Model Railroading > Athearn: where is your FP7's and 9's?

I haven't been on here for a long time after a move across the country and all the hassles associated with it. Might as well jump in here full bore and see where the thread will take us.

I just want to know if anyone who went to the NTS asked them about the Highliner FP? That Turbine sure came out of the blue for me. I smell a U50B coming in a few years.

Rick

Is it just a coincidence or do they seem to be heavily leaning toward UP? <G>


rschonfelder Wrote:
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I smell a U50B
> coming in a few years.

Wasn't somebody (Con-Cor, Lionel???) planning a plastic UP turbine a few years ago? I wonder if that is the Athearn unit.

I can assure you that the Athearn turbine is all-new tooling developed by them and not someone else's project.

Keith Turley

The Original Whistle Stop
Pasadena, California

wlankenau Wrote:
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> Wasn't somebody (Con-Cor, Lionel???) planning a
> plastic UP turbine a few years ago? I wonder if
> that is the Athearn unit.

Lionel did one a few years ago. I believe it had sound but it had lots of teething problems. I believe it also only picked up power from one set of trucks.

AJ

The Lionel version was a Veranda... #'s 61-75.

Back to the original question. Is Athearn even thinking about FP7's or 9's as that is big on my wish list?

Charlie

If you're looking for the FP7 and FP9 why not look at what InterMountain offers? They are just as nice if not better than Athearn anyway. At least the QSI sound system works and sounds better than that awful MRC crud that Athearn uses.

http://www.imrcmodels.com/

Rio Grande Fan
Denver, CO

cbtrain Wrote:
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> Back to the original question. Is Athearn even
> thinking about FP7's or 9's as that is big on my
> wish list?
>
> Charlie


Rumors in respected places but no response from Athearn, that I know of. I'm very happy with the Genesis F-unit nose and would like to buy more. The I-Mtns missed the angle of the windshield and where the windshield and sheet metal would be curving into the sides, the windshield itself is tough to do, and I have my preference. Can't all be perfect but I've lined up with the Highliner/Genesis products. Just wish they'd get more product to market

TCnR Wrote:
> Rumors in respected places but no response from
> Athearn, that I know of. I'm very happy with the
> Genesis F-unit nose and would like to buy more.
> The I-Mtns missed the angle of the windshield and
> where the windshield and sheet metal would be
> curving into the sides, the windshield itself is
> tough to do, and I have my preference. Can't all
> be perfect but I've lined up with the
> Highliner/Genesis products. Just wish they'd get
> more product to market


I agree fully which is why I want Athearn to release it. Highliner seems to advertise FP7 parts in the Walthers catalogue, ... but then again, maybe it is "coming soon to a store near you!". At least that was what the advert in RMC said in reference to the A unit for around "69" years.

With reference to the IM FP body, they are a distant third IMHO to the Genesis and then the Walthers F unit. Don't care about sound, only looks. (I am still talking about F unit's; not women even though there is a strong parallel there)

Rick

Rick

Atlas also produced FP-7s. I have one in Soo Line colors. Perhaps you can pick one up at a train show, which is where I found mine.

How they compare with the Intermountain units, I cannot say.

Dave

RuleG Wrote:
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> Atlas also produced FP-7s. I have one in Soo Line
> colors. Perhaps you can pick one up at a train
> show, which is where I found mine.
>
> How they compare with the Intermountain units, I
> cannot say.
>
> Dave


I can. They are distant well behind the IM version. This model was done originally in the 70ies.

Rick

Yep, detail is a bit clumsy, nice Roco drive though. Was considering going with the Kaslo shell, maybe by the time I'm finished with that project the Athearn version would arrive.


> > colors. Perhaps you can pick one up at a train
> > show, which is where I found mine.
> >
> > How they compare with the Intermountain units,
> I
> > cannot say.
> >
> > Dave
>
>
> I can. They are distant well behind the IM
> version. This model was done originally in the
> 70ies.
>
> Rick

Athearn: Where are your Genesis E Units?

I'm patiently waiting for The FPs and the Es.

Lots of truth here. Granted, Genesis bodies are top notch. If you are someone that wants pre-installed sound that WORKS and can be properly configured, give serious consideration to the QSI pre-installed in the Intermountain F units.


RioGrandeFan Wrote:
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> If you're looking for the FP7 and FP9 why not look
> at what InterMountain offers? They are just as
> nice if not better than Athearn anyway. At least
> the QSI sound system works and sounds better than
> that awful MRC crud that Athearn uses.
>
> http://www.imrcmodels.com/
>
> Rio Grande Fan
> Denver, CO