Trainman440 The modern habit of demanding refunds for the most miniscule and minor defect just for it to be discarded** by the manufacturer frustrates me. We now live in a world where much waste comes from consumer's high expectations. Charles
The modern habit of demanding refunds for the most miniscule and minor defect just for it to be discarded** by the manufacturer frustrates me.
We now live in a world where much waste comes from consumer's high expectations.
Charles
Lastspikemike Parts are VERY expensive to store, handle and sell. Now that a whole new fully assembled locomotive or rolling stock costs so little it does not make economic sense to even make spare parts. Case in point: try buying a few screws or bolts as compared to a box of several hundred and work out the per unit pricing. Shocking. If you own any used locomotives consider buying up any others that come available so you'll have spare parts. I'm currently repairing a Spectrum 80 ton three truck Shay with NWSL gears. Not an economically sensible thing to do AT ALL and quite a challenge to boot. The gears alone cost more than $50.00.
Parts are VERY expensive to store, handle and sell. Now that a whole new fully assembled locomotive or rolling stock costs so little it does not make economic sense to even make spare parts. Case in point: try buying a few screws or bolts as compared to a box of several hundred and work out the per unit pricing. Shocking.
If you own any used locomotives consider buying up any others that come available so you'll have spare parts.
I'm currently repairing a Spectrum 80 ton three truck Shay with NWSL gears. Not an economically sensible thing to do AT ALL and quite a challenge to boot. The gears alone cost more than $50.00.
Athearn still has parts for Blue Box locos you can order. Not sure if they still make them, or they just made a billion too many back in the day. Atlas still has parts for their shells, and some other pieces, but its not nearly at the same level as it used to be. I'd have to think the more niche producers like Rapido and Scaltrains don't even bother with spare parts. They probably just use factory QC fails as parts donors until they run out.
As locos have gotten more features, the number of parts seem to wane. I'd think if they would make a part for a "proto specific detail", they would make 500 over what they need for just the 100 they need for that one run. That 101st part and beyond costs nothing.
Storing? Well, we see dealers offering products they don't hold in inventory, but must order. Blue Rail Hobbies? My guess is that producers themselves don't actually own inventory either, or much of it, and make what can be absorbed by dealers in three months and shipped out directly as units are produced, so producers probably don't even own storage facilities. But if they did, costs to store parts would be nil.
- Douglas
York1 and a small amount of criticism, over working on a new locomotive versus fixing it yourself.
and a small amount of criticism, over working on a new locomotive versus fixing it yourself.
I was probably too harsh in my criticism, even though none of it was intended to be directed to the OP. Im just constently disappointed at the amount of "broken" or "parts only" engines that are on ebay (or in the landfill) these days of engines that had little to no issue with them, besides maybe a loose wire, loose detail part, or misprogrammed decoder.
If its a common factory defect that's detrimental to a piece's performance (*cough* Bachmann's split axles), then I fully agree you should return it. But if it's something small, and easy to fix*, I think its worthwhile atleast attempting to do so. The modern habit of demanding refunds for the most miniscule and minor defect just for it to be discarded** by the manufacturer frustrates me.
We now live in a world where much waste comes from consumer's high expectations. For example, (off topic) 40% of food waste in the US comes from tossing out visually imperfect produce. It's unrelated to this hobby yes, but it shows what our society has become. And sometimes, when I read something like:
John-NYBW If I bought something brand new and it broke the first day...I wouldn't even attempt to fix it.
If I bought something brand new and it broke the first day...I wouldn't even attempt to fix it.
Anyways, I hope the OP updates us with what happened to the SD40-2, I think a trending thread like this is worthy of an update, atleat to satisfy our curiosity.
*I incorrectly assumed that KATO engines should have bulletproof mechanisms therefore it should be an easy fix.
**discarded or being turned into spare parts, a waste of a perfectly good engine
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Modeling the PRR & NYC in HO
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/@trainman440
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Track fiddlerI know a lot of the members on the Forum here adapted to DCC when it came out learning all the knowledge that went with it. I kind of admire that as I haven't even begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg on it yet but do have an interest to pursue it one day.
I have operated a few N scale layout that used DCC.
Believe it or not, DCC seems to make perfect sense on a huge N scale layout. In N scale you get lots of big trains, lot of operators, and lots of track.
DCC really shines in this situation.
None of the N scale DCC locomotives I ran had sound or lighting effects. The DCC was simply for nuts-and-bolts basic operation, and it was wonderful.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I hear ya Sheldon
I would have started back out in Ho after 35 years because my nearsightedness isn't anything close to what it used to be.
When I downsized I may have took it a step too far as I would love to have an around the room layout in HO. What floors me is my little Brother does have the room to do an around the room layout in HO but he chose N scale because he grew up with it.
TF
Track fiddler ATLANTIC CENTRAL All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale I know a lot of the members on the Forum here adapted to DCC when it came out learning all the knowledge that went with it. I kind of admire that as I haven't even begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg on it yet but do have an interest to pursue it one day. TF
ATLANTIC CENTRAL All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale
All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale
I can relate to that. I have only done a minimal amount with CVs and primarily to disable advanced functions they some of the high end decoders have pre-programmed. I want my locos to respond immediately to the throttle, I want my diesels to hum and go beep. I want my steamers to chuff and whistle. That's as advanced as I need for my purposes. Some of the things I see other modelers doing with advanced functions make my head spin. I went with DCC because I didn't want to have a basement sized layout with control blocks. Shortly after I started building, sound became an option and I was immediately hooked. All new purchases have factory sound and I have converted several older locos as well. About 90% of my fleet now has sound. Eventually I'd like to get that to 100%.
Track fiddler ATLANTIC CENTRAL All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale I know a lot of the members on the Forum here adapted to DCC when it came out learning all the knowledge that went with it. I kind of admire that as I haven't even begun to scratch the tip of the iceberg on it yet but do have an interest to pursue it one day. As for N scale, not many but there's a couple handfuls of members here that model N scale. They are proud of thier scale they have. Some grew up with it and some don't have the space to model HO or both. TF
I will admit, I readily confess, I do not have the skills to work in a scale as small as N. I admire the great work some so in that scale.
I have been told I am a skilled model builder, but N scale is just too small for my hands, and now too small for my eyes.
I worked in the hobby shop in the early days of N scale, that was my only real exposure to it.
As for DCC, I'm moderately well versed and have many hours running DCC on other peoples layouts, and helped build and wire some of those layouts.
I carefully considered DCC several times, but for my goals, on my kind of layout, it just did not make sense.
Signaling and CTC is necessary for me and DCC offers no serious advantages there.
I get everything about DCC, that's how I know I don't need or want it.
A big consideration with DCC is sound, don't want that either. I don't listen to music on a cell phone either........
My Advanced Cab Control is not "simple", but it makes the user interface as simple as, or even easier than DCC.
Sheldon
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Douglas, and there you have it, problems I will never have because I have no interest in those prototypes, no ditch lights, few lighted number boards, no decoders, etc. Everybody once raved about Atlas, sounds like those days are over. They have only made a few things in my era, it was always easier to just stay with Proto for most of those items. I can't say I pay a lot of attention to gear noise, but I would not call any of my locos noisy. Maybe I don't care because drive line noise is not competing with a sound system? Still happy I have most of what I want.... Sheldon
Douglas, and there you have it, problems I will never have because I have no interest in those prototypes, no ditch lights, few lighted number boards, no decoders, etc.
Everybody once raved about Atlas, sounds like those days are over.
They have only made a few things in my era, it was always easier to just stay with Proto for most of those items.
I can't say I pay a lot of attention to gear noise, but I would not call any of my locos noisy. Maybe I don't care because drive line noise is not competing with a sound system?
Still happy I have most of what I want....
Different priorities. I want 4 axle locos mainly. GP15s, MP15s, GP7 Topeka Cabs. I want LED front and rear ditchights. I want decent sound (none of it is great) but great slow speed motor control. Roadnames don't really matter because I patch them out anyway. In fact, factory painted patch outs are way more preferable than as-built colors and schemes.
I have not been truly satisfied with the production offerings since getting back into the hobby earnestly 20 years ago. My skills don't have the patience to fiddle with aftermarket ditchlights, nor wiring the tiny LEDs. I can't compete with factory paint jobs.
Bought stuff to be able to run something. Never complained about somebody not building something I wanted. I get it. I'm a niche market (but growing). But once ATHG started producing what I really wanted, pretty much everything purchased in the past 20 years became obsolete.
More features means more production issues. Fact of life. Provided that I can do the back and forth dance with the producer often enough to get one that sticks on the roster, I'm happy enough. Even with the shake my head aggrevation.
If they had parts, I'd fix more stuff myself.
The older P2Ks were very hit and miss when it came to drive train noise. Back when I didn't care for sound, quiet switching moves were the litmus test, but they were still stuck in as-built paint schemes. Parts were/are everywhere of course.
The pre-ESU vintages of Atlas' were wonderful. Every single one of them.
ATLANTIC CENTRALI can't say I pay a lot of attention to gear noise, but I would not call any of my locos noisy. Maybe I don't care because drive line noise is not competing with a sound system?
I only have one locomotive that I consider quiet. My Key Imports brass USRA light 4-8-2 runs with no noise at all.
That said, none of my locomotives make enough noise to interfere with the stereo speakers putting out the music of my choice while I play with trains.
Athearn blue box locomotives, with NWSL shims installed in a few strategic places to take out the slop, are plenty quiet for my needs. My pair of PAs cannot be heard when the music is on a low volume, and that is good enough. I think the PAs are my "noisiest" locomotives.
ATLANTIC CENTRALYes, the lack of service parts from all brands is frustrating to say the least.
When I worked in a hobby shop in 1985 we were told to push Tamiya R/C cars over all other brands.
The reason was that it was very easy to get replacement parts from Tamiya, and the owner would have fewer difficult customer interactions.
ATLANTIC CENTRALThe recent Mikado, Pacific, GG1 and others are easily equal to Spectrum models operationally, just a little less detailed.
I can only speak to the new Bachmann GG-1. I know a few people that own them, and they are all thrilled with that model. I have seen them run, and they are a wonderful machine with plenty of pulling power.
Very good points well-taken.
If I could access the good sense in my brains I would be returning all four of these Atlas Twin Cities & Westerns in a second. Problems right out of the box brand new spells problems not too far down the road as well.
I always wanted to own a few Twin Cities & Westerns in my fleet roster. I think this is causing me to make a very bad decision I will probably regret. Maybe I should rethink things here.
And the same thing goes after I give two of these locomotives to my brother for his birthday and things start to go south. What kind of present would that be?
ATLANTIC CENTRAL Doughless Track fiddler Yep, I've been noticing those things too Douglas. Out of the four brand new Atlas locomotives I have right now, one of them is the smoothest runner at a crawl. Another one is pretty good. The other two are somewhat subpar but with the luck I've been having, it's not quite enough for me to want to do returns anymore. Their speeds do not match up close enough. Which leads me to wonder as they will be used in consists. If the smoother running, quicker speed locomotives will be making up for the slower subpar locomotives, wearing on their wheels faster??? These things are definitely not cheap. The old saying "You get what you pay for" Isn't always necessarily true anymore is it? TF At the same time they are raising prices, they are cutting out some quality. I'm not going off on inflation adjusted pricing, because its probably still a good deal, but when you lower quality and raise price at the same time, its actually a much bigger embedded price increase than simply comparing MSRPs over time. No, I don't think that a more expensive loco means better quality. I simply think it means more features, which may not work as they should some times. Like a new car, more expensive simply means it has more options. "Loaded", as we say. Trains are becoming that way too, with the underlying quality probably worse than what it was 15 years ago. Definitely less consistent from same loco to same loco. JMO. I used to be able to buy a new Atlas Master series, and no matter the model or vintage, they would work the same. Some were ultra quiet, maybe a tad slower, but not nearly the variation from loco to loco that I see now with the brands I've been buying. Agreed, I think the mechanical parts of most of these products are very similar in quality. It is just detail and features that separate medium priced from high priced. Are the really cutting quality? Intentionally or by default? In what way? Or are these just the percentage duds that will make it thru? And we hear about them more today because we have the world wide web? Again, my personal selections of prototypes is small, I have lots of the same locos, 12 Proto GP7's, 15 Proto ALCO FA's, 7 Genesis F7's, 10 Spectrum heavy 4-8-2's, 10 Spectrum 2-8-0's, 5 Spectrum 2-6-6-2, etc. And I have not seen these wide variations in quality from unit to unit? Happy to be in my model train universe..... Sheldon
Doughless Track fiddler Yep, I've been noticing those things too Douglas. Out of the four brand new Atlas locomotives I have right now, one of them is the smoothest runner at a crawl. Another one is pretty good. The other two are somewhat subpar but with the luck I've been having, it's not quite enough for me to want to do returns anymore. Their speeds do not match up close enough. Which leads me to wonder as they will be used in consists. If the smoother running, quicker speed locomotives will be making up for the slower subpar locomotives, wearing on their wheels faster??? These things are definitely not cheap. The old saying "You get what you pay for" Isn't always necessarily true anymore is it? TF At the same time they are raising prices, they are cutting out some quality. I'm not going off on inflation adjusted pricing, because its probably still a good deal, but when you lower quality and raise price at the same time, its actually a much bigger embedded price increase than simply comparing MSRPs over time. No, I don't think that a more expensive loco means better quality. I simply think it means more features, which may not work as they should some times. Like a new car, more expensive simply means it has more options. "Loaded", as we say. Trains are becoming that way too, with the underlying quality probably worse than what it was 15 years ago. Definitely less consistent from same loco to same loco. JMO. I used to be able to buy a new Atlas Master series, and no matter the model or vintage, they would work the same. Some were ultra quiet, maybe a tad slower, but not nearly the variation from loco to loco that I see now with the brands I've been buying.
Track fiddler Yep, I've been noticing those things too Douglas. Out of the four brand new Atlas locomotives I have right now, one of them is the smoothest runner at a crawl. Another one is pretty good. The other two are somewhat subpar but with the luck I've been having, it's not quite enough for me to want to do returns anymore. Their speeds do not match up close enough. Which leads me to wonder as they will be used in consists. If the smoother running, quicker speed locomotives will be making up for the slower subpar locomotives, wearing on their wheels faster??? These things are definitely not cheap. The old saying "You get what you pay for" Isn't always necessarily true anymore is it? TF
Yep, I've been noticing those things too Douglas. Out of the four brand new Atlas locomotives I have right now, one of them is the smoothest runner at a crawl. Another one is pretty good. The other two are somewhat subpar but with the luck I've been having, it's not quite enough for me to want to do returns anymore.
Their speeds do not match up close enough. Which leads me to wonder as they will be used in consists. If the smoother running, quicker speed locomotives will be making up for the slower subpar locomotives, wearing on their wheels faster???
These things are definitely not cheap. The old saying "You get what you pay for" Isn't always necessarily true anymore is it?
At the same time they are raising prices, they are cutting out some quality. I'm not going off on inflation adjusted pricing, because its probably still a good deal, but when you lower quality and raise price at the same time, its actually a much bigger embedded price increase than simply comparing MSRPs over time.
No, I don't think that a more expensive loco means better quality.
I simply think it means more features, which may not work as they should some times. Like a new car, more expensive simply means it has more options. "Loaded", as we say. Trains are becoming that way too, with the underlying quality probably worse than what it was 15 years ago. Definitely less consistent from same loco to same loco. JMO.
I used to be able to buy a new Atlas Master series, and no matter the model or vintage, they would work the same. Some were ultra quiet, maybe a tad slower, but not nearly the variation from loco to loco that I see now with the brands I've been buying.
Agreed, I think the mechanical parts of most of these products are very similar in quality. It is just detail and features that separate medium priced from high priced.
Are the really cutting quality? Intentionally or by default? In what way? Or are these just the percentage duds that will make it thru? And we hear about them more today because we have the world wide web?
Again, my personal selections of prototypes is small, I have lots of the same locos, 12 Proto GP7's, 15 Proto ALCO FA's, 7 Genesis F7's, 10 Spectrum heavy 4-8-2's, 10 Spectrum 2-8-0's, 5 Spectrum 2-6-6-2, etc. And I have not seen these wide variations in quality from unit to unit?
Happy to be in my model train universe.....
I dont like to bash companies because none are really worse than the other from a QC perspective. Don't want to give the impression its isolated to the two companies I mention. Its more about simply what I have bought.
But I'll be specific.
I have purchased at least one road name from every vintage of Atlas MP15 since their introduction back around 2005. Whether it was in my DC days or early QSI equipped, they started at the same voltage, ran extremely quiet. The mechanicals were consistent. Fantastic loco in all respects.
About the time they switched to ESU, and this isn't a decoder issue, simply the timing of when they made some production decisions, every MP15 I have purchased has sounded like a rattling can of marbles. Drivetrain. Like the truck gears have play and rattle around as they turn inside the truck.
Same deal with the GP38 and GP40. Back from 2000 to 2010, they were fantastic, from run to run, no variance. I have read others complain too. Since about the time of the ESU switch, they changed something else, their production lowered the tolerences of certain parts apparently. We already know about the motor switch from the black KATO clone to the silver motor.
Athearn Genesis switched to LEDs. Long overdue. Unlike most companies that have the LEDS attached securely into the chassis and deliver light via plastic pipe, ATHG runs individual LEDs every where. 4 wires to the cab for two LEDS. 4 wires to the back hood for 2 LEDs. Eight wires for front and rear ditch lights.
Often times, the LEDs are installed crooked. In fact, probably 75% of the 25 or so bought had at least one LED noticeably skewed. The result is that one LED is bright and straight, the other is dim and crooked. One even shined through to the cab interior it was so crooked.
I've gotten so many that I got tired of returning them at one point and finally learned to take the cab off of these $250 finely detailed locos to straighten a LED. Push too hard and the wires come off. Do that to the rear hood LED, and Athearn does not sell a replacement...out of stock...because the cab, rear, and ditchlight LEDs are all different sizes and they don't have the mid length bulb in stock.
Stupid stuff that is aggravating. I've learned how to fix the LEDs, but its not my job to do it, and I can't risk breaking anything because they have no parts in stock. Back they go and just send me a new loco, hoping they are installed correctly.
And ATHG are hit and miss too when it comes to truck noise and motor whine. The older designed RTRs (not the old BB sold under the Roundhouse name) are much quieter everywhere, every one of them.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL As I read the last 10 or so posts in this thread, I feel like I live in an alternate model train universe. Speed matching, or lack there of with identical locos? I run DC, and all 12 of my 20 plus year old Proto 2000 GP7's run close enough to the same speed to simply pick 3 or 4, couple them together, and pull a train. Same is true for most of my fleet. Agreed, features and quality are two different things. I have been making that point on here for decades to largely deaf ears. Factory major defects with new locomotives, my experience, less than 5% in 50 years and 140 locomotives. All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale, and to not be hung up on this brand or that brand being "better" or "worse". Admittedly my disclaimer is this, I don't buy a wide variety of models because of my disciplined devotion to my era and theme. There are many good brands who simply have not offered enough in my era to even get noticed by me, namely Atlas and KATO. In other brands I only have those models that fit my theme, example, my only GENESIS models are EMD F units. I can offer no opinion on other GENESIS locos. I wish OP all the best in getting his loco working. Sheldon
As I read the last 10 or so posts in this thread, I feel like I live in an alternate model train universe.
Speed matching, or lack there of with identical locos? I run DC, and all 12 of my 20 plus year old Proto 2000 GP7's run close enough to the same speed to simply pick 3 or 4, couple them together, and pull a train.
Same is true for most of my fleet.
Agreed, features and quality are two different things. I have been making that point on here for decades to largely deaf ears.
Factory major defects with new locomotives, my experience, less than 5% in 50 years and 140 locomotives.
All this makes me happy to not be buying much motive power these days, to not be using DCC/sound, to not be in N scale, and to not be hung up on this brand or that brand being "better" or "worse".
Admittedly my disclaimer is this, I don't buy a wide variety of models because of my disciplined devotion to my era and theme. There are many good brands who simply have not offered enough in my era to even get noticed by me, namely Atlas and KATO.
In other brands I only have those models that fit my theme, example, my only GENESIS models are EMD F units. I can offer no opinion on other GENESIS locos.
I wish OP all the best in getting his loco working.
I had a small fleet of Athearn BB locos, F-7s and GP-7s plus a powered and dummy PA1 set, which had for the most part been sitting on a shelf the last 25-30 years. Same for the Rivarossi steamers and a pair of Rivarossi E-8s. I had pretty much abandoned by previous layout because of time demands but I got back into the hobby about 20 years ago when I retired and moved into my present house. I made the decision to go DCC and didn't want to bother converting all those old locos. I decided last month to clean house and all those old locos needed was some serious wheel cleaning and with just a couple exceptions, they all still ran beautifully. Athearn BB were skimpy on detail and their coupler system was horrible, but they were all reliable runners, even after years of gathering dust.
John-NYBW When Bachmann came out with their Spectrum line, it was a definitie upgrade from their standard line. One of my favorite locos is their Consolidation. I now own three of them and they look and run great. I would never buy a standard line loco again. The worst piece of junk I ever put on my layout was their Niagra. The pilot wheels flopped around like a fish out of water. I tried everything I could think of to tighten up the pilot truck and nothing worked. That's when it hit me. Why am I making this effort to fix a brand new loco. I vowed from that day forward if I bought anything that was defective right out of the box, it was going to be returned to where I bought it from.
When Bachmann came out with their Spectrum line, it was a definitie upgrade from their standard line. One of my favorite locos is their Consolidation. I now own three of them and they look and run great. I would never buy a standard line loco again. The worst piece of junk I ever put on my layout was their Niagra. The pilot wheels flopped around like a fish out of water. I tried everything I could think of to tighten up the pilot truck and nothing worked. That's when it hit me. Why am I making this effort to fix a brand new loco. I vowed from that day forward if I bought anything that was defective right out of the box, it was going to be returned to where I bought it from.
Respectfully John, that is where you fail to understand marketing and labeling. The regular line locos today, have drives equal to or better than the early Spectrum line.
Those Consolidations you own, that I also own 10 of, are still made exactly the same, to the same quality, with the same parts, but they are now in the Standard line. Biggest difference is the lack of the fancy box.....
The recent Mikado, Pacific, GG1 and others are easily equal to Spectrum models operationally, just a little less detailed.
Same with the 2-8-4, nearly as detailed as a Spectrum, nice drive, but in the regular line. I have five of them kitbashed into freelanced heavy Mikes, they run great.
The Niagra and GS4 have also been retooled with better drive lines.
Judge each piece on its own merits, not by the name on the box.
Yes, the lack of service parts from all brands is frustrating to say the least.
Track fiddler There's nothing more aggravating and frustrating than getting a brand new locomotive and not having it function properly. The other side of the coin is I have some older stock locomotives that ran like junk. After I managed to get the shells off with the bit of grumbling and less desirable words I removed and cleaned up the old waxy grease gunk and conservatively relubed everything on the locomotive that had moving parts. I was pleasantly surprised how much smoother these older locomotives ran after that. P.S. I would have to say I'm not too surprised GN24 hasn't been back for a while. He's probably off productively doing something else. Those young 14 year olds have enough energy to sink a battleship don't you know I would have to say everyone has been so responsive to his threads here because it's really nice to see a young lad interested in such a wholesome hobby. It's kind of rare these days and rather admirable. Most are punching keypads and playing video games all the time. TF
There's nothing more aggravating and frustrating than getting a brand new locomotive and not having it function properly.
The other side of the coin is I have some older stock locomotives that ran like junk. After I managed to get the shells off with the bit of grumbling and less desirable words I removed and cleaned up the old waxy grease gunk and conservatively relubed everything on the locomotive that had moving parts.
I was pleasantly surprised how much smoother these older locomotives ran after that.
P.S. I would have to say I'm not too surprised GN24 hasn't been back for a while. He's probably off productively doing something else. Those young 14 year olds have enough energy to sink a battleship don't you know
I would have to say everyone has been so responsive to his threads here because it's really nice to see a young lad interested in such a wholesome hobby. It's kind of rare these days and rather admirable. Most are punching keypads and playing video games all the time.
I agree with many, there's some basic knowledge that modelers need to come to the table with to be able to function well in the hobby.
No disrespect to OP, he's 14 and will learn those skills and will build confidence as he gets further along.
It also about expectations. I could buy an Athearn BB locomotive for $30 knowing that I wanted to hard wire the trucks and the motor, know I wanted to install better lighting and cab shield. Knowing that I could locate a non dynamic brake section to swap with a dynamic brake section, and know the parts were available.
I could modify Atlas locos, and know that if I broke something, I could call parts department and they would have replacements.
Not only can't I find Atlas MP15 handrails after two years from the production run, AFAIK, Genesis has never produced GP15 handrails as a separate part. Try to find a Genesis worm gear cover to replace one that was broken out of the box (truck hanging down). Can't be done. I can't even locate an an entire replacement truck. Plenty of the RTR worm covers in stock. No Genesis worm covers.
I guess the way you replace a $10 part is to buy another $130 loco to cannibalize.
I bought three Atlas MP15s. All had defective speakers....wire detached from the speakers with no hope of resoldering. Atlas did not have speakers in stock, said they would find parts donors on hand.
Like having to go to a junkyard to cannibalize parts from a 66 Mercury. And this wasn't a 1966 loco, it was from 2018.
I'm done fiddling with it. They don't even make the parts anymore to fiddle with it. If its not right, right out of the box and after a 5 minute run, back it goes without a second thought.
P.S. I would have to say I'm not too surprised GN24 hasn't been back for a while. He's probably off productively doing something else. Those young 14 year olds have enough energy to sink a battleship don'tcha know
kasskaboose What I find interesting is not hearing back from the OP. Is the issue with the loco? Something he did? Neither or both?
What I find interesting is not hearing back from the OP. Is the issue with the loco? Something he did? Neither or both?
He posted after about 8 or 10 posts that he had decided to take it to the local shop where he had bought it and let them look at it. Maybe the store did not work on it right away.
He originally posted for advice, got the advice, and took it.
I doubt that, at age 14 and a fairly new poster, he had any idea his question would result in two pages of discussion, disagreement, and a small amount of criticism, over working on a new locomotive versus fixing it yourself.
York1 John
Good morning Stix
I have both, some older stock Kato's and older stock Atlas locomotives I bought at train shows. The Atlas ones run better than some of my newer Atlas ones. The old Kato's run like junk compared to my new Kato's that run smooth as silk. Perhaps I got a batch of the Bad Runs from back in the day. No pun intended No wonder they were selling them!
Buying old stock at train shows is a Crapshoot. I learned not to do that anymore unless they have a test track so I can see what I'm buying.
I don't think he has ever removed the shell.
Go watch his video on the movie train thread he started: Has Anyone Ever Modeled Movie Trains?
He's painting a loco with the shell on, along with all other details.
Mike.
My You Tube
Although the Atlas engines I have (HO) come from the factory running closer to each other than the engines of other manufacturers, it isn't something I really expect. I find it common that two of the same engine from the same manufacturer normally don't start, run, and stop the same. That's the big advantage of DCC, you can find your slowest engine and speedmatch all the other engines to it so any two or more engines can run together.
I have several Kato engines, including an SD-40-2 and never had a problem with them. As has been noted, I believe it was just one bad run that had a problem which was fixed long ago.
p.s. given the OP's other post regarding the engine, where he says he's going to paint and decorate it for the layout he's building, which apparently is going to include a lot of scratchbuilding, it sounds like he isn't really a "newbie" so may be able to open the engine (again, since I assume he took it apart to paint it) and look for a loose connection or something.
Track fiddler Interesting Douglas. One of the Twin Cities & Westerns that I returned, ran at only half the speed as another and had a really bad growl sound to it. TF
Interesting Douglas.
One of the Twin Cities & Westerns that I returned, ran at only half the speed as another and had a really bad growl sound to it.
My use of the word recall is probably too strong.
What I have noticed is that changes in the manufacturing process, or location, whatever, is causing problems to emerge that weren't there before, with all kinds of locos across many companies. At least with the brands I buy.
Atlas used to be smooth an quiet. You knew that about them. Then, without announcement, they changed how things were made, the motor for sure, and I think the trucks are noisier than they used to be. So while they tell you the advancements they make in electronics and details, they don't tell you about where they cut back.
And not just Atlas.
I've purchased a lot on 2020. Many Athearn Genesis have been returned for one reason or another. I usually buy two, different road numbers. One would be fine, the other not. Return the other, and its replacement is fine.
I've purchased probably 30 locos in 2020 (with proceeds from purging stuff) and probably had to return 10 of them. Others have required extensive breaking in to quiet down the drives to an acceptable level.
And the old-engineered Athearn RTR motor is much quieter than the motor Athearn uses in its higher priced and more detailed Genesis line. LOL.