I eventually powered the calf for another 12 dollars and after many years sold the pair for 30.
Now I have a pair of NW’s and a set of F units that are simply amazing for the technology. But those bulletproof BB’s will always have a place.
“Bulletproof,” yes ---- well, almost . . .
The $6.95 F-units from the late 50s that I was talking about in my post above had one Achilles’ Heel: Atherarn’s good ol’ rubber band “Hi-F” [their term] drive. You’d better have had a good supply of replacement rubber bands around your train room as the lifetime of a band wasn’t very long. Athearn did a booming business in envelopes of replacement rubber bands! I remember the size was just a little different from anything you could get in an office supply store, so you had to get them from Athearn! Folks, in today’s world we call that a “closed system arcihitecture!”
Does anybody out there recall just when Athearn left Hi-F for gear drive diesels? It would’ve been sometime in the 1960’s.
I’ve got a couple in GO Transit colours and so far they seem good. I might actually pick up a couple more if I see them cheap enough at a show.
Well, and Intermountain makes a nice FP7, but at least at present not in the red “CP Rail” scheme I’d like to see !! [|(]
BTW when Athearn came out with it’s “can” motor (which really isn’t a can motor as best I can see) back in the seventies or early eighties, it was considered to be quite good. I recall an RMC review of the first Stewart engines (IIRC the AS-16) saying something like “Stewart uses the state-of-the-art Athearn drive train and motor, so you know it will run well!!”
LARRY:
Carefull. Someting is wrong.
Athearn BB Engines AT BEST pulled 1/2 amp EACH (early ones 1 amp EACH) just to run. Starting amperage was approimately double that to overcome friction.
You better get new meters (if you have one). I use ‘Calibrated’ V & A meters, plus a $100 EXTERNAL Mulitimeter - and they agree. Your old SD-45 should pull 1 amps alone. If someone runs multiple BB engines they better figure .75 amps average. That’s 1.5 amps for 2.
ALL my Atlas except Roco made FP-7A’s use only .25 amps - .3 amps - and so do yours.
Oh yes, is that ever true!!! I well remember my F7 A&B (both powered) strained my “power pack” of that era to the point where the “overload” light glowed dimly!
Don.Sorry that doesn’t wash…I notice that at both HO clubs…Of course my older BB units been tweak and most is at least 12 years old if not older except for one GP7 thats 27 years old.
The meters work just fine.
Sorry Brakie.
YOUR club meters are probably 0 = 10 amp and were installed when engines averaged 1.5-2.5 amps each, and Athearn was KING*,
EITHER that, or you are not reading them correctly.
- These don’t even register with an 0.25 amp engine (Atlas).
“Another fine mess you’ve gotten us into”? - or ‘foot in mouth disease’ ???
When I went to the LHS today, didn’t see any F7s 'cept the new P2Ks, outta my range at the moment, but looked cool. Went on and found a P2K GP9 in SP black widow.
I’m outta $100, but into an SP GP9.