Anybody got theirs yet? mine is enroute too. Probably via a UPS van riding a flat car on the UP in a siding somewhere, for days. Tom
LaGrange sent me a message saying mine were on the way. Odd, theyre shipping them FedEx. I was hoping they would arrive in tow
I just got my shipment notice from Toy Train Heaven and my SD45s are on the way as well. I am tingly all over. Bob more decoders!
At one time I had thought about preordering one, but that was put on hold by a GP35 on ebay. I really want to have one to put on my main freights. I guess even a GP38AC F7B GP38-2 can't handle some trains. I'll wait till I see how these turn out. If they are good I may have to talk my dad into buying my b day present early but I still wouldn't be able to use it till December 13th. O well, at least I would have one before they ran out.
I received my notice this afternoon from TTH saying my two Frisco SD45's were on the way as well. God help me - I just bought two more o/w units! Only because they are SD45's - my son's favorite locomotive during our SLSF train watching days years ago. Who can argue with a V-20 645! They should provide some good memories. I hope Athearn did a nice job on them. So far, sounds good. I look forward to the first reviews! Ken ps - But, all Frisco freight diesels really ought to be black & yellow!
Ken--You're going to HAVE to get a r/w F-9B with dynamics to run with that pair! A dummy without drawbar "play" would work! Tom
Tom - Nope! I have my Frisco F9B, but it is a Highliners b/y F9B. I don't know if that was totally prototypical for very long, but that's the way it is going to be in my world. It did happen, but I think for only a short time. See the attached pic. F9B SLSF 141, nee SLSF 5141, is my guy! K
Yeah it would be a real shame not to get one on the track right away and see how it performs. I used TCS T4X plug-in decoders on my Athearn SD40-2s and they work very well. I am guessing that the SD45s will have the same general electrical set up.
I picked up my SLSF911 at Hobby Haven in Overland Park, KS! Best Athearn locomtive offering ever! It has the L shaped window, the coonskin decal on the nose. the unit is perfect! This is a great looking locomotive, looking forward to getting the other numbers! BTW if you're looking for one Show Me Lines in Grandview Mo has all of them in stock (saw them there today).
cnw, Was the color correct on the unit? Or wad it still the same red that is too deep? And did it have a roof beacon like it should?
Would some of you that do get ahold of this release please post pictures, comments, etc. I for one would be interested in the following: (1) Is the color the same as the recently released SD40-2 which is hopefully the new Athearn standard (not too red as with previous releases such as the GP50)? (2) Do all three road #'s have the same details (i.e. L-shaped windshield, nose herald, gyra-light (?), roof beacon, etc.) (3) Overall quality of model and level of detail.
927 just arrived on the property. The red has more orange to it and the lettering looks a little thinner. Overall for the money this model is a "10" as far as apperance goes if you discount the handrails not being painted. I have not run the unit as I dont have a decoder but I might try it analog just to see it go round. Cant wait for 943 to get here so I can see how the gyro-light work once I put a decoder in it
Okay gentlemen, here it is, the long awaited SD45. I just picked mine up at Kreig Haus Hobby and Coin in Washington. The one and only complaint I have is that it's missing the engineer's window center post and glass. A call to Athearn should fix that. The handrails also need to be painted white. Other than that, I think it's the best RTR that Athearn has ever offered. It has uncoupling bars, rotating beacon, mu hoses, the L shaped window, and the unit specific nose herald for the 911. And for less than $100.00, it's hard to beat.
I haven't got a dog in the fight (I model a different era and scale), but If I were HO modeling the Frisco in the 1970's, I jump all over this one before they sell out! Tom
The beacon lights up, but doesn't blink or rotate. I'm guessing that it's the same light source as the headlight.
If it's the same source as the head light it would get dimer and brighter at the same rate as the head light. I don't think it will be too hard to fix this with a decoder though.
