Athearn vs. Kato. (SD70MAC).

[Anonymous]

Ok. I already own 5 Kato SD70Mac Locomotives already.
I already have my First Athearn SD70Mac comeing in on Tuesday from UPS!
I am in the process of buying more Models from Athearn.

The Question I have is:

If you have a 100 car Hopper Train on your Layout,ok!
You Take your Two Athearn SD70Mac's and Couple them on the front of the Hopper Train......ok? Then you do the same thing with the Kato SD70Mac's.
Now..........Try to compair the Athearn to the Kato SD70Mac's.
Is their any type of Slippage? How well do eather set's do on Pulling the cars?
Do they have a nice Pull? Or do they Struggle under the Weight of the Hopper Cars?
The reason that I am asking this is to try to compair these two Big Massive Locomotives on a Real Layout to see just how well they peform on a Layout.
Thanks,BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

I have The Athearn SD70M but I do not have the Kato Version. I am really happy with the Genesis model. I like how quiet it is and how the detail looks. I do know that you will be happy when you get it.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Serious Modeler

I have The Athearn SD70M but I do not have the Kato Version. I am really happy with the Genesis model. I like how quiet it is and how the detail looks. I do know that you will be happy when you get it.

Thank you! I plan on getting Two BNSF SD70MAC's.
BNSF9929.
BNSF8930.
BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

I have 3 of the genesis, and they are great engines. You cant beat the detail unless you go brass. They are a little on the light side but still pull pretty well, if your hoppers are free rolling the 2 of them should have no problem with it. Just a tip: If your athearn 70macs are derailing then take the trucks apart and drill out the center bearings on every truck. Run like a dream after you do this.

[Anonymous]

Genesis SD70M/SD70MAC's have really great detail, way better than katos detail. i would buy a Genesis SD70MAC before a Kato one, but Kato is still my fav model maker cuz of the UP AC44CTE's and SD38-2's.

[Anonymous]

Hands down Athearn Genesis is the best engine out there. It is the best in my opinion and I have Katos. I really do like the Katos very much too. They are great. My favorite is GEnesis though.

[Anonymous]

Hands down Athearn Genesis is the best engine out there. It is the best in my opinion and I have Katos. I really do like the Katos very much too. They are great. My favorite is GEnesis though.

[Anonymous]

Hands down Athearn Genesis is the best engine out there. It is the best in my opinion and I have Katos. I really do like the Katos very much too. They are great. My favorite is GEnesis though.

[Anonymous]

Hi There,
If the SD70M is the same as the SD75M/I from Athearn Gen are the same. the Detail on the KATO***s all over the GENs. KATO has a faster pickup as well, Useing less power to start moveing. But pulling power. can't say i have had any slip at all.
But if you want to pull the cupplers out of you Hoppers. Get some Proto 2K units.
I have an SD60M & Tow E8's from Proto 2K and there is no stopping them.

Have fun anyway.......Matt

[Don Gibson]

'Amateur City' Sorry.

DO YOU really have a layout (and pocketbook) big enough for 100 hopper's? Otherwise it's a hypathetical 'what if' question.

Q. Which engine one pulls the most car's? A.. The heaviest one. - Simple
Q. How many cars will any 2 engine's pull? A. Your cars, on your layout? - Or mine?
A. Start with one and keep adding 'till the engine's wheel's start spinning.

QUESTION's you should be asking are "which one will run at the most realistic speeds, give me the least problems? or which will run the best with the Power Pak's (VA) I have.

One thing I'm guessing? the Genesis and Kato's will do better unmixed.

[davekelly]

Hmmmm. What if the heaviest one has a really weak motor and wheel sets that have a very small coefficient of friction on the surfaces? Will it still pull more? Not being critical, just a wise guy.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

'Amateur City' Sorry.

DO YOU really have a layout (and pocketbook) big enough for 100 hopper's? Otherwise it's a hypathetical 'what if' question.

Q. Which engine one pulls the most car's? A.. The heaviest one. - Simple
Q. How many cars will any 2 engine's pull? A. Your cars, on your layout? - Or mine?
A. Start with one and keep adding 'till the engine's wheel's start spinning.

QUESTION's you should be asking are "which one will run at the most realistic speeds, give me the least problems? or which will run the best with the Power Pak's (VA) I have.

One thing I'm guessing? the Genesis and Kato's will do better unmixed.

Haven't you heard of DPU or Pushers! See if the Lead Motors start to Slip there is always a salution to the problem. I have seen HO Layout's that do run VERY LONG Coal Trains and some Modelers would just run 3 or 4 Locomotives on the Point.
But with a DPU there is no reason to Uncouple at the top of the hill eather.
If your Lead Locomotives do start to Slip under the extream load of your Train,By simply adding just one Locomotive in the Rear of the Train CAN make a Big differance!
If the rear Unit starts to slip too......Add another. Look at it this way,The UP runs their Coal Trains in the Powder River with 2 or 3 Unit's on the Point and an extra 1 or 2 DPU Units on the rear. BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson.

One thing I'm guessing? the Genesis and Kato's will do better unmixed.

Well I dont know. The Genesis has a cloned Kato driveline (they just screwed up the pickups a little) and they might run fine with the katos. Of course if you are running DCC there is nothing you cant run together[:D]

[Anonymous]

I just sent the Athearn back to Firsthobby because the Body came apart from the frame work. Now that is the first time that have ever happend. I sent for an exchange for an SD75M. Oh well Who knows!
No wounder why I like Kato Model's much better.BNSFrailfan.

[Amtrk14]

I have two of the Athearn Genesis SD70MAC's, both are BNSF. They are some of the nicest loco's I have. The only problems I have heard about them are:
1. On some of them, the trucks are warped, so all the wheels don't touch the track.(Mine are fine)
2. Light Bulbs dont last very long

Take a look at my website. I have some pictures posted of the SD70MAC's on the "BNSF Pictures" page.

http://pacificcoastline.tripod.com/

Sean

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Amtrk14

I have two of the Athearn Genesis SD70MAC's, both are BNSF. They are some of the nicest loco's I have. The only problems I have heard about them are:
1. On some of them, the trucks are warped, so all the wheels don't touch the track.(Mine are fine)
2. Light Bulbs dont last very long

Take a look at my website. I have some pictures posted of the SD70MAC's on the "BNSF Pictures" page.

http://pacificcoastline.tripod.com/

Sean

Very nice photo's,very nice indeed. BNSFrailfan.

[Anonymous]

I have two SD75M's on DCC with 820 ohm resisters on the lights. Runs like a dream, I did have to enlarge the middle holes on one of the trucks and now they both track very good.

Bob