Model Railroading > SP Athearn FP-7 review anyone?

They have been out a week and I've heard they look good, but fell short on the rear reverse light and antenna conduit on the cab. Anyone see them yet? Train Shop in Santa Clara has them in stock.
 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/30/16 21:17 by dmaffei.

No antenna conduit, no rear light. Otherwise they look great. Ok, I'll leave it to someone else to do a full review. I'm very happy with mine.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/01/16 04:54 by EH49.

So far, so good.   Beautiful profile, details, and customers are liking what they ordered.

Jason Eminian
Smith Brothers Hobby Center

Can't believe it, almost 500 reads and not one SP expert has commented on the model.

Hump! No 6462.

EO

Hey Dave,

Harry and I went down and got ours couple days ago. Dennis went through them quick. Great model's!!

PT

I wanted to buy one but I'm all spent out right now; If there are any left in a month or two, I'll try to treasure hunt one.

SPDRGWfan Wrote:
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> I wanted to buy one but I'm all spent out right
> now; If there are any left in a month or two, I'll
> try to treasure hunt one.

They seem to be disappearing at a rapid rate.  Most of my LHSs have sold out of some of the road numbers already - especially for non-sound.

Cheers,
Harry

tracktime Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> SPDRGWfan Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I wanted to buy one but I'm all spent out right
> > now; If there are any left in a month or two,
> I'll
> > try to treasure hunt one.
>
> They seem to be disappearing at a rapid rate.
>  Most of my LHSs have sold out of some of the
> road numbers already - especially for non-sound.
>
> Cheers,
> Harry

Yes. Bad timing for me when they came out.

Posted from Android

When it rains, it pours.   Athearn was not supposed to send two containers from China in one month, but it happened (first time in several years).   Horizon decided to forward the backorder to retailers without our permission (knowing we'd probably reject it if given a choice), so I got in four months worth of locomotives in June.   Boss not happy.   But, one can never have enough SP, I say.   =)     The F-units look spectacular, like the first run.     Also new are the handsome Genesis SD70M's and Walthers decked out SD9's with working barrel light.

Jason Eminian
Smith Brothers Hobby Center



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/02/16 22:03 by Fizzboy7.

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The F-units go good with the SD9's.   I am slowly being converted to a first generation SP fan with all these releases.

Jason Eminian
Smith Brothers Hobby Center

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EH49 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> No antenna conduit, no rear light. Otherwise they
> look great. Ok, I'll leave it to someone else to
> do a full review. I'm very happy with mine.

How coud Athearn miss such visible details? Or were these details added after the units were repaited gray?

I got the attitude of gratitude. I'll take an SP FP-7 any day of the week. I can remember a time when I thought most SP stuff would never happen. 
Thanks for the replies. 

dmaffei Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I got the attitude of gratitude. I'll take an SP
> FP-7 any day of the week. I can remember a time
> when I thought most SP stuff would never
> happen. 
> Thanks for the replies. 

Where is my "like" button

Agree, there's plenty of great SP models out there right now. I'm not complaining...

Is the horn in the sound equipped units close to the true SP  P-3 horn or M-5/ M-3 sound ?  Thank you.

At least neither item is a hard fix at home.  Details West makes the back up headlight in soft metal.  Drill one hole, inserrt the casting with glue, touch up the paint, insert an MV Products lens and youu are good to go.  It is rare the rear headlight is ever turned on so the dummy light is good for most modelers.  If you want to light it you will need to drill the casting and body for an LED or LED wires and use a clear lens instead of the MV lens.  Then you need to find the rear headlight connection on the decoder board or the blue and yellow wires and connect the   1.5v bulb or LED to these.

The antenna conduit is probably made from .015 brass wire bent to fit the shape of the top of the nose to the roof between the windows then glued in and painted later.

you are right, Athearn should have done these things but of all the things​​ which might go wrong these items are pretty nonmalovent.


​railwaybaron Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> EH49 Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > No antenna conduit, no rear light. Otherwise
> they
> > look great. Ok, I'll leave it to someone else
> to
> > do a full review. I'm very happy with mine.
>
> How coud Athearn miss such visible details? Or
> were these details added after the units were
> repaited gray?