# Athearn Genesis @!%[email protected]$%!#$



## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

You would think for the god awful money they charge it would be impressive.

Long story short I picked up a DDA40X a couple months ago and everything has been great.

Took it to the club a week or so ago and it was dead as a door nail. Tried it again this morning with some help and it came up as "no decoder" when attempting to get it to do anything at all.

So tonight I got some time and started working on it slowly.

Seriously, why the #@[email protected]#%@!# can't the losers at Athearn give u a simple plug in connection for the lighting?

Does there China crap assembly have to strip screws in place? One would not come out period............Three screw drivers later and looking at those "phillips" screws, they are screaming knock off Japanese industrial standard to me.....

The even better topper for it all is that every wire under the shell is black or red...........

Big @#[email protected]% You Athearn!!!!!!

Seriously making me reconsider buying anything else that they have made recently and I am a Union Pacific guy.

It's sitting there with the shell detached from the body with the wiring still connected. I think if I touch it any more tonight I will take the drive to Compton to throw it threw someones office window...........


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## Genetk44 (Feb 26, 2016)

Take some pics and post them.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Doesn't bode well for the GP-40 I want.


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## tkruger (Jan 18, 2009)

I was a huge fan of Athearn in the pre Horizon Hobby days. Since then I have found they look great and sound good but are fragile and hard to work on if their is an issue. Also their customer service is not the best. I have a Genesis Alco and the handrails come loose every time it is handled. The McHenry couplers just do not hold up over time. The decoder was replaced with an NCE $15 unit that has far better motor control. I have a Genesis Challenger that to date has been great but the volume control requires taking a hatch off the tender and turning a dial with a screw driver, why not allow this to be done with a CV like every other unit?

I used to never buy Walthers but have since bought a few Proto 1000 and 2000 locomotives and been nothing but happy. Simple to work on and no reliability issues. The 1000 have less detail but there is no fear of breaking them when handling them. I have a pair of Walthers Mainline and they pull great but lack detail. 

As far as cars go I looked at the RTR series and I have built many of them from Blue Box kits. The main difference I see it they added metal wheels and the crappy McHenry couplers.

Unless the price is real good I have lost my interest in most of what Athearn makes.

Sorry, yes I am venting, used to be a big supporter of Athearn products but have been turned off from them by changes since they were bought out.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

It's worth noting that both Athearn and McHenry are part of the Horizon Hobbies family. You don't really expect them to buy and install someone else's couplers, do you?


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## SBRacing (Mar 11, 2015)

Huff well I recently bought and Athearn SD 40-2 and yet convert it to DCC. Only been run a hand full of times due to an incomplete layout. Wahoo problems here I come.


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## Guest (Apr 15, 2016)

3.8TransAM said:


> You would think for the god awful money they charge it would be impressive.
> 
> Long story short I picked up a DDA40X a couple months ago and everything has been great.
> 
> ...


TA:

Is this your DDA40X:

http://www.athearn.com/Products/Default.aspx?ProdID=ATHG69553

According to the specs, it has a Soundtrax tsunami. 

Before you allow the locomotive to suffer deceleration trauma, lets try the simple stuff first. 

If you put it on the programming track, unless you have a booster on it, the sound decoders typically cannot be programmed. With that said, I've had success in reprogramming MRC decoders in Athearn Genesis F units, even though it couldn't read the CVs. 

Start simple. Go to the Soundtrax site, and download the tech manual. 

Here is the CV listing:

http://www.soundtraxx.com/factory/OEM_pages/athearn/ath_dda40x_ho.pdf

This guide tells you how to reset the decoder to factory settings. 

http://www.athearn.com/Content/PDF/SoundTraxx Quick Start Guide.pdf

I'd try the reset first, you may get lucky. You may be able to do that by programming on the main. 

Regards,
GNNPNUT


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

Im with you on the Athearn Genesis hate band wagon. I have an Athearn Genesis F7A-B powered and sound and the B unit is a little faster than the A unit and the sounds is always "off" because of how the units are paired. Not a huge fan of that. Considering they are a combo pack and for the life of me cant understand why Athearn wouldnt factory match the speeds and allowing the ability to turn off the B units sound. But not many companies making F7A-B units with Sound and DCC.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

HOTrainNut said:


> Im with you on the Athearn Genesis hate band wagon. I have an Athearn Genesis F7A-B powered and sound and the B unit is a little faster than the A unit and the sounds is always "off" because of how the units are paired. Not a huge fan of that. Considering they are a combo pack and for the life of me cant understand why Athearn wouldnt factory match the speeds and allowing the ability to turn off the B units sound. But not many companies making F7A-B units with Sound and DCC.


They probably don't factory match the speeds because everyone's layout is going to be a little different, with different numbers of locos operating, different DCC systems, different numbers of feeders, etc.

Better that you should tweak the performance of the locos after you get them. That's what CV's are for.


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

CTValleyRR said:


> They probably don't factory match the speeds because everyone's layout is going to be a little different, with different numbers of locos operating, different DCC systems, different numbers of feeders, etc.
> 
> Better that you should tweak the performance of the locos after you get them. That's what CV's are for.


Not much tweaking going to happen with these units. But what im saying is, these 2 locos A-B units came in the same box. So therefore would be considered the same unit and should work as one. Shouldnt need to spend hours attempting to tweak something that may never be right.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2016)

TA:

Here is the NMRA standard pin configuration. This may or may not match you locomotive, but at least you can check some voltages to verify wiring. 

http://img.xooimage.com/files98/0/a/b/nem652_nmra_8-pin_wiring-3f7b872.jpeg

Regards, 
GNNPNUT


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

gnnpnut said:


> TA:
> http://www.
> According to the specs,...m/factory/OEM_pages/athearn/ath_dda40x_ho.pdf
> 
> ...


Don't forget the Athearn units dont have the Tsunami stand alone product. Its a cut down version so wont have all the features or capabilities. You'd do better on the Athearn site for a guide to the decoder settings.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

HOTrainNut said:


> Not much tweaking going to happen with these units. But what im saying is, these 2 locos A-B units came in the same box. So therefore would be considered the same unit and should work as one. Shouldnt need to spend hours attempting to tweak something that may never be right.


I get it. Not interested in anyone explaining why it is neither cost effective nor really even possible for Athearn to speed match the units from the factory. Just want to complain. OK. Movin' on.


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## Joefrumjersey (Apr 16, 2013)

That's why I always buy the DC unit(s). I install the decoder / sound decoder of my choice, and program the units. No reliance on a factory setup.


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## Guest (Apr 16, 2016)

Cycleops said:


> Don't forget the Athearn units dont have the Tsunami stand alone product. Its a cut down version so wont have all the features or capabilities. You'd do better on the Athearn site for a guide to the decoder settings.


Cycleops:

If you click on the two links, you will see that the links both are for the factory installed Tsunami.

GNNPNUT


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## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

I have the instruction manual and it has the cv settings.

I also just got my zephyr and pr3xtra in as well.

Won't get any play time really for a bit, next night off is the 27th......


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

This bites!
The Genesis GP-40-2 in Cotton Belt motif I want is finally in at Modeltrainstuff. Been on the 'notify' list for months.


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

CTValleyRR said:


> I get it. Not interested in anyone explaining why it is neither cost effective nor really even possible for Athearn to speed match the units from the factory. Just want to complain. OK. Movin' on.


No I get it. But BLI for the same price run from factory the same with almost no tweaking. Athearns Genesis series is suppose to be a cut above the rest of their product lines and in some facets it is, in others not so much. Ive been trying to adjust these 2 locos for weeks now to speed match and it seems to get worse. I know im not a dolt and speed matching shouldnt be a career path when it comes to model railroading. So if you think im not into why its not cost effective? When youre paying almost $500 it shouldnt need any tweaking to run as it should. and as Athearn says on their boxes, AS CLOSE TO REAL AS IT GETS.


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## mikek (Dec 29, 2013)

HOTrainNut, if this is an A-B set, can you switch shells, or if not, switch motors?


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

mikek said:


> HOTrainNut, if this is an A-B set, can you switch shells, or if not, switch motors?


The A unit is slightly different underneath. The A unit has headlight wired to the board and also has the interior installed into the diecast frame. I couldnt definitely try to swap them over and see what happens.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

gnnpnut said:


> Cycleops:
> 
> If you click on the two links, you will see that the links both are for the factory installed Tsunami.
> 
> GNNPNUT


OK, sorry, didn't follow the links, just saw Soundtraxx. Thank you for pointing that out.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Just heard that Soundtraxx has discontinued the Tsunami line.


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

Im considering when I get a little extra cash converting all my DC and DCC locos to Lok Sound. Not really anything better in the HO market. I know my BLI EMD SD7 already has Lok Sound and it sounds downright authentic and amazing.


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## Cycleops (Dec 6, 2014)

The original Tsunami has been discontinued and there is now an Econami with a price drop, but still feature rich. I suspect they have been hit by newer cheaper alternatives and responded accordingly. I'll be interested to sample the new offering.


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

As far as I'm concerned, Econami is disappointing.
They dropped the Cummins diesel prime mover sound.
Bummer.


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## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

I got my Zephyr in and it works, need to set the PR3 up and get the damned loconet cable.

When I get a day off again I can pokke around now and see if I can find something.

Visually everything is ok and went thru all the connection.


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

3.8TransAM said:


> I got my Zephyr in and it works, need to set the PR3 up and get the damned loconet cable.
> 
> When I get a day off again I can pokke around now and see if I can find something.
> 
> Visually everything is ok and went thru all the connection.


Yay, im glad it finally works for you. Yet im still having the problem with mine. I might just have to set it up differently.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

LateStarter said:


> As far as I'm concerned, Econami is disappointing.
> They dropped the Cummins diesel prime mover sound.
> Bummer.


However, I talked to the man in person at the Calgary Train Show this past weekend, and there is an announcement coming about that....stay tuned......


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## LateStarter (Mar 12, 2016)

Well that's good news.
I just hope it's available before my Sound conversion is finished at TrainTek.


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## 3.8TransAM (Jan 13, 2016)

Poking around, nothing is out of place, its still dead.

Going to try and do a reset and/or get my cables in for the PR3 for further testing.

No days off until next wedns/thurs.......


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