Last week I became the owner of a new HO scale Athearn Genesis GP7 in Frisco O/W colors, purchased new from Athearn. It's not DCC equipped, but I'm wanting to install at least a decoder (sound is optional for me). so I have a question for a current owner of the Genesis- i weather it up a bits there an adapter onboard I can plug a decoder in, or is this gonna require soldering? Thanks in advance. For the record- this looks like a really sharp Geep- all I need to do to it is add some real couplers and weather it up a bit. It'll go with some of the other GP7s I have in my fleet (one Atlas, three Front Range shells on Athearn BB chassis).
Check to make sure your Genesis GP7 has the correct GP7 handrails. They were first shipped with GP9 handrails. The two are totally different stanchions. Prototype GP9 hand rail stanchions are stamped metal, the GP7's stanchions AND handrails are cast and assembled with nuts/bolts. (As I recall, it's been a long time since I've been on/run a GP7.) It's my understanding that Athearn has the correct handrails in hand now, but you will have to request replacements. Here's a pic of what might be the last GP7 I've run many years ago that illustrates the handrails: While we're at it, here's the FIRST GP7 I ever ran snapped while in the seat (and hanging out the window gawking at the view). You can see the cast nature of the handrails: Andre
Actually a sound installation is pretty easy in one of those. I can help with instructions as well as the best price you will find on a Tsunami 2 decoder with an appropriate speaker. AND I could pre-program the decoder for you with its address, appropriate horn, bell, and a proper speed table that will make it operate at realistic speeds. Just contact me via Conversation.
If you have two locomotives from one manufacturer from the same lot, setting the speed table in both to same values should get them very close, but not truly matched.
