Model Railroading > Athearn SP SD40M-2

So Roger at the Hobby Stop called last week to let me know my latest goodie had arrived.  I stopped to pick it up Saturday on the way home from a Scout snow camping trip with my oldest son, but didn't get a chance to try it out until tonight.  Of course my wife's comment today was "why buy it if you aren't going to use it".  That was encouragement enough to head downstairs after the kids went to bed.  The model looks great, the details are really, really well done.  I have an Athearn Genesis MP15AC (SP) and a SD75M (ATSF) and this looks as good if not better.  I think it's the see through fans and the other roof details that make it stand out compared to the MP15AC, the SD75M is in a box and it's been a while since I've pulled it out.  Anyhow, looks great and after some struggles I finally got it running and moves along very smoothly and with the weight it should pull a good size train.

Only quibbles, minor complaints.  One, it looks like the side cab windows on both sides fell forward or out of alignment.  Hopefully it's an easy fix, but for the price and all the packaging you'd think everything would be in place.  Two, the sound is really loud and I can't seem to change the CVs.  So that leads me to a question about programming a Tsunami with a Digitrax Zephyr (DCS50).  Do I need the PTB-100 or something else to help me programming this sucker?  I don't remember having a problem with my MP15AC which also has a Tsunami.  I had to even go to "Blast Mode" to program the decoder address, but that's the only thing I was able to program.  I don't think I did anything other than change the address for the MP15AC and the sound is quieter, which is what I would prefer with multiple sound units on my little layout.  Any recomendations or tips on how to read and program the CVs would be greatly appreciated.  Thanks.

Couple of pics of the beast, I remember seeing one of these in Provo, UT while I was in college and loved the extra tail behind the flair, really made the unit stand out.  I think I might have even snapped a photo, will have to see if I can dig it up.

Nathan

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Are you trying to change CVs on the main line or on an isolated programming track?

The windows can be placed where you want them and then tack them down with a spot of clear glue.

Posted from iPhone

fbe Wrote:
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> Are you trying to change CVs on the main line or
> on an isolated programming track?
>
> Posted from iPhone

I used an isolated track with the track power hooked up and used the Blast Mode programming setup that I found on the Digitrax site. I was able to change the address, but that was it.

Nathan

Digitrax usually needs a booster on the program track to program sound units. You can try programming on the mainline by removing all other loocmotives from the layout.

Ted Curphey
Ontario, OR

This may be a stupid question but since I have yet to see one, do the ditch lights function? The Athearn site does not mention that.

Thanks

The club I'm a part of has always used "Ops Mode" for programming Tsunamis (which are Soundtraxx, not Digitrax, btw) with no issues, even on the Zephyr controller. I don't know if any of us have tried with "Blast Mode" yet.

Brody Wyrick
Reno, NV

...Sad, but mine arrived too with the cab sunshades pretty much flat and horizontal, instead of angled down (mine is actually worse than the model pictured above.)  Can anyone knowledgeable tell me and others if this is an easy fix.  I'm afraid I'm going to break them off if I try to remove them so that I can angle them correctly.  If I do break them, this will undoubtedly be a problem for the life of the model, because the mount will most likely be compromised.  I'm really surprised that these passed Athearn Q.C.  Sheesh...

Cheers!  Mark

SD40T-2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ...Sad, but mine arrived too with the cab
> sunshades pretty much flat and horizontal, instead
> of angled down (mine is actually worse than the
> model pictured above.)  Can anyone knowledgeable
> tell me and others if this is an easy fix.  I'm
> afraid I'm going to break them off if I try to
> remove them so that I can angle them
> correctly.  If I do break them, this will
> undoubtedly be a problem for the life of the
> model, because the mount will most likely be
> compromised.  I'm really surprised that these
> passed Athearn Q.C.  Sheesh...
>
> Cheers!  Mark

The "problem" isn't one.  The sunshades are etched brass.  Have been for years.  Gently bend them to the desired angle.  They're designed to be adjustable, much like the prototype, but within reason; they're made to be adjusted a bit, but much like bending the tab on a soda can back and forth repeatedly, they can eventually snap off if done too much.  But either way, adjustable brass sunshades have been around for close to a couple of decades; A-Line and Details West, to name a couple, have had them in their product lines for years.

If the model is DCC Ready the ditch lights are wired to the front headlight connections. They will come on with the headlights.

On a sound equipped loco there may be different connections for ditchlight operations but I have not purchased any sound equipped RTR Athearns yet to have any experience with that.

Posted from iPhone

Chad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This may be a stupid question but since I have yet
> to see one, do the ditch lights function? The
> Athearn site does not mention that.
>
> Thanks

Yes.

> The "problem" isn't one.  The sunshades are
> etched brass.  Have been for years.  Gently bend
> them to the desired angle.  They're designed to
> be adjustable, much like the prototype, but within
> reason; they're made to be adjusted a bit, but
> much like bending the tab on a soda can back and
> forth repeatedly, they can eventually snap off if
> done too much.  But either way, adjustable brass
> sunshades have been around for close to a couple
> of decades; A-Line and Details West, to name a
> couple, have had them in their product lines for
> years.

Thanks SP_8299, I'll give it a try.  I have done this with brass horns, that sometimes get bent during shipping, and so far I have not broken one.

Cheers,  Mark

Chad Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This may be a stupid question but since I have yet
> to see one, do the ditch lights function? The
> Athearn site does not mention that.
>
> Thanks

Yes, they turned on with function key 5, and you can program them to flash when the horn sounds.

Will try ops mode programming again and see how it goes. Thanks for all the replies.

Nathan

Posted from iPhone