Model Railroading > Athearn Genesis (New) Replacement Parts Impossible?

I was just doing some random searches. I grew up with Athearn wherein any part on one could be ordered if it failed, whether a wheelset, a gear, the motor itself...just whatever from the rail up. But I gather that now, you buy an Athearn Genesis???...and once you wear it out and/or if something breaks inside or out...then you are S-O-L??? Am I correct in this assumption based on what I've gleaned from a spot-check on here? This isn't the "the Athearn of old" if so, and very sad!!! (Even a KATO Amtrak F40PH limited run that I bought for display purposes in my lit Curio Cabinet...every part was numbered and the replacement part seemed to be available?).

Could somebody help me--and all of us--on this? The maintainablity of Athearn locomotives? And others? Rank the manufactures, please? Who actually backs up their products with REPLACEMENT PARTS? So that these things can be maintained over time?

Also, perhaps, what ARE the most "maintainable" HO-Scale diesel & steam locomotives? That one can get replacement parts for years after ordering one? Or is the ability to "maintain" a locomotive a thing of the past and have we now entered an era of "Throwaway HO-Scale Locomotives?" Too bad if so for the active running locos.

I guess that I'm glad that I'm just a "Shadow Box" or "Stuffed & Mounted" collector now. And the fact--if true--that these expensive new machines are not "maintainable" for those who actually RUN THEM, well, I guess that would keep me out of ever becoming a "runner" ever again. This from a retired 1:1 Scale Class One locomotive engineer and manager in the industry. (Very sad to see this come to pass, and it doesn't bode well for the younger generations in the hobby--if there even ARE ANY?!?)...one thing in past years long ago that I was literally paranoid about and INSISTED upon was the "maintainabilty" of my rolling stock. So perhaps I'm asking this more for others than for myself, or, to the extent that I'm asking it for myself...to the extent that I'd every enter the hobby ever again as an actual OPERATOR of these products!

I just had to order parts from Athearn for a NYC Heritage SD70Ace. I damaged the cab roof doing an LED installation, and am trying to obtain the NS style with the PTC "cylinder" and Sinclair antennas. No luck. They only have the GPS dome roofs, and those are unpainted. I was told by the Athearn parts department that painted replacements are only available from damaged/returned product. He couldn't tell me when they would have more of the roofs I wanted, but I know they are getting ready to run the SD70ACe painted in NS later this year, so I'll try again when that is released.

I agree with your post about parts availability. It's becoming a lot like the brass model industry, in that spare parts are very difficult to obtain or may take a long time depending on the importer. I'm almost happier with my OMI locomotives, because they are more durable when handling, and I'm much better at fixing parts on them versus the newer highly detailed plastic models. I've had pretty good luck with Atlas when trying to get spare parts for a B40-8W, a fairly old model for them.

Sean McCaffery

I think the big issue is the manufacturing is off shore in China. When a parts order comes in they can't send someone out to the factory floor and pick up a new part from a bin full of overrun pieces. The Chinese contract for a specified number of completed models and don't want to be bothered with shipping pieces and parts. Athearn saves capital by not ordering parts and cataloging and storing them.

Blame it on China, blame it on Athearn but it ends up being frustrating for the customers.

Posted from Windows Phone OS 7

I just stick with Atlas, even though the selection is much much more limited.
I wish there was an easy way to put Athearn Genesis locomtive body's on Atlas trucks and motor assemblies.
Then I would have lots of great detail, with smooth running DCC.
Sorry to hear your frustrations, but its a complicated hobby requiring lots of patience.

If I recall, Intermountain takes a damaged model that's been exchanged and places it on a shelf. When a parts request comes in, they rob the damaged model and so on...

bigmc83 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I just had to order parts from Athearn for a NYC
> Heritage SD70Ace. I damaged the cab roof doing an
> LED installation, and am trying to obtain the NS
> style with the PTC "cylinder" and Sinclair
> antennas. No luck. They only have the GPS dome
> roofs, and those are unpainted. I was told by the
> Athearn parts department that painted replacements
> are only available from damaged/returned product.
> He couldn't tell me when they would have more of
> the roofs I wanted, but I know they are getting
> ready to run the SD70ACe painted in NS later this
> year, so I'll try again when that is released.
>
> I agree with your post about parts availability.
> It's becoming a lot like the brass model industry,
> in that spare parts are very difficult to obtain
> or may take a long time depending on the importer.
> I'm almost happier with my OMI locomotives,
> because they are more durable when handling, and
> I'm much better at fixing parts on them versus the
> newer highly detailed plastic models. I've had
> pretty good luck with Atlas when trying to get
> spare parts for a B40-8W, a fairly old model for
> them.
>
> Sean McCaffery


Even during the Athearn blue box era, you would not have gotten a painted part.

Too bad about the experiences with external damaged parts. I guess I'm talking more about the internal parts (gears, shafts, wheelsets, motors) that keep them running. Oh well--guess I'll remain a "Curio Cabinet" modeler in the current environment. They don't get much wear and tear in a sealed, lit-up curio cabinet. Sigh... Though I'm not sure one could call this "Model Railroading."

Send Athearn an email with the part number your after. I have no issues ordering parts direct from them and they even has a set of NS painted RTR SD60 handrails in stock when the website listed they didn't have any. I needed these to replace parts damaged on one I bought second hand.

Justin

I have to agree with Justin. Send them an e-mail and be patient. They will respond with prices and availability. Then call and place an order and they will call back and confirm. I have ordered SD-70Ace parts in the past undecorated and painted no problem.

I have had very good experiences with the Athearn Parts Dept. for Genesis and RTR parts. I had a Genesis F-unit take a dive off the layout and actually bent an axle on the rear truck. I e-mailed them and they sent me a new truck. I broke the horn off a Genesis WP geep and lost it, they sent me a new one. I had a bad circuit board on a SW1500, got a new one with the request to send the bad one so they could check it.

I am not an Athearn cheerleader, as I still believe that Atlas and Kato are superior in the design of their drives/chassis, but I can't complain about their customer service.

Mike