Thoughts on the Athearn FP45

[nscaler711]

So I received my Athearn Santa Fe FP45 #93 w/ Soundtraxx today, (5-1-15) and I am not entirely impressed with it.
At first glance it looks great, and I mean it looks awesome. But it is not without typical Athearn QC issues, which is why Athearn originally pulled them because of QC issues.... Yet little stuff which I'm going to point out should not have been let through... Otherwise the FP45 is still a Decent locomotive and may still look, sound and run well in your consists, even if its not on point.








So for the good parts,
Paint, and lettering is nice and mostly even. The windows you can see through!  Yay no Coke bottle effect here!


The soundtraxx decoder sounds great and why wouldn't it? It's not MRC or Digitraxx (no comparison by far.)
It starts moving on speed step 1 and accelerates pretty smoothly on 128 speed steps.
*I have yet to run it on any sort of really bad track to see if loses power or loss of sound, lights etc.* OK so I ran it on dirty track and sure enough power cut out, it kept moving but the prime mover stuttered and lights went out.

*I have not noticed much motor noise but that's due to the volume of the speaker.*  Just as I thought, I muted it via F8, and it is stupid, and I mean Stupid Quiet! So yeah great!
I have yet to do a pull test, but it weighs alot so it should handle some of your longer trains by itself.


The Handrails are thinner than the ones on the SD75M, but the need a little bit of clean up as there is some flash from the molds still.




As for the bad Parts...
When I opened up the FP45 case I found some little clear pieces sitting at the bottom, I wondered what they were and realized they were the windows... Yup. I miss the coke bottles now. If you look at them funny or if a ghost walks by they might just fall out. But this is easily remedied by using Canopy Glue or any type of clear plastic glue will work. But have fun pulling the interior out, it's a task IMO. Be super Careful as you may break off the lens "tubes" like I did...

I also found that a mirror? Or whatever it is just kinda hanging loose... And then it fell off when I poked it... (it was part of the whole finding windows at the bottom of the case deal.)


There also doesn't seem to be any sort of sill/ under body details what so ever (i have been spoiled by Kato, people)

[nscaler711]

Continued!
My biggest thing is,
When I set the locomotive on the tracks and powered up my MRC Prodigy Advance, it just sat there... Nothing. Nada. Zilch.
So I did the next best thing, I cleaned the track a bit, and found out that.... It was clean.... Ok... So I unplugged my MRC PA, and plugged I my DC throttle.... Still got nothing.
Luckily I was a HO modeler once so I knew what too look for... If you have not had a N Athearn F45 or FP45, DON'T FREAK OUT if you can't remove the shell... You have to remove the couplers FIRST! Yup that's right.



Oh and BTW the coupler boxes are like a cheap Chinese knock off of the MTL ones on the 1015s but they like the windows will fall to pieces if you look at it wrong...

So I removed the couplers pulled off the shell, and set it back on the track and powered up the DC throttle and you know what... The lights turned on, the prime mover started up and started moving!!

I have yet to pull it completely apart to see if anything thing is pinched, but I don't believe anything is...
 *What I do think might be the problem is that the overspray on the inside of the shell might be conductive, even though my DC, DCC system doesn't show a short. But I could be wrong.... And I hope so, to test this, I am going to wrap the mech in kapton tape, and try that. If it works then so be it.*
Ok I fiddled with it alot, and now it runs with the shell on... WTH!?! So no problem there NOW....


Now maybe its just me, but I think this FP45 sits a little high on its trucks...


I also do not care for the trucks either, they look like something Bachmann made like 15 years ago... (Not trashing modern Bachmann anymore they have come a looooong way.) I mean I think a Santa Fe SD40-2 Mid Production from Kato are different styles of the HTC truck but the Kato's just blows the FP45's out of the water... Just look!


In the end, take what I say with a grain of salt... I've never been a huge fan of Athearn as they have burned a few bridges with me and their horrid QC issues. Which is really sad because I have 7 SD70/75Ms from them that I just love. They run so well and look pretty good too (it helps that 5 are SF Super Fleets. )

[peteski]

Thanks for the writeup!  It is not a Kato (but we shouldn't expect that either). As far as the couplers go, Athearn has been using McHenry N scale couplers exclusively for several years now.  So those are either McHenry (which I'm not a fan of either), or they really went to generic knockoff couplers?

[ryan_wilkerson]

Thanks for a full write up with photos. I should have an MRL unit in a few days and I'll give it a good inspection.

[rrjim1]

I own two sound equipped BN F45, they might not be perfect but for what I paid for them, I'm happy. They run much better than a Kato at real slow scale speeds. If you compare them to the last FP45 (Lima), that I owned there light years ahead!   

[nscaler711]

Thanks for the writeup!  It is not a Kato (but we shouldn't expect that either). As far as the couplers go, Athearn has been using McHenry N scale couplers exclusively for several years now.  So those are either McHenry (which I'm not a fan of either), or they really went to generic knockoff couplers?

Coupler boxes lol. Maybe I didn't specify it or it got deleted from the transfer.
But all I know its best to replace them.
I don't mind the McHenry couplers, I like them I just wish they were 25% smaller... Cause they have a much more realistic profile.
But as for the springs a little CA on the end of the springs keep them in place, so they still work as they would normally.
Oh and thanks for the compliment. (this goes for everyone.) we need a like or thanks button, or maybe a brofist button... Thatd be a new one lol.

[JMaurer1]

It is not a Kato (but we shouldn't expect that either).

YES WE SHOULD! Kato has set the bar, but if someone is going to go the the expense of making a new engine, they can't say 'I didn't know you could do that' when someone else already has done it. Look at what is available and try to produce something at least as good as what is already out. Do it right, it usually doesn't cost much more if at all, or don't bother.

[peteski]

YES WE SHOULD! Kato has set the bar, but if someone is going to go the the expense of making a new engine, they can't say 'I didn't know you could do that' when someone else already has done it. Look at what is available and try to produce something at least as good as what is already out. Do it right, it usually doesn't cost much more if at all, or don't bother.

At this point in my N scale modeling experience I have resigned myself to the fact that unless  a bunch of Kato design engineers and mold makers leave Kato and get hired by another model company, the quality of Kato models will remain unmatched by others.

It is not just design and mold quality - they also seem to use superior quality materials manufacturing techniques.  Even the simplest items like the metal pickup strips seem to be better made by Kato than the others.  The edges of the strips are smoother than other brands and the materials seem to be better.  Kato has others beat in all aspects of making models.  That is not to say that Kato is perfect - they have their share of failures, and some of their models are bit over-engineered or made too delicate. But overall, Kato's track record is IMO excellent.

The Chinese designed and made models just don't compare.  Many are fine models, but just not Katos.  Just like for example Timex and a Patek-Philippe watches - both will reliably keep time, but their manufacturing quality is worlds apart.  Except that in model trains the overall build quality vs. reliability and smooth running is more directly affected by the manufacturing quality.

[jagged ben]

For slightly over $100 I'll mute the sound if the track is too dirty.  Same as DCC without sound. 

[nscaler711]

Guys, just cause I mentioned I was spoiled by Kato, doesn't mean we should turn it into a Kato discussion. :p

As for the sound hiccup I think a better keep alive circuit would work...

[nkalanaga]

"There also doesn't seem to be any sort of sill/ under body details what so ever"

Not modeling Santa Fe, I have a bunch of F45s, and the lack of underframe detail is relatively easy to fix.  It still won't be there, but painting the frame black, or your favorite "dirty frame" color, will make it look less like a zinc casting and more like a part of the loco.

To me, the Santa Fe scheme looks like all it would need is a coat of light gray, to eliminate the metallic finish, and it would blend in with the silver sides, as long as the unit was modeled as freshly painted.  BN and GN definitely need dark colors for the frames, as everything below the sides is black or very dark gray.

[peteski]

"There also doesn't seem to be any sort of sill/ under body details what so ever"

Um, that sounds like a perfect opportunity for some creative modeler to design and 3D-print some add-on sill detail pieces and sell them on Shapeways.

[nscaler711]

For the Paint, I like it silver, its so purty... If I could weather the loco and keep it silvery I would lol. My SD75Ms on the other hand are brand new for what I am doing 94-95 (premerger) so a light dusting on fuel tanks and trucks....
But not light gray, Santa Fe painted these locos more brushed aluminum than light gray so if anything dullcote would work even better.

The sill details I discussed with a member on nSn, my point was that I was confused as to why a model from 2003, 3 of my SD75Ms are first run, all have sill details, but this 2015 model doesn't? It seems a bit asinine and a step backwards if you ask me. I also think that some sill detail could help hide the fact that it looks to ride 6" to high (visually speaking of course, I could go all MRR and measure everything but I'm too lazy, sorry.) Although if I wanted to be a true modeler I could fabricate my own sill, as I have some of the skills, and materials but I'm just too lazy...

[Nato]

       See my review of these locomotives in the previous thread Athearn FP 45's are Shipping. Unfortunately I have only a wireless DC layout to test on, I compaired three new locomotives to one from the previous run several years ago. No I forgot to mention the lack of underframe detail which was in all the review posts several years ago when the first runs were released. (My Bad). Thanks for your review and DCC testing.             Nate Goodman (Nato). Salt Lake, Utah.

[nscaler711]

You're good, this is only my second review on a "new" loco. First was a review on the Bmann Acela, pretty train to look at... Not run lol.
I'll check it out thanks!