Athearn HO GP35 (Undecorated Only)

Indeed, the first Athearn GP7s had Hi-F drive too. The 200MPH at full throttle is a cool comment! My silver Burlington F7 A unit and three passenger cars broke the Zephyr speed records that were in Trains Magazine every year in the early 60s.

The GP30 did have gear drive when it appeared. The detail is another story and here I will give the current models an A+. Story has it that the GP35 was cut into the GP30 die and it was never more to be seen on the market.

The details on current production models are fantastic and shows the desire of modelers to demand fine scale standards thus making the generic models obsolete. They still have a place when you introduce your kids to the hobby of course where the models won´t get the TLC that the higher priced models do.

Sound and DCC has also brought the hobby to new heights as well. The trend will continue thus making model railroading much more interesting and hopefully to the point that many kids will give up computer games and become a member of The World´s Greatest Hobby.

Joe Toth

 

400227252380 on eBay is offering two Bev-Bel 42200- GP35 Shell, Undecorated. 1/87 scale for Buy Now at $3.50.

Ricky Mathews

 

To All:

I am going to add this to this thread vs. opening a new one, but MTH is also coming out with an HO GP35 with a January 2012 projected release date. I will rely on others on the group to weigh in on their feelings about MTH products in general and the accuracy of model as it relates to the Frisco version in particular. I do see that (A) they are not offering an Undecorated version although either the NYC or Pennsy ones are black and could be stripped of their lettering, and (B) like a couple of other companies offer their own proprietary sound system. Pricing is comparable to other current releases from other companies.

http://mthtrains.com/news/483

 

IMHO, stay as far away from MTH as possible until they comply with the NMRA DCC Stardards instead of going with their DSC system. I see no reason to support any manufacture that refuses to comply with national DCC standards.

 

I don't know how everyone else feels about Richard's assessment, but the fact that they are not complying with DCC protocal dies it for me. A no go!

 

This is along the lines of SD40s, FP45s, GP15s, SD70s and the recent three SD38s I got from Authearn undecorated. You have parts galore and either stick to a real prototype or come up with what your private railroad needs? There even seem to be extra parts in event of being clumsey. Not to make any complaints about them but but compared to the old Blue Box, the kit detail has improved while the instructon sheet remains the same format. Not for the squeemish or medicated due to stress.

Ricky Mathews

 

Interesting perception! Never heard that one before! Maybe the label should have a Prozac warning!

 

Joseph, Kato seems to be the place one can wish they had known about when got back into this. They offer an excellent model of the SD40 as well.

Ricky Mathews|-|

 

Maybe you should bring that pair to the next op session so we can stretch their legs a bit. I have plenty of trains to run.

 

I have a couple of Athearn GP30's. But there has been so much custom work done to them I can't say how undetailed it origionally was. But the strange thing is it has the newer fly wheeel motor instead of the origonal one from when it was produced.

Ethan

 

Ricky and all,

I have read so many reviews regarding Kato´s quality. Of course it is a modelers choice just how much fine scale detail, sound and DCC, one wants to invest in a locomotive roster. Andre Ming´s comments about how fine the SHS S scale diesels run compared to his Kato models. They even perform better than the Kato models he says. I don´t understand why MTH would introduce HO with a totally foreign system and not comply with current standards. The old heads remember the NMRA when the X2f coupler was introduced to the hobby.

Despite the majority of manufacturers adapting it there were still problems coupling X2f´s together due to different designs. Lionel and Revell had their own and wouldn´t properly couple to Athearn or Varney models for example. MDC produced die cast X2f´s as a matter of fact!

Well into the 21st Century, it is ironic that there are still problems getting all manufacturers to comply to Common Standards. The Harriman Roads, UP and SP specifically, had Common Standards that worked well even after the government forced the UP to relinquish control of the SP including the Central Pacific. Why do away with a good thing when it works?

Does anyone know how Athearn managed to turn out such a unprototypical GP30? The roof fans did leave a lot to be desired. Regardless of where models are now made, most seem to have fantastic detail in all scales. Regretfully, there are still some issues that need to be discussed in regards to certain standards and this can only be achieved if all manufacturers have a summit of sorts to approach the problems. Such a summit should be organized by the NMRA, Kalmbach (Model Railroader) and perhaps even Walthers and most probably held in the Milwaukee area where both Kalmbach and Walthers are located. The historical societies who release prototype specific models should also be invited and heard! Frisco in the front roll is understood!

Wonder if Mike Wolf would show up? He seems to be a loner of sorts. This is not my own personal opinion but from a trusted employee at Bachmann!

Joe Toth

 

Well you were after perceptions. The ones I names I would guess are limited release(?), have seen no SD38s like these undecorated advertised before so bought all three fellow had. Maybe need new script for my byfocals, but seems the same old style instruction sheet don't properly descrbe the mass of parts. These just aren't "RTR" unless have a gondola for parts. If you worked on a real one, that would help on parts ID!
Much Thanks, Ricky Mathews|-|

 

After my Athearn Huster starter set I went for the Santa Fe freight set with that 4-6-2. It drained my paper boy wages. The pacific was a very poorly designed locomotive and I returned the set to the hobby shop and got my money back. I picked up Athearn´s silver Burlington F7 A and three passenger cars. The F unit had the Hi-F (High Tech Rubber Band) drive and it would run 200 MPH at full throttle. I mentioned this on another tread but it did break all the Trains Magazine speed records that they printed once a year on the Chicago-Twin Cities Zephyrs!

Like the Hustler, not prototypical, but I was in Tall Cotton. No more tinplate; I was in HO. Ho Ha!

Joe Toth

 

Another Derailment! While this is a Frisco site and when specific topics get posted people still have a bad habit of getting slightly off track now and then as other questions pop up. The interest in Athearn goes beyond the GP35 it seems and most of us oldtimers got our start in HO with Irv´s baby.

This is why I proposed the Rip Track to carry such questions of interest from one tread to an area where they could have been discussed further.

Rerailing the GP35 topic. Why didn´t Athearn run the Frisco or even the Mopac when he introduced the 35? I´m sure the answer is lost to history but it probably helped Champ and Walthers sell more decals.

A pity as I think both roads would have sold well.

Joe Toth