athearn sd60m

If you buy from a local hobbyshop, and if they are "reputable", you should have no problems removing a loco you intend to purchase from it's box, and having someone prove to you, that it works. I buy 99% of my stuff online. That stuff i buy from my hobbyshop (which happens to be located 1000 miles away) is opened, and test run for me, by the owner. He also does my DCC, LED lighting and whatever else I require, before he ships. I've purchased over 250 locos in the last 4 years, all with DCC and LED lighting, so I understand your concerns over pricey locos. I also had almost every one operated for me, before they were shipped. I know this saved me almost a dozen bad DCC units, as told to me by my dealer. You wouldn't buy a car without test driving it, and hopefully you wouldn't buy an OS without trying it first, either. (oops, we know the answer to that one) Just some thoughts, from someone who has been there before....

Funny thing is, as it turns out, the decoder is AOK...Just problems with the truck contacts. I know how to fix them now. It is just very frustrating. I probably will by more Athearn, eventually, but I doubt I will buy it with sound. If I get sound, I'll go to a DCC store and buy an aftermarket decoder. It's probably not much more money, but A.) I can buy it separately to cushion the cost a little bit, and B.) It's probably a better Quality decoder.

ApproachMedium wrote:My thinking is, and im currently dealing with this with my Bachmann Passenger cars. Is that if i buy something NEW. Than it should perform as such. If it doesnt, it goes back to the manufacture or hobby shop that I bought it from. I have been fighting with bachmann since last christmas over their heavyweight passenger cars that have wheels that sink so far into the trucks that the cars derail and hang up on switch frogs. No way am I going to take the screwdrivers and tools to brand new cars and start replacing trucks with other brands or trying to modify the current design. These are things you shouldnt have to do to a RTR engine or car brand new from the factory. Granted theres some work that may need to be done, since nothings truly RTR. But we shouldnt have to be cleaning up manufactures defects from the factory and paying to do such.

Basically re-enforcing what was said above. However, I doubt I'll buy another bachmann after buying four sets of items from them and all four instances the items have had to be repaired, or modified by me for proper operation.

I'm trying not to go off topic here, but most 6 axle heavyweight coaches do not pivot on the middle axle. Instead, it pivots between the outermost axle and the center axles. Because of this design, the 2 inner axles don't touch the track and derail on switches. It is not just Bachmann. Athearn's heavyweights do the same. I think we're better off getting a Rivarossi and swapping out the wheels for ones with smaller flanges.

diburning wrote:

ApproachMedium wrote:My thinking is, and im currently dealing with this with my Bachmann Passenger cars. Is that if i buy something NEW. Than it should perform as such. If it doesnt, it goes back to the manufacture or hobby shop that I bought it from. I have been fighting with bachmann since last christmas over their heavyweight passenger cars that have wheels that sink so far into the trucks that the cars derail and hang up on switch frogs. No way am I going to take the screwdrivers and tools to brand new cars and start replacing trucks with other brands or trying to modify the current design. These are things you shouldnt have to do to a RTR engine or car brand new from the factory. Granted theres some work that may need to be done, since nothings truly RTR. But we shouldnt have to be cleaning up manufactures defects from the factory and paying to do such.

Basically re-enforcing what was said above. However, I doubt I'll buy another bachmann after buying four sets of items from them and all four instances the items have had to be repaired, or modified by me for proper operation.

I'm trying not to go off topic here, but most 6 axle heavyweight coaches do not pivot on the middle axle. Instead, it pivots between the outermost axle and the center axles. Because of this design, the 2 inner axles don't touch the track and derail on switches. It is not just Bachmann. Athearn's heavyweights do the same. I think we're better off getting a Rivarossi and swapping out the wheels for ones with smaller flanges.

This isnt even anywhere near what im talking about. Its when you set the car down, ALL of the wheels sink into the trucks, its actually not so much a problem with my 6 axle heavyweights but a huge problem with the 4 axle heavyweight cars. The truck sideframes actually fall down below where the tread of the wheels hit the rails so they are BELOW the TOP of guard rails and switch frogs. With all handlaid track or the new atlas switches metal frogs and the metal sideframes=shorts galore. And all of the bachmann cars pivot on the 6 axle cars, at the center of the trucks like they should. Just like they do in the real world.

How exactly does this relate to an Athearn SD-60?

GOLDEN-ARM wrote:How exactly does this relate to an Athearn SD-60?

My heavyweights are Athearn. I also have an Athearn box car that looks like it was painted by a drunk. (It's a RTR) I don't think that Athearn has any quality control

ApproachMedium wrote:This isnt even anywhere near what im talking about. Its when you set the car down, ALL of the wheels sink into the trucks, its actually not so much a problem with my 6 axle heavyweights but a huge problem with the 4 axle heavyweight cars. The truck sideframes actually fall down below where the tread of the wheels hit the rails so they are BELOW the TOP of guard rails and switch frogs. With all handlaid track or the new atlas switches metal frogs and the metal sideframes=shorts galore. And all of the bachmann cars pivot on the 6 axle cars, at the center of the trucks like they should. Just like they do in the real world.

How is there that much vertical play in the axle bearings? I assume they have needlepoint (conical) axle ends, so either the fit is too loose (short axles, or wide-spaced sideframes) or the bearings are oversized. Wheelsets should spin freely, but not travel up and down within the trucks.

astrosa wrote:

ApproachMedium wrote:This isnt even anywhere near what im talking about. Its when you set the car down, ALL of the wheels sink into the trucks, its actually not so much a problem with my 6 axle heavyweights but a huge problem with the 4 axle heavyweight cars. The truck sideframes actually fall down below where the tread of the wheels hit the rails so they are BELOW the TOP of guard rails and switch frogs. With all handlaid track or the new atlas switches metal frogs and the metal sideframes=shorts galore. And all of the bachmann cars pivot on the 6 axle cars, at the center of the trucks like they should. Just like they do in the real world.

How is there that much vertical play in the axle bearings? I assume they have needlepoint (conical) axle ends, so either the fit is too loose (short axles, or wide-spaced sideframes) or the bearings are oversized. Wheelsets should spin freely, but not travel up and down within the trucks.

There just is, they do have needlepoint ends. It seems as though the bearings were ground a bit too large instead of pointed like the axle points. while there is not much side to side play, theres tons of forward, backward up and down play. The new design also prevents any adjustments too be made, unlike the previous design. Anyone that doesnt believe it I would be glad to show them the two cars that I got as replacements for the two I sent back that have exactly the same issue.

I don't know, i think you're still over reacting. I have one of these locomotives, and it runs fine. Its not like the wiring is always bad (although sometimes the decoders need tweaking). If you get the DC version, you won't have any thing to worry about as far as genesis goes. I have several genesis engines, and they have never given me trouble.

QC is still an issue at Athearn on some products, namely those that require electrical current of any kind to run. Other manufacturers do not have this level of problems. The shells are beautiful however.

I'm pretty sure its more the kunky MRC sound decoders. My other Genesis run fine. I've heard the SD60M/I are less problematic than past offers like the SD45-2, but i haven't seen one run under DCC yet.

QC is still an issue at Athearn on some products, namely those that require electrical current of any kind to run. Other manufacturers do not have this level of problems. The shells are beautiful however.

..........Thank you

After the soldering, it runs....seems to anyhow.............Shouldn't have to solder for that price.

Mem160 wrote:

QC is still an issue at Athearn on some products, namely those that require electrical current of any kind to run. Other manufacturers do not have this level of problems. The shells are beautiful however.

..........Thank you

After the soldering, it runs....seems to anyhow.............Shouldn't have to solder for that price.

For that price, you could have bought an ATLAS

diburning wrote:

Mem160 wrote:

QC is still an issue at Athearn on some products, namely those that require electrical current of any kind to run. Other manufacturers do not have this level of problems. The shells are beautiful however.

..........Thank you

After the soldering, it runs....seems to anyhow.............Shouldn't have to solder for that price.

For that price, you could have bought an ATLAS

And with a decent sound system that actually has some good low end to it. And that isnt so loud it irritates others in the next room!

For that price, you could have bought an ATLAS

yeah, well worth it. But I only stay away from Atlas because I have had issues programming Atlas decoders with my Digitrax system