Athearn CF7

[fec153]

Has anyone bought a CF-7? Is it a good puller? Noisey? Worthwhile running?

[Anonymous]

I'm guessing, because it's an Athearn, it probably has that "Athearn growl", but that's not too much noise. There was a review of it in a recent MR............

[fec153]

Thanks Bigboy. Reason I'm asking, I live in mid Fla. 15 miles from their yard. I watch
them most every day. Arkansa Midland, Fla. Midland and Fla. Central are all owned by
the same company and all have CF-7's.

[decoy706]

Sorry but the one I got runs like crap. No better than one of the old non-flywheel metal gearbox drive like the old GP30 had. Probably just my unit as I haven't fooled with it yet.

[Nieuweboer]

I got mine day before yesterday, of all places from Scotland because they had the roadname I wanted and the best price. Runs like a charm, smoothly and quietly. I have no problem putting it on a par with my Atlasses. Details are terrific. Apparantly there will always be a difference between one and the other Athearn loco.As I have mentioned in another thread I have a blue box GP9 that must be more than 30 years old so from a time when all Athearns were reputed to be growlers and that without any changes also runs like an Atlas. MRR is full of surprises, most of 'em pleasant.

[Anonymous]

I have a pair of Athearn CF-7s. They run smoothly and quietly. They run well together and with Atlas GP-38s and GP-40s and with an Athearn SD-40-2. (I'm not running DCC, just plain old DC).

My CF-7s pull at least 20 typical freight cars (Athearn RTR, Athearn Blue Box, Walthers, Atlas) even at slow speeds. They will probably pull more than 20 cars, but I generally don't run longer trains because of space limitations.

I plan to buy another when the next round of CF-7 become available towards the end of the month.

I think the CF-7s are the best locomotives Athearn has made to date.

thanks,
Roger

[fec153]

Thankyou RogerW. As a Conn. Yankee, now a Damn yankee, as I have stayed south,
your input is greatly noted.