I'm a pretty average modeler. Refer to myself as more "typical" than
"prototypical". I got lucky with the Athearn 2-8-2. A friend of my in the
Hobby Shop business (who is a C&O rather than CB&Q modeler) advised me not
to buy the engine when I tried to order a couple from him. He was not aware
of all of the well documented technical problems below, he just thought that
they ran lousy! I have no experience with the Bachmann Spectrum, but Proto
has raised the bar so high with their plastic steam that Athearn is going to
really have to upgrade it's quality to compete. Also in the diesel line.
Proto, InterMountain and Stewart are going to make Atlas, Kato and
especially Athearn have to upgrade their attention to detail and, in
Athearn's case, running quality, in order not to be relegated to "toy train
maker" status by serious modelers. That said, all in all, with the quality
and variety that is currently available, it is a great time to be alive and
a CB&Q modeler, particularly of the diesel era.
Greg Myers
----- Original Message -----
From: "John Lewis" <CBQJohn@m...>
To: "BRHS List" <BRHSlist@yahoogroups.com>
Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 10:18 PM
Subject: Re: [BRHSlist] FW: Genesis CB&Q 2-8-2
> Jim and the list,
>
> I purchased one of these engines from a local hobby shop in San Diego.
The engine leaves a little bit to be desired....
>
> - road pilot, not switcher pilot
> - the aformentioned lettering errors on the cab and tender
> - lack of detail on the front number board (if the B&O engine can be
detailed, why not the Q)
> - An extremley large, unsightly DCC cable/connector shoved into the cab
>
> In all fairness, I emailed Athearn asking them about:
> - the pilot. You can order the switcher pilot for about $5 plus $5.50
shipping/handling
> - the cab numbers & how to remove them. Athearn's response was they had
never been asked the question, so they didn't know how to remove them. I
used Solvaset and very gentle pressure with a pencil eraser. Throw in some
Champ decals, problem solved.
> - As for the DCC cable/connector, you are out of luck if you are an old
timer like me (I don't use DCC and have no desire to do so). Athearn said
if you cut the cable, the engine will not work and your warranty will be
voided. I guess the best you can do is shove the cable into the tender and
hope for the best.
> - You have to put on the handrails and stanchions...the stanchions are cut
from a sprue and look way too large for the handrail. Use an Exacto knife
or small bit to enlarge the mounting holes.
> - The hole for the whistle needs to be enlarged and the mounting tab on
the whistle needs to be filed to fit.
> - The boiler is extremely difficult to remove....I gave up (had hoped to
put the DCC cable in there). The cab will come off, though.
>
> I consider myself a modeler of above average ability. I am by no means a
rivet counter and never will be. I simply feel that when I spend $150
(retail) on a plastic steam engine, I expect a little bit better from the
company.
>
> In summary, I am extremely disappointed with this engine (came numbered
CB&Q 4978.). For what the engine retails for (around $150), there is no way
that it can top, for example, a Bachman Spectrum 2-8-0 or a Proto 2K 0-8-0.
This will be my last purchase of a Genesis engine unless Athearn does an
about face.
>
> Stepping off my soapbox....
>
> John Lewis
>
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: Jim's Junction/ John & Debbie Olson
> Sent: Tuesday, December 18, 2001 7:06 PM
> To: BRHS
> Subject: [BRHSlist] FW: Genesis CB&Q 2-8-2
>
> Here is a copy of an email I just sent to Athearn. I am very
> disappointed- guess nobody at Athearn took the time to check with the BRHS
> as far as accuracy goes on this one! The 'F' units have been a different
> story- I like what I have seen so far. Hope they check for accuracy on the
> forthcoming 'Grayback' F-3's/F-7 for the proper shade of not Gray - not
> White!
>
> John Olson-owner
> Jim's Junction
> Billings, Mt.
> 406-259-5354 Store, Answering machine & Fax machine
> <trains28@a...>
> <http://www.jimsjunction.com>
> Selling quality HO/N Scale items for 15 years- Worldwide shipping
available.
> Member- NRHSA (National Retail Hobby Stores Association)
> Sustaining Member- BRHS (Burlington Route Historical Association)
>
>
>
> ----------
> From: Jim's Junction/ John & Debbie Olson <trains28@a...>
> Date: Tue, 18 Dec 2001 19:51:21 -0700
> To: <athearn@a...>
> Subject: Genesis CB&Q 2-8-2
>
> Dear Athearn,
>
> I just received your latest GENESIS 2-8-2 releases in the store today
and
> I must say...someone needs to do some homework! I have never seen any CB&Q
> steam locomotive with White Lettering and White Herald! Every photo in
every
> book I have in my library shows the 'Q' engines with either Deluxe Gold or
> Bronze lettering and the same on the Herald on the tender. I have a lot of
> CB&Q model railroaders that frequent my store and like most modelers- they
> are picky when it comes to quality locomotives. You have dropped a bomb
with
> this release and I hope I don't get stuck holding the bag when it comes to
> selling them.
>
> John Olson-owner
> Jim's Junction
> Billings, Mt.
> 406-259-5354 Store, Answering machine & Fax machine
> <trains28@a...>
> <http://www.jimsjunction.com>
> Selling quality HO/N Scale items for 15 years- Worldwide shipping
available.
> Member- NRHSA (National Retail Hobby Stores Association)
> Sustaining Member- BRHS (Burlington Route Historical Association)
>
>
>
> .
>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
>
>
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