Anyone have good reviews on the HO Genesis Athearn Big Boy and SP Mountain? How about the Intermountain cab forwards? I have a Marklin-Trix and BLI Big-Boy but want to expand the fleet. The Genesis Big Boy looks pretty good. Also your input on Athearn’s SP 4-8-2 and the Intermountain AC12 Cab Forward.FYI, I have minimum 36" radius code 83 curves.Thanks,Rick
Most reviews of the Genesis Big Boy have been positive, but I’m not sure if they’ve made a run of them with Tsunami sound yet. They originally came with poor quality MRC electronics, but the rest of the engine was very good from what I’ve seen.
The Intermountain Cab Forward has been more trouble than what most people will want to try and fix themselves. Early runs were geared too slow and apparently had drive wheels that would slip out of quarter or off their axles. The newest run has the gearing and drive wheel problems fixed, but requires a motor replacement.
Any steam available today should run fine on your 36" radius. Only the longest brass steam engines might have any trouble.
I don’t have the Genesis Big Boy–not interested in UP steam at all–but I have recently purchased the DC only Genesis SP MT-4 4-8-2, and it’s an absolute HONEY of a loco! Very smooth running, very powerful and very quiet. Haven’t heard the DCC sound version, so I can’t comment on that part of it, but IMO Genesis has given SP steam fans (of which I’m one) a real treat with this lokie.
BTW, the current run of the MT-4 is the one without the skyline casing, visored headlight and disc main driver, it’s more as the loco would probably have looked like in the late 1930’s. I understand that there will be a future run of the MT-4 with both disc main driver, visored headlight and skyline casing, but that’s sometime in the future. The tender is also the original 6-wheel Vanderbuilt, instead of the later Hicken style that appeared behind later locos after shopping. But SP was famous (or infamous) for trading out tenders on their locos.
BUT–Be VERY careful when handling the loco–many of the details are quite delicate and actually a little brittle. I accidentally knocked off one of the cab window-shades just turning the loco over to attach the tender cables. It was no problem re-attaching it, but be forewarned.
It’s just a jewel of a loco, IMO. And for what you get, the price is extremely reasonable, IMO.
As to the Intermountain AC-12, from what I’ve read on the second run, it needs to have the motor replaced with a much more powerful can–probably something from NWSL. Reports I’ve read have been pretty disappointing–more of a ‘Shelf Queen’ than an actual good-running loco–at least right out of the box.
But that Genesis MT-4: In a word—WOW! [:P]
Oh, and PS: It’s built for a 22" minimum radius, so you’re free and clear there. I’ve got 36" ra
Tom
The larger 16,000 tender is scheduled to be offered this fall when the modified MT-4 comes out, but the tender will be offered separately for those who want the larger tender. I am waiting for the later version but the model overall is great as you have said.
The Genesis Big Boy is a great model overall but the first run did use the MRC decoders. The latest run does offer the Tsunami so it is an improvement.
I have the latest runs of the Intermountain AC12 and it needs work for sure. I will probably modify at least one of mine and use the others for display. The are nice indeed and the wheels do not fall off like the first run Well, that is an improvement!!!
CZ
CZ:
You’re right, the guy at Athearn told me about the larger tender becoming available after the ‘modified’ MT-4 run later this fall when I talked to him. He also said that the skyline casing will be available separately for modifying the original 1930’s run in the near future, but it might be a little bit of a wait. I wonder if they’ll offer the new headlight and front-hung bell also, for converting the present loco?
Not that I mind, I’ve now got 4 MT’s, this one and three brass ones–one from KMT w/o skyline casing, and a MT-4 from Westside with the skyline casing, but oddly enough, not the disc main driver, and a Key MT-5 with the same thing–skyline casing and no disc main driver.
Between these babies and my Rio Grande Mountains, it seems I can’t pass a 4-8-2 at my LHS without buying one, LOL!
But this new Genesis is just a winner! [tup]
Tom [:)]
As a follow up,I have decided to purchase several of MTH’s new Big Boys after purchasing and operating other MTH HO offerings.
I am in total agreement with Tom on the Genesis MT-4. The detail on the locomotive is as good or better than I’ve seen on some brass offerings but they are delicate. I have the DCC/Sound version with the Tsunami decoder and am impressed with the sound and features. The mechanism is as smooth as a sewing machine. It took Athearn a while to finally release it, but it was definitely worth the wait. As others have said Athearn is releasing the MT-4 with the Skyline casing and my last conversation with them, they are expecting them to arrive sometime around the end of the year. Athearn is also planning a third release of the MT-4 in a semi-streamlined version with a partial daylight paint scheme. They don’t have an arrival date for that yet. And there is also a possibilty of a re-release of the 1st release, the ones with no skyline casing, with different road numbers. As for the minimum radius, I have test ran mine on 18" radi track with no problems. Doesn’t look the greatest but it functions fine. In short, I think Athearn hit a home run with the MT-4.
I don’t have an Intermountian AC-12 but the two releases they have produced so far have had problems. I think that Intermountian has the best detailed cabforward but they need to fix the drive line issues. Intermountain has come out and said that they are releasing the AC-12 again for the 3rd time. Hopefully they have found a fix for the issues that plagued the first two runs. I’m watching closely myself as I would really like to add one to my roster but I’m not looking for a shelf model.
Pat
I did go out a few months ago and buy one of the Genesis MT-4’s. Very nice! She’s all broken in and runs smooth as silk.I’ll likely get another one or two with the skyline casing.
Rick
The 2nd run Intermountain AC 12 can be fixed if you want to work on it. Changing out the motor and decreasing the amount of tension on the driver wipers fixes most of the problems on the 2nd run. The problem is the model will not run on a test track for 5 minutes without the motor getting hot and speed is restricted to
I plan on getting a couple of the 2nd run MT-4’s myself. I would also like to pick up another one of the 1st run units too.
Thanks for the info on the issues with the 2nd run of the AC-12’s. All though I really would like to get one of Intermountains AC-12’s, I have a real problem with spending that kind of money only to have to rework the drive line to get
Pat
Check out Tony’s Trains and some of the forums before you buy the 3rd run. You can normally find out the problems and if they were solved within a few weeks so you will not be buying a non runner.
I knew the problems of both runs but wanted at least one for display and that is what it does well. The fix is not that hard but it does cost some money for the motor and time to do the work.
I hope the 3rd time is better but when they deal with companies in China, it can be hard to get the right fixes and get them correct. The buyer beware is the thought for the day!
That is an Overland but the Key model is almost as detailed. The Intermountain certainly is very good and if they do a good job on the 3rd run, it might be the deal of the year.
CZ
CZ,
Thanks for the tip about Tony’s website. I’ll have to check it out and see if they have anything to say about the third run. After you reworked your AC-12 how did it turnout? Were you happy with the performance and was it difficult to do?
Pat
When the problems of the first run were first discovered, the whole container should’ve been sent back to China for a full refund.