My AC4400 does. Luckily I switched to modeling 1968 so I can’t run it anymore.
Nope. But it sounds like you have an axe to grind. (pun intended)
you will change eras again dingoix
Have a total of four Athearn RTR locomotives. All are smooth, quiet, performers.
Interesting. So far, 57% grind, 43% don’t.
No problems to report on mine, smooth and quiet.
No problem with my SD50. One of my best units.
All my Athearn HO engines run like a Swiss watch and have for many years, one is about 20 years old now. Smooth and quiet without the first problem. I do lube and clean them about once a year.
I’ve told this story before…
My AC4400 ran great for the first two times on the club layout but the third time is started to make the most nastiest sound that I have ever heard. Scared me so bad that I pulled if right off of the tracks. I then took it home and cleaned the heck out of it. The sound has gone down but it is still there.
My BB have been great but my RTR AC4400 sucks. It’s so loud you can’t stand it.
Also, this poll is about the RTR line only, NOT BB Just so you know. So far, 55% of them grind, 45% don’t.
If I do get an Athern RTR AC4400CW. It will sit in a Display case.
i will probably get an AC4400 or SD45T-2 or 50 or SD60… yeah i dont know, but i will try before i buy
My AC4400-9w was horrible. Worst engine I ever bought from Athearn. The SD 40’s do not have that grind, nor do any SD 38’s.
My GEN. F3s grind but only on curves. Probably something to do with universals haven’t taken it apart since I installed decoder. Does this so called grinding sound occur on curves as mine does or is it full time?
I have a BB GP38-2 that’s a real grinder… OMG is it loud!
i have a BB SD40-2 with the new drive and it’s not nearly as loud. not as quiet as protos or atlas engines, but no where near as noisy as the 38-2.
I also have a RTR F3. it’s a great running loco. very low noise (maybe a tick or two more than the protos, but the last two protos i got were much noisier than the rest). still not as quiet as the atlas loco tho.
I’m going to remotor the BB GP38-2 when i convert over to DCC. that should quiet things down real well.
Dean
This grinding is full time and comes directy from the motor. I repeat, it is VERY loud. You would have trouble talking to someone in the same room if this were grinding away. No joke.
I’ve never heard of a BB with a grinding motor. You sure it itsn’t the classic BB ‘growl’?
Since I’ve had this problem with my UP AC4400CW, I’ve given up on RTRs but I do have a BNSF GP60M and a SP SD45T-2 That I haven’t ran cause I don’t want to have the same problem, or should I say I don’t want to deal with the problem. I want to get some BNSF Dash 9-44CWs but all I can find right now are manufactured by Athearn RTR. So I’m holding off for now.
is this a trick ? most do
It’s from the motor all right. i always assumed it was the “classic” BB growl. it’s loud, makes talking difficult. and the RTR i have definitely is NOT anywhere near that loud…
Dean
I’ve got an Athearn F-7 from sometime in the 1950’s (that’s when Athearn made it) but I got it used, so I don’t have a firm date. Anyway, it’s at least 45 years old. A lot of those years were spent in a box in the attic with the rest of my trains. Anyway, last year I pulled it out and cleaned and lubed it. It still works well enough that I put in a LED headlight, Kadees and decoder. Just a cheap decoder, mind you, because it GROWLS so loud that it would drown out a sound decoder.
Man, I love that old thing. [:D]