Atheran Locomotives

[Anonymous]

Ya know.....Athearn is the standard for every starting model railroader. But like some of the guys said above, there might be a problem with some of the mechanisms if they are growling excessively.

I have started to buy up a lot of the Proto 1000 Covered Wagons and just love them. They work well at low speeds and don't have the 'growling'. Kit bash enough and put in a sound chip. (Yea....im a sound junkie)

Craig

[Anonymous]

Ya know.....Athearn is the standard for every starting model railroader. But like some of the guys said above, there might be a problem with some of the mechanisms if they are growling excessively.

I have started to buy up a lot of the Proto 1000 Covered Wagons and just love them. They work well at low speeds and don't have the 'growling'. Kit bash enough and put in a sound chip. (Yea....im a sound junkie)

Craig

[Anonymous]

I've fould that if you add 9 ounces of weight to a F45 or FP45, they quiet down pretty good, and pull much better. Life-Like seems to use slightly better motors, as I just can't get my Athearns to pull as much.

[Anonymous]

I've fould that if you add 9 ounces of weight to a F45 or FP45, they quiet down pretty good, and pull much better. Life-Like seems to use slightly better motors, as I just can't get my Athearns to pull as much.

[BRAKIE]

Jeremy,I have Athearn locomotives 22 of them to be exact and I rate them right up there among the best made..Remember this..Athearn locomotives is like a Timex watch.They will take a beating and keep right on ticking. These are my most trouble free locomotives I own.

[BRAKIE]

Jeremy,I have Athearn locomotives 22 of them to be exact and I rate them right up there among the best made..Remember this..Athearn locomotives is like a Timex watch.They will take a beating and keep right on ticking. These are my most trouble free locomotives I own.

[Anonymous]

the only thing I change internally is to replace the metal clip that links up the trucks and solder wire on instead. It greatly improves current collection.

I tried to re gear an SD40-2 once. Never again - the motor 'squealed like a hog' and it wouldn't run in lashup with anything, athearn or otherwise.

Jon

[Anonymous]

the only thing I change internally is to replace the metal clip that links up the trucks and solder wire on instead. It greatly improves current collection.

I tried to re gear an SD40-2 once. Never again - the motor 'squealed like a hog' and it wouldn't run in lashup with anything, athearn or otherwise.

Jon

[Laidlaym]

Best way of improving an Athearn loco is to replace the motor with a ModelTorque ATC.

The electric motor starts spinning before the loco moves, it will "idle" on 2 volts. As the revs build up drive is delivered to the wheels. As the load on the loco increases the loco slows and will stop if more volts are not supplied. If you run such a loco on a hilly route you must drive the loco to suit the conditions, more volts for up grade and less for down grade than you currently use.

There most obvious use is in replacing old Athearn motors but can be used for any diesel chassis modifications. They will work in steam locos of course but more re-motoring seems to happen in diesels.

Length over the faces of the torque converters (double ended unit) is 62mm (single ended looks to be about 45mm), max diameter is 20.4mm, min diameter is 15mm. According to information on the web page smaller and larger units are planned. http://www.modeltorque.com.au/

Benefits as I see them are:

These units gets away from the problem that model locos have with expecting a motor to pick up a load from very low revs. This makes starting a train more realistic, the lack of momentum is overcome in a prototypic manner.

They makes MUing better as the ATC equipped loco and the other loco/s won't be fighting like many do. Different gearing is not a problem as the ATC equipped loco will adjust it’s speed to that of the other loco.

A diesel loco will sound more realistic, the noise will increase then the loco will start moving, lots of revs on a hill and quieter on the flat and down hill. Add a sound generator and it’s got to be better still as the “notching up” becomes more noticeable. DCC with sound means you can probably run dynamic brakes down the hill as well.

I don't own or work for ModelTorque.

[Laidlaym]

Best way of improving an Athearn loco is to replace the motor with a ModelTorque ATC.

The electric motor starts spinning before the loco moves, it will "idle" on 2 volts. As the revs build up drive is delivered to the wheels. As the load on the loco increases the loco slows and will stop if more volts are not supplied. If you run such a loco on a hilly route you must drive the loco to suit the conditions, more volts for up grade and less for down grade than you currently use.

There most obvious use is in replacing old Athearn motors but can be used for any diesel chassis modifications. They will work in steam locos of course but more re-motoring seems to happen in diesels.

Length over the faces of the torque converters (double ended unit) is 62mm (single ended looks to be about 45mm), max diameter is 20.4mm, min diameter is 15mm. According to information on the web page smaller and larger units are planned. http://www.modeltorque.com.au/

Benefits as I see them are:

These units gets away from the problem that model locos have with expecting a motor to pick up a load from very low revs. This makes starting a train more realistic, the lack of momentum is overcome in a prototypic manner.

They makes MUing better as the ATC equipped loco and the other loco/s won't be fighting like many do. Different gearing is not a problem as the ATC equipped loco will adjust it’s speed to that of the other loco.

A diesel loco will sound more realistic, the noise will increase then the loco will start moving, lots of revs on a hill and quieter on the flat and down hill. Add a sound generator and it’s got to be better still as the “notching up” becomes more noticeable. DCC with sound means you can probably run dynamic brakes down the hill as well.

I don't own or work for ModelTorque.

[Anonymous]

Hey Jeremy, I like every Atheran I have. More power to the Blue Box. I got the first one and did'nt know the difference between a so called "good one" v. a perfect one. For me, I like 'em.

[Anonymous]

Hey Jeremy, I like every Atheran I have. More power to the Blue Box. I got the first one and did'nt know the difference between a so called "good one" v. a perfect one. For me, I like 'em.

[JeremyB]

I agree Atheran makes the best locos, you have to really bang them up bad to do any damage, In fact i once dropped one off a shelf about 5 feet up naturally I thought the worst when I picked it up but It was PERFECTLY fine.

- Jeremy

[JeremyB]

I agree Atheran makes the best locos, you have to really bang them up bad to do any damage, In fact i once dropped one off a shelf about 5 feet up naturally I thought the worst when I picked it up but It was PERFECTLY fine.

- Jeremy

[willy6]

i had a problem with an ATHEARN AC4400 kit. i spent all day detailing the body and under frame and went to assemble the body to the frame and discovered the frame was bent.it is now spare parts for my other AC4400's.

[willy6]

i had a problem with an ATHEARN AC4400 kit. i spent all day detailing the body and under frame and went to assemble the body to the frame and discovered the frame was bent.it is now spare parts for my other AC4400's.

[Anonymous]

These are very popular among us with an limited budget. I picked up an custom painted CNW switcher for $25. I would never see a stewart for that price :) And everyone that Ive showed it to loves it! Yep..Im one in the growler group!!

[Anonymous]

These are very popular among us with an limited budget. I picked up an custom painted CNW switcher for $25. I would never see a stewart for that price :) And everyone that Ive showed it to loves it! Yep..Im one in the growler group!!

[JeremyB]

Yep Im in the " Growler Group" too.

Jeremy

[JeremyB]

Yep Im in the " Growler Group" too.

Jeremy

[rambo1]

I had two locos sitting on a shelve. Big mistake. One was a proto 2000 the other a athearn U28. Both hit the ground. The proto was almost destroyed. The athearn had little damage that was easy to fix. So Jeremy it looks like athearn won. Rambo 1............

[rambo1]

I had two locos sitting on a shelve. Big mistake. One was a proto 2000 the other a athearn U28. Both hit the ground. The proto was almost destroyed. The athearn had little damage that was easy to fix. So Jeremy it looks like athearn won. Rambo 1............

[JeremyB]

Hi Rambo

Can't beat an Atheran Up, I see im not the only one that has had a atheran fall to ground.Talk to you later.

[JeremyB]

Hi Rambo

Can't beat an Atheran Up, I see im not the only one that has had a atheran fall to ground.Talk to you later.

[cp1057]

Jeremy,

I have locomotives from a number of manufacturers, but I still like Athearn. My Athearn F-7 is probably the noisiest of the lot but it just doesn't bother me. The best thing about Athearn is price. It keeps model railroading affordable, it gives the newcomer a place to start without taking out a second mortgage. If we want our hobby to grow or even continue to exist this is very important. Blue Box for me!

Charles
Hillsburgh Ont.

[cp1057]

Jeremy,

I have locomotives from a number of manufacturers, but I still like Athearn. My Athearn F-7 is probably the noisiest of the lot but it just doesn't bother me. The best thing about Athearn is price. It keeps model railroading affordable, it gives the newcomer a place to start without taking out a second mortgage. If we want our hobby to grow or even continue to exist this is very important. Blue Box for me!

Charles
Hillsburgh Ont.

[FRITSCHSR]

Try using Colgate toothpaste to break in the gears on Athearns. I have had good results in quieting them down. just run for an hour in each direction, then take apart,
clean & lube'm up.
Dave
Big Knob & Pine Run Rr.

[FRITSCHSR]

Try using Colgate toothpaste to break in the gears on Athearns. I have had good results in quieting them down. just run for an hour in each direction, then take apart,
clean & lube'm up.
Dave
Big Knob & Pine Run Rr.

[Anonymous]

Just a quick followup to my earlier post. All my locos have been converted to DCC, very easily if you have any soldering experience at all. All you have to do is remove the conductor clip and pull the motor and tape down the contacts on the frame to isolate it. Then just follow the wiring diagram with the decoder. Simple wiring. I changed the lighting so the lower headlight is on all the time and set the top headlight to go off when in reverse on my F7's, (I'm using 14v grain of wheat bulbs glued with a drop of CA to a small depression drilled into the lens. no overheating bulb problems encountered) Again, they are truly bullet-proof engines!

[Anonymous]

Just a quick followup to my earlier post. All my locos have been converted to DCC, very easily if you have any soldering experience at all. All you have to do is remove the conductor clip and pull the motor and tape down the contacts on the frame to isolate it. Then just follow the wiring diagram with the decoder. Simple wiring. I changed the lighting so the lower headlight is on all the time and set the top headlight to go off when in reverse on my F7's, (I'm using 14v grain of wheat bulbs glued with a drop of CA to a small depression drilled into the lens. no overheating bulb problems encountered) Again, they are truly bullet-proof engines!