Model Railroading > Genesis GP9 and KA4 install.

Genesis GP9 and a KA4 install.

I finally had a little time to address my problem of poor electrical continuity in my Athearn Genesis GP9 factory sound equipped fleet.

The TCS KA4 fits nicely but tightly above the units front truck when the top most weight is removed. You will have to remove the front truck pickup leads and re-attach them as they are run through the top weight. The KA4 needs to be up close to the cab in order to allow the front headlight wiring to breathe without pulling the bulbs out of the shell. A touch of canopy glue helps here.

I also tried the Tsunami current keeper but it just was to long.

No doubt there are better methods, but this worked well and was a fairly inexpensive fix.

The third photo is another GP9 that I replaced the original Tsunami with a Econami a KA4 and a Iphone 4S speaker. That will be another thread as I forgot the redtag this unit for drive train issues and I need to repair that problem first...



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/09/19 17:19 by ChrisCampi.

---

---

---

For what its worth, the new KA2 is half the size of the KA4.   Very happy to see them getting smaller..

sixaxlecentury Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> For what its worth, the new KA2 is half the size
> of the KA4.   Very happy to see them getting
> smaller..

You know, I just saw an ad in MRH I believe, that had the KA2 dimensions shown has the same hieght as the KA4 which I thought was a typo. I will definitely be checking them out.

Glad to see this thread--looking forward to hearing about the drivetrain issues. Did you solve the electical?
I was looking online for a GP9, for a possible project, to compliment my FEC caboose build and was wondering if I should go with an Athearn Genesis or P2K.

Posted from Android

I do not undestand why current keepers are not standard equipment on ALL decoders?  The parts involved are inexpensive....just add the things as a matter of course....

Bob

navarch2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I do not undestand why current keepers are not
> standard equipment on ALL decoders?  The parts
> involved are inexpensive....just add the things as
> a matter of course....
>
> Bob

I would prefer they were standard but when you have to add them separate from the decoder it's extra work and nearly doubles to cost of adding DCC. 

For example the EUS LokPilot decoder for my ScaleTrains tunnel motors are $26 yet the ESU Power Packs are around $40-$55 each.  That almost triples the cost.  I am thankful that the sound equipped ST SD40T-2 comes with the power packs but to add them separately is pricey, very pricey you have a fleet of over 100 engines to convert.

Cheer, Jim

Thats one major downfall for ESU - They need to rethink the powerpack pricing, and get more in line with what the others are charging.   TCS keep alives are only 22$... 

One big problem is if the locomotive(s) derails the train keeps moving. That never seems to be a good deal. Clean your track and power your frogs.

The new KA2 is about 2.5mm shorter and about 2mm longer then the KA4.  It also has about a third of the capacity of the KA4. Interesting to me is the KA4 on the original Tsunami gives me about seven seconds of power compared to the Econami which the KA4 will deliver about nearly twenty seconds of power. The new Tsunami ‘s appear to be much more efficient the the older units.

Hook, yes the unit runs very well now. I imagine a new Genesis GP9 with the Tsunami 2 and leds is much better performer then my original run units that are what, about ten years old now? The PK2 I believe will have an ESU decoder. So you have a choice depending on your preference.

I use my GP9’s for switching and I like the Tsunamis for this. I like how the speed tables set up, with braking and the short horn it’s very satisfying for me. I’m usually in the speed step 1 to 3 range in the yard and just out of transition on the main.

Alan, when your tracks clean and you have frog juicers on all your frogs and still have issues, a keep alive is a great option. 

I think we will see more and more factory units come with keep alives. It’s a no brainer and so much easier to engineer into a unit at the factory level like ScaleTrains is doing with the keep alives built into the lighting board. I don’t really need them in a six axle unit but would gladly pay a bit more to have them in a four axle unit or steam.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/19 19:48 by ChrisCampi.

Chris,

The problem I have noticed is when the length of travel after a power interruption is in the 2-3 units long range. Now the problem is with sound decoders which won't load until the locomotive start sequence is complete. If power is interrupted the sound goes out and power to the motor is cut off until the start sequence is completed and any acceleration programming is back in effect. I do need to get into the manuals to see how to override such programs and adjust the CVs accordingly. I think the Tsunami2 decoders have capacitors which only keep the sound and control in the decoder alive and let installed flywheels momentum keep the motor armature turning. Again, I ned to read those technical documents.

Alan



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/11/19 19:08 by fbe.

Man, I'm glad you can do that kind of work.
I got dizzy just lookin gat the pictures !!!

 

I added a KA4 to a GP7u by changing the factory speaker to a suger cube spaaker and placing the KA4 next to it.
 

Michael Mosher
Millville, NJ

---

mmosher Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I added a KA4 to a GP7u by changing the factory
> speaker to a suger cube spaaker and placing the
> KA4 next to it.
>  

Thats great! It actually occurred to me but I didnt have a suger cube. Glad to see it can be done and what I like about your method is that it retains the factory weights.

CliftonRailMuseum Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Man, I'm glad you can do that kind of work.
> I got dizzy just lookin gat the pictures !!!
>
>  


You got dozzy because you've become used to working through mirrors, lol. Good good woth that switch point.