I’m fairly new to HO and would like to get feedback on the Athearn Genesis F units. Are they fully assembled and easy to maintain? How is the quality, any operational problems?
Thanks!
[#welcome] Doug B!
I have 6 of them, and they are very fine detailed including very nice windshield wipers, decals with very fine print, the works! One thing: the driver looks a bit pale to me, might be the armouryellow diesel he must drive or the interior of the cab is not painted.
they are smooth running engines, they come fully assembled
no operational problems - yet.
The Genesis F’s are fully assembled. The drive is good, although not quite the best on the market, but the Shells are by ar the ebst looking F units.
They (mine at least) still have some of the “Athearn Growl”, but it isn’t loud enough to be irritating. They have smooth drives, and can pull good, I’ve never been able to see just how much mine can pull but my A-unit can easily pull 13 cars, although one unit could probably get over 30-40 cars underway on no grades.
One thing though, if you’re going with DCC you have to put resistors on the 1.5 volt headlight wires, as there are no bulbs that are 14+ volts small enough to fit into the Genesis housings.
Use a 1,000 ohm, 1/4 watt, resistor for each light. The engineer doesn’t need the light to get down the track and you want the lights to last as long as possable (SP). This resistor gives a nice light and will give long life to the bulbs.
Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY
Bob
I had inquired about these units before.
I own a Stewart F7 and have been absolutely impressed with how ultra smooth and quiet it runs.
I’ve heard from a customer that the Genesis F7s are nicely detailed and run well since they use Kato “clone” motors. I’m willing to try at least “one”. I saw a pair at my LHS and I admit that the body detailing looks nice, especially the “See-Thru” grills which would be helpful for sound.
My main “nit-picking” point would be how quiet it runs. I know some would disagree with me (Paul3 and I had an interesting debate) but after having worked on Athearn engines for years, if I’m paying $100 for a locomotive, it better run as quietly as a Stewart or Atlas, bottom line. If I’m unreasonable, so be it.
You couldn’t duplicate the ‘paint job’ alone for the price of these engines. I particulary like the ABB offering’s. I can convert one of th 'B’s to Dummy for sound.
Don,
You’re right about the paint jobs. It’s just that in my case these units are not available in the roads I want so my options would be to find a unit that is undecorated, or purchase one and give it the old alcohol bath.
I have to admit, that I really dislike stripping a model that has a nice paint job on it but my quest for locomotives in the SCL BumbleBee scheme calls for some sacrifices!