Just got this in my MR Newsletter:
Southern Pacific class MT-4 4-8-2 steam locomotive. Southern Pacific (four road numbers) and painted black but unlettered. Five-pole skew-wound motor with dual flywheels, blackened metal RP-25 contour metal wheelsets, and McHenry magnetic knuckle couplers. Minimum radius 22". Without sound (but with eight- and nine-pin plugs) $299.98, with dual-mode Digital Command Control and sound unit (includes wireless remote for activating sound effects on direct-current layouts) $399.98. June 2008. Genesis series
It looks like they have heard the complaints about the MRC decoders and want to give you the Tsunami/Locksound/etc option!
A nice model without junky sound, YEEEEHAAAAAW!!! THANKS ATHEARN!
Yes - it's great news, and we can add a Soundtraxx Tsunami. But those of us who operate in the mid-1950s want locomotives with the later Skyline casing will have to wait a while longer, as the initial release is apparently of the original version alone, without the encased domes etc. The great majority of Mt4's had Skyline casing by 1950.
Brian
lvanhen wrote: Just got this in my MR Newsletter:Southern Pacific class MT-4 4-8-2 steam locomotive. Southern Pacific (four road numbers) and painted black but unlettered. Five-pole skew-wound motor with dual flywheels, blackened metal RP-25 contour metal wheelsets, and McHenry magnetic knuckle couplers. Minimum radius 22". Without sound (but with eight- and nine-pin plugs) $299.98, with dual-mode Digital Command Control and sound unit (includes wireless remote for activating sound effects on direct-current layouts) $399.98. June 2008. Genesis seriesIt looks like they have heard the complaints about the MRC decoders and want to give you the Tsunami/Locksound/etc option!
Not to get too far off the topic but Athearn has apparently also done the same with the Roundhouse line, or at least the new 2-8-0 they are releasing. It will be offered with and without the MRC decoder. Several online stores are listing it that way.
This is very good news concerning Athearn and their previous marketing stategy with installed sound on their steam models and it proves that our Emails and forum discussions get action.
Keep up the good work letting companies know what we want.
sparkyjay31 wrote: lvanhen wrote: Not to get too far off the topic but Athearn has apparently also done the same with the Roundhouse line, or at least the new 2-8-0 they are releasing. It will be offered with and without the MRC decoder. Several online stores are listing it that way.
lvanhen wrote:
True, the Roundhouse line does offer them both ways, but they were offered without sound long before they started to offer sound on those models. The Genesis steam line was exclusive and only offered their newly released steam models with sound installed. The Genesis diesel line offered both non sound and sound but this is a first for the Genesis steam.
It is a new day for Athearn and I llike it.
lvanhen wrote:Without sound (but with eight- and nine-pin plugs) $299.98
FINALLY!!
When I saw their Big Boy at a train show, I was very impressed with the detail, but the sound was awful! Now all they need is to release some smaller steam, like the 2-8-2 and 4-6-2 they used to sell, or maybe an 0-6-0 or 0-4-0. I don't think anyone besides Bowser is making a decent 0-4-0 right now.
_________________________________________________________________
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
Yeah,
Since the MRC sound units have been highly criticized, its good to have a choice to by loco's without sound as the Genesis loco's (I got F untis) are otherwise very nice). It stinks to have a premium quality loco offered with substandard sound units, so I haven't gotten any at all.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
- Luke
Modeling the Southern Pacific in the 1960's-1980's
Not bad. Don't like the white cab, but hey. SMoke? Cool. But of the 2 Gen steamers I've heard, a Big Boy and a Challenger, Ihaen't noticed any issues with sound. I wanna see it in the Half Daylight Helper shceme.
AndI noticed, they have this engine, the Cascade COach, it looks like the Athearn Gen Daylight consist may be on it's way too.
-Morgan
That is a demonstration one. Its just for show. The real one won't have a white cab.
don7 wrote:Why do so many seem to forget about the first of the Genesis steam engines? Even Athearn does not even pay passing reference to them. Could it be because of the poor reputation regarding the high incident of gear failure or the fact that without tweaking they could hardly pull their own weight?
You are right about those being the first Genesis, but most of us do not relate them as being in the same category as the Challenger, Big boy and FEF models. I don't know why but they do not come to mind with the latest editions of the Genesis line.
The first two Genesis engine were without sound, but that was actually before factory installed sound was introduced to us by BLI with the first NYC Hudson. I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used.
They earned such a poor reputation as you have said that most of us just forgot they existed.
CAZEPHYR wrote: don7 wrote:Why do so many seem to forget about the first of the Genesis steam engines? Even Athearn does not even pay passing reference to them. Could it be because of the poor reputation regarding the high incident of gear failure or the fact that without tweaking they could hardly pull their own weight?I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used. They earned such a poor reputation as you have said that most of us just forgot they existed.
I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used.
Well, maybe YOU guys have forgotten about them, but I haven't. I like 'em:
I'm not crazy enough to add this much work to a lemon. Of course, all of mine are first runs,. which don't have the gear cracking problems. They USED to be mediocre pullers, until I added a few oiunces of weight to them! Now, the're just fine.
Take another look at your Genesis 2-8-2: it's got the best drive train of any of the new steam built. The biggest problem is that all of the weight is in the cab, so it's improperly balanced. Adding a couple of ounces of weight to the nose changes it's flat pulling ability from 20 to 40 cars.
Ray Breyer
Modeling the NKP's Peoria Division, circa 1943
Why would you need a hand held remote for DC operations if it doesn't have sound??
Doesn't seem to have much detail for $300.
CAZEPHYR wrote: don7 wrote:Why do so many seem to forget about the first of the Genesis steam engines? Even Athearn does not even pay passing reference to them. Could it be because of the poor reputation regarding the high incident of gear failure or the fact that without tweaking they could hardly pull their own weight?You are right about those being the first Genesis, but most of us do not relate them as being in the same category as the Challenger, Big boy and FEF models. I don't know why but they do not come to mind with the latest editions of the Genesis line.The first two Genesis engine were without sound, but that was actually before factory installed sound was introduced to us by BLI with the first NYC Hudson. I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used. They earned such a poor reputation as you have said that most of us just forgot they existed.
orsonroy wrote: CAZEPHYR wrote: don7 wrote:Why do so many seem to forget about the first of the Genesis steam engines? Even Athearn does not even pay passing reference to them. Could it be because of the poor reputation regarding the high incident of gear failure or the fact that without tweaking they could hardly pull their own weight?I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used. They earned such a poor reputation as you have said that most of us just forgot they existed. Well, maybe YOU guys have forgotten about them, but I haven't. I like 'em:I'm not crazy enough to add this much work to a lemon. Of course, all of mine are first runs,. which don't have the gear cracking problems. They USED to be mediocre pullers, until I added a few oiunces of weight to them! Now, the're just fine.Take another look at your Genesis 2-8-2: it's got the best drive train of any of the new steam built. The biggest problem is that all of the weight is in the cab, so it's improperly balanced. Adding a couple of ounces of weight to the nose changes it's flat pulling ability from 20 to 40 cars.
Good Lord, Ray, you've got enough brass castings on those things to make them weigh almost as much as the prototype!
And cost just about as much, too.
Andre
CAZEPHYR wrote: don7 wrote:Why do so many seem to forget about the first of the Genesis steam engines? Even Athearn does not even pay passing reference to them. Could it be because of the poor reputation regarding the high incident of gear failure or the fact that without tweaking they could hardly pull their own weight?You are right about those being the first Genesis, but most of us do not relate them as being in the same category as the Challenger, Big boy and FEF models. I don't know why but they do not come to mind with the latest editions of the Genesis line.The first two Genesis engine were without sound, but that was actually before factory installed sound was introduced to us by BLI with the first NYC Hudson. I have never considered the tow first Athearn models as real Genesis models and yet they were. I did purchase the Mike and probably would have purchased the Pacific if either one was worth buying. The Mike I purchased never got out of the box and is brand new. I read that they would not pull anything that looked like a decent train even on the level and the gear problem stopped them cold. With all that in mind, I just ignored it completely and it is packed away never to be used. They earned such a poor reputation as you have said that most of us just forgot they existed. In fairness to Athearn, I recently contacted them and they sent out a replacement for the gear problem. Nice brass gear replacement mailed out right away.Perhaps I will dig out one of the mikes and give it a chance.....
In fairness to Athearn, I recently contacted them and they sent out a replacement for the gear problem. Nice brass gear replacement mailed out right away.
Perhaps I will dig out one of the mikes and give it a chance.....
andrechapelon wrote:Good Lord, Ray, you've got enough brass castings on those things to make them weigh almost as much as the prototype! And cost just about as much, too. Andre
Hi Andre,
I'll take that as a compliment!
I do have a tendency to add a "little bit of brass" to my engines. Even is most of it IS mostly brass wire and scratchbuilt parts out of sheet and shim brass (hangers, shields, etc) there's still a significant dollar amount tacked onto those things (about equal to the cost of the base engine, I think). But that's STILL a whole lot cheaper than buying brass, new or used!
Besides, it keeps me off the streets!
orsonroy wrote: Hi Andre, I'll take that as a compliment! I do have a tendency to add a "little bit of brass" to my engines. Even is most of it IS mostly brass wire and scratchbuilt parts out of sheet and shim brass (hangers, shields, etc) there's still a significant dollar amount tacked onto those things (about equal to the cost of the base engine, I think). But that's STILL a whole lot cheaper than buying brass, new or used!Besides, it keeps me off the streets!
It does? I had a flash of you on a streetcorner holding a sign that says "Will work for Cal-Scale, Cary, and PSC parts".
I kinda figured the cost of all the castings would equal or exceed the cost of the original locomotive.
BTW, I like your work.
A lot.