Question:How in the $#@% will Rivarossi sell any of their new Big Boys??I recently priced both and found that the price of the Athearn Genesis Big Boy is only about $30 more than the Rivarossi one???Thats incrediable! Who’s not going to pay $30 more and get a great running,great looking loco WITH SOUND AND DCC!!!Some might say" I dont have DCC,well with the remote you get with the Athearn you still get most of the benifits.I was wondering if any one else noticed this.I’ve heard from friends that they LOVE their Athearn Challengers,so I’m finally going to get a Big Boy and its going to be an Athearn Genesis.
Well, for those of us who want a Big Boy, so far Athearn and Rivarossi are catering to different tastes. Athearn’s doing only two numbers, both of which are early versions and have the after coolers on the pilot deck. Rivarossi is doing the later version (I think) with no after coolers (they are behind the pilot shield). If Athearn does any of the later versions, I’ll get one, their Challengers are supurb. But since the Rivarossi’s have no sound, I’d like to get a PCM Big Boy.
The sound in the Athearn units is substandard. I had CASH-IN-HAND a hobby shop and asked him if he wouldnt mind putting the loco on the track for me so I could hear it. Dont get me wrong…Athearn made a Beautiful locomotive and it was one I was wanting for a long time…but the sound was just pathetic. The Engineer who yelled “ALL-A-BOAAAAAAAAAAAARD” made me put that money back into my pocket. Aparently (to kick a dead horse) you cant program the MRC decoder like you can Soundtraxx or Lok. So what you hear is what you get.
David
Me.[:D]
I prefer to not have sound in my engines. When I do eventually get a Big Boy, it’ll be the one from AHM, with the motor in the cab. Something about the silver railings, the big flanges, and that clearly visible motor just make me want one more than any other Big Boy.[:D]
I was not aware Rivarossi was making nayhtng anymore. Last I heard Hornby bought them. Havent heard Hornby is making any big boys.
Hornby will be bringing the Rivarossi HO 4-8-8-4, 2-6-6-6 and 4-6-4 back out under the RR name sometime, but I don’t know when.[:D]
I could be wrong, but I would think that Hornby will do some re-tooling on the Rivarossi Big Boy to more conform with contemporary standards. If it comes out looking anything at all like the detailing on their Allegheny, it should be a very handsome locomotive indeed. At least, for a Big Boy.
Tom
WHICH ONE will run on 18" curves? (Sniggle) (Smrfft).
Athearn took alot of flak over the challengers sound system. The newest sound units, Genesis F3’s, are right on, programable right down to the correct horns, and the sound/dcc are still by MRC. I would use the wait and see attitude on the big boys. MRC really stepped up the the plate on the F units and hit a solid double on it. Yes there is still room for improvement, but then there is that on any model. Cheers Mike
If the Rivarossi is well done, metal, and conforms to all the desired standards, wouldn’t it be worth a Tsunami install?
Probably, but as far as I know Soundtraxx hasn’t done any Tsunami articulated steam decoders.
BLI is now getting in on the action.
from http://soundtraxx.com/products/dcc/price.htm
i’ve only used the light steam version so i can’t say how good the articulated sounds are . page 48 of the Steam Sound Users Guide talks about setting up sound on an articulated engine .
if the sound on the Athearn isn’t up to your standards have you considered replacing the mRC decoder with a tsunami ? shouldn’t be that hard
Actually every tsunami has a CV that will allow you to have 2 sets of drivers go in and out of sinc…hence articulated. Atleast I have a ‘small’ steam decoder and that feature is there…
David
The Tsunami heavy steam unit has eight versions of an articulated engine selectable by CV112. I am using medium slip of the two engines with dual airpumps for the Genesis Challenger.
There is something I fail to understand. I own a Challenger locomotive (just recently purchased), and I am using it on DCC.
I hear it poofing while running, I have buttons for bells and whistle on the DCC control, but nobody screams “all aboard” like you are complaining, or any other funny noises.
I really consider the sound of it very nice, specially the way it keeps the rithm with the locomotive’s speed.
Well if Hornby do to the make the same kind of improvements to the Rivarossi line of stock that they did to the Hornby line I would probably go for the Riv. over the Athearn. I have the old
Big Boy with the engine in the cab so it is about time for an upgrade.
im necroposting again but i think im going to rip out my MRC sound decoders in my athearn big boys & go with SOUNDTRAXX
This is sort of what I was going to say. As I recall Rivarossi had already retooled the Big Boy at the same time they came out with the Allegheny. If it is further retooled it will just be that much better.
Bottom line is a new “Rivarossi” unit is not your fathers 1970s AHM model anymore.
“At least for a Big Boy” - Well I’m just amazed, I thought for sure buy now that every modeler in the whole world accept me was in love with Big Boys and had at least 3 or 4, if not all 25.
At least that is what you would think based on the number of brands that have offered one at one time or another.
Why not just go for the Trix version - I think it goes around 15" radius curves.
Sheldon