Athearn Genesis FP-7s Annouced 01-24-20

Discussion in 'New Products' started by Oldguy, Jan 24, 2020.

  1. Ozarktraveler

    Ozarktraveler Member

    Pre-ordered the 5047/5113 pair from Spring Creek Model Trains today.
     
  2. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    The ETA on these was January, 2021. Has there been any word that they are arriving on time?

    Rich
     
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  3. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

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  4. pensive

    pensive Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Thanks Ethan!

    Rich
     
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  5. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Athearn's website shows these units in stock now. I would expect the online pushers to start listing them by the end of the week.
     
  6. gstout

    gstout Member Frisco.org Supporter

    Keep us posted if you run across a vendor who's will to settle for less than six hundred bucks.

    GS
     
  7. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Many online pushers offer a discount from the list price. I use a couple of sites to fill most of my needs.

    https://www.modeltrainstuff.com/
    https://www.springcreekmodeltrains.com/

    I know others on this forum like springcreek as well. To give you an idea of what to expect, the new F3's that were recently produced had an MSRP of $560 for an AB set with sound. Springcreek has that set discounted to $448, which calculates out to 20% off of MSRP. This release the MSRP for a sound AB set is $620. The same 20% discount gives an expected price of $496.

    Ethan
     
  8. fr613

    fr613 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I see that an Ebay vendor (8-1-21) shows Black and Yellow Frisco 5047/5133 FP-7A/F7B combination in stock. They're priced at $399, so they're apparently non DCC versions. The Athearn web site now shows all of them in stock except for that particular combination. Still just the artwork photos though. Has anyone seen them?
     
  9. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I ordered my units through modeltrainstuff.com last week, they are supposed to be here tomorrow. I will plan to post pictures tomorrow night.
     
  10. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    Well folks, for the first time in a while we have a swing and a miss by Athearn.

    To answer the biggest question off the bat, the yellow color on these units is the dark yellow that we received on the F3's and GP7's. Do what you want with that information, but we are not reopening that debate tonight.

    The biggest disappointment is they did not put the dynamic brake fan on the F9B, which is asinine considering they got it right on the OW run of these same units. They had the correct information available to them and we contacted them about the inaccuracies and they still chose not to make a correct model. Also, the announcement says 5142 would not have spark arrestors and it has spark arrestors.

    Speaking of spark arrestors, that is the second biggest issue I have with these units. The inconsistent application of said detail would limit the use of these units considering they were not delivered with them, and would have been repainted/renumbered a few years after they did receive them.

    Additionally, if the goal of unit 5045 was for it to be an "as delivered" unit, the FP7's were not delivered with the second light in the door of the nose.

    There's probably more that I am missing, but that's all I have for now. I'm strongly considering returning all 5 units since Athearn couldn't be bothered to get these models right when they already had the information they needed to do the job right.
     

    Attached Files:

  11. geep07

    geep07 Member

    I am not trying to pick a side here, but in my opinion, it all comes down to communications at the quality control level.
    Unless there is a Athearn quality control set of eyes during the manufacturing process, mistakes is bound to happen at that point unfortunately. Athearn needed to shut it down when items should or not be on a specific model.
    Now let's see if Rapido has problems with the U 25 B project..
    I hope not.
     
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  12. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    For the kind of $$ Athearn is asking for these, they should be correct in every way and have a flushing toilet.
     
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  13. Athearn is struggling and I would not expect any improvement with current ownership or management. Horizon has increased the prices and still turning out the same models.

    I expect the Rapido U25b projects to be quite correct. According to Matt they are still tweaking design and expect some test shots by October. So hopefully they will have something to show by the end of the year.
     
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  14. gjslsffan

    gjslsffan Staff Member Staff Member

    Irv Athearn, never really cared for model RR's, he considered them whiners and unrealistic, wanting more than the industry could deliver, with the price and details.
    And that was USA made stuff.
    I have visited with a guy that I saw grow up, from a young man, and ended up going to China many times to guide the MFG process, for his models. The one thing he said over and again was, there was no constancy, ever.. Every year the Chinese new year gives every employee a chance to do something different, and by the end of the year the employees actually get closer to knowing their jobs. He said he had no product for sale. I asked him if he would have been better with a USA base.
    He said no. He also said that China could deliver a molding process in weeks, as apposed to the US in years. But I asked if he ha no product from China to sell . Whats the point?

    Only my opinion.
    We need to consider bringing this MFG base back to this hemisphere.
     
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  15. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Ethan,
    I understand your frustration. I ordered #5041 FP7 A and noticed on your photo the anti glare paint on the top of the nose is not shown. Also it appears the grab irons on the top of the nose are not properly placed correctly. Looks like they are turned the wrong way. OUCH!
     
  16. Iantha_Branch

    Iantha_Branch Member

    I don't think I have seen the anti glare paint applied to the F units in the simplified scheme like what 5041 is wearing. Looking through the archive, it doesn't look like the FP7's had it from the factory either.

    I didn't look too hard at the grab irons last night, I will look harder at that this evening.
     
  17. I can not even imagine what it would cost per unit if they were American made. Or what century they would be released.
     
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  18. geep07

    geep07 Member

    I rescind my comment on the grab irons on the top of the nose. After reviewing your photo and staring at it for awhile, it is an optical illusion.
    need to get my eyes checked LOL!
    Also, you are correct on the anti glare paint. It was not on them on the repaint simplified paint scheme, but did have them from the factory. (on 5041).
     
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  19. geep07

    geep07 Member

    Okay Scale Trains,
    When can we expect a Frisco Locomotive announcement!
     
  20. fr613

    fr613 Member Frisco.org Supporter

    I'm curious about how 5047 turned out. I can see from your overhead shot that it has spark arrestors, but can't tell much else. I have that A/B set ordered, but my pusher in Little Rock is closed Wednesdays, so I can't check it's status yet. Based on past practice, there may be issues, but I hope it'll be close enough.
     

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