Athearn New Products Update (HO Scale)

To All:

I had the opportunity to speak directly in person to my Athearn contact a couple of weeks ago at the Oklahoma City Train Show and would like to give you all an update.

Before getting more specific with this update I would like to take the opportunity to thank both Richard Napper (rnapper) and Ken Wulfert (meteor910) for all of the assistance they have given me with these projects. Richard is generously supplying me with hundreds of photographs from his extensive collection and Ken is furnishing me with technical information concerning specific locomotives when the need arises. I would also like to point out that Athearn is making an emphasis on number specific loco detailing on both their Genesis and Ready to Roll lines so pictures and details are essentail. I will give you an example when I detail the progress report on the SW1500.

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Ready to Roll Bay Window Caboose:

The O&W Bay Window caboose I announced earlier on the forum is listed in their new hard bound catalog with an ETA of February 2013.

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Ready to Roll SW1500:

Several years ago I did a survey on the forum and at the time this proved to be the most sought after new offering. As a matter of historical reference, Athearn produced an SW1500 in O&W possibly 10-15 years ago in their Ready to Run line which was basically RTR blue box models. In recent years they have done extensive retooling including see-thru grilles, separately applied handrails, etc. The drive train is also new with a PNP decoder socket and wired roof beacons, etc. Another feature is an attempt to be road number specific. In a recent release of 3 road numbers for the SW1500 in the BN paint scheme one of the locos is BN #49 which was actually Frisco #344. Blowing up the image will show specific details like the servicing point of Springfield on the side of the frame. The other two offerings had different details and from different original railroads.

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATH96684

Having said that I would expect the SW1500 to be the next Frisco offering from Athearn and possibly announced within the next 6 months. By the pictures that Richard has furnished me these were fairly plain jane offerings with very little detail differences between the units.

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Genesis GP7:

After supplying many images to Athearn in various paint schemes their artists have determined that they currently don't have the specific body type detailing to produce this model at this time since it was an early phase GP7. My contact has assured me that this detailing is in the works and could possibly offered in the next couple of years. We will just need to be patient as Athearn has expressed that they would like to do the model for the Frisco. I will get periodic updates from him and pass them on to you.

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To All:

I should have added that I enjoyed the opportunity to meet directly face-to-face with my contact. He seemed very receptive to the opportunity to produce Frisco models so that part is a compliment to all of you for following through and purchasing the models when they are produced. In relation to the SD40-2's and SD45's, I think that many of us regret not purchasing more when they were released. They were the first two models that came along after we got the color adjusted and possibly some of us took a wait and see approach and got surprised for lack of a better term. These new models are a far cry from previous Athearn products both in detail and performance. A little known fact is that when the SD45's were released #911 had the ends of the steps painted white and the other two didn't. A Kansas City man, who evidently was a Frisco Engineer, bought one and took it back to one of the hobby shops up there asking the owner for a refund saying these never had the ends of the steps painted white. In studying some of the photos that evidently Athearn used revealed that #911 did have the step ends painted white.

Bottom line, in order to keep Athearn believing in us it's important for Richard, Ken, and myself to do our homework up front and then for you to step up and pre-order these when they are announced.

 

For those of you who don't want to wait, Bachmann has an HO GP-7.

Tom

 

I remember reading somewhere that Frisco #500 was the first GP7 with Bloomberg trucks. also Frisco #200 caboose was the first international wide vision caboose produced.

 

Railroad Model Craftsman, www.rrmodelcraftsman.com, has a review of the Bachmann GP7 on their site. On the home page pull down to Craftsman Model Reviews and you will find the geep review. It is a generic model and lacks some detail. The UP model shown has dynamic brakes. It is available without as well. I guess it is better than the Athearn model us baby boomers had 50 years ago and a good model to give to your kids to operate on their first HO layout probably? Bachmann offers it in the Pennsy livery just for Ken!

Joe Toth

 

Ken, I don't belive they offer the GP7 undec. They have a mix of models that do and don't have db's.

Ethan

 

I looked at their online catalog and it looks like Ethan is correct. Another example of possibly buying one of the black painted roadnames and stripping it. Back to the Dark Ages!

 

If you're thinking of buying any kind of Bachmann equipment, this is a good place:
http://stores.ebay.com/THE-FAVORITE-SPOT/ I don't have any connection to the seller except being a satisfied customer. I've purchased several items there. One thing Bachmann offers are steam engine tenders sold separately in both HO and N scale.

Tom G.

 

How come you HO guys didn't get Atlas Frisco GP-7's when they were first released some time back?? You should still be able to fine one (some) now and then on eBay. I bought three GP-7's in the Frisco b/y scheme when they were released in N scale (There were only two road numbers, I have to change the number on one of them).

Tom

 

As mentioned, Bachmann hasn't released their GP7 as an undecorated model. I wouldn't pay the price for the Bachmann model seeing that it is lacking detail parts and this in the 21st Century at that! Waiting for Athearn or shopping for the older Atlas runs seems best. Bachmann hasn't offered any new roadnames for their FTs since they were released and they only come with d/b as well. I don't understand their marketing concepts or lack of. They certainly have not been Frisco Friendly even if it meant releasing a generic model. I guess their 2-10-0 was "acceptable" but would not an older brass PFM model with upgraded NWSL gears and wheelsets be a better investment? Don't want to change the Athearn subject but it is so EZ to get derailed on these threads. Sorry! Any answer to the 2-10-0 should start a new thread. Please be governed accordingly to quote the special orders that were posted in the ATSF E. Dallas yard office.

Joe Toth