Athearn N Scale F45 With Dcc and Sound Review
Athearn (Prc) EMD F45 / FP45
FP45 -
Introduced: 2008
Although these models are non identical (the FP45 beingness somewhat longer than the F45), they came out at the aforementioned time and share the same basic pattern. Then, in order to save a bit of time, I'm going to cover them both hither.
These are very impressive locomotives, and certainly right up there with the Atlases and Katos of the globe. Pigment and detailing are superb, every bit is operation. Interestingly plenty, the F45 comes with a rotary buoy on the cab - a neat fiddling detail that I wish was included more oftentimes on diesel models. Unfortunately, it is non-functional. Similar Athearn's before SDXX diesels, these models take actual cab interior particular.
DCC/Audio FP45 -
All of the modernistic mechanical niceties are here - split-frame / all-metal DCC-Ready chassis, dual flywheels, low-friction bulldoze, bi-directional LED lighting, all-wheel pickup and drive (no traction tires), all-plastic gearing, blackened / low-contour wheels, etc.
The couplers are really mounted to the chassis and not the shell (making beat removal a chip more difficult than it needs to be). The couplers themselves are McHenry "knuckle spring" couplers (making these the first N calibration locomotives so equipped). I'g not a large "operations" guy, and so I can't really render whatsoever worthwhile opinions (one fashion or the other) equally to their functionality. For what information technology'due south worth, I pulled a train around for a couple of hours with my F45 and the couplers didn't fall apart, de-couple or otherwise screw upwards.
Performance-wise, these models are superb - smoothen, quiet and responsive at all throttle levels. Wearisome speed pitter-patter is first-class, and pulling power is impressive. But be sure to run yours around in circles for a good xv-20 minutes before deciding information technology has problems - it takes about that long to vesture the mill bicycle-blackening "grime" off the wheels (said crud making for all sorts of pickup bug out of the box). In a similar vein, be certain to cheque for excessive lubrication within the trucks if you take one that'southward misbehaving. These models are notoriously over-lubricated at the mill (with said lube interfering with pickup past fouling the wheels and everything else).
DCC/Sound versions of these models were released in 2009. The Tsunami sound decoders included therein are quite impressive, providing robust sound and all sorts of fun bells and whistles (literally).
My only gripe with these models is with the "undecorated" versions. Unlike virtually manufacturers, Athearn'southward undecorated diesel models arrive with completely disassembled shells - IE, basically in "kit" course. Unfortunately, Athearn does not include any sort of documentation (parts diagram, or whatever) showing what goes where. No, figuring information technology all out doesn't require a degree in rocket surgery, merely the lack of docs is a bit of annoyance. More annoying are the plethora of microscopic plastic window inserts that come with these models (all of which presumably need to be glued in place). Didn't we movement on to "window insert assemblies" a style long time agone in Due north scale? Lastly, I was virtually irritated to find all of the plastic handrail assemblies jammed into a tiny little cubby in the box, basically bent out of all recognition. Suffice it to say, getting them installed was not fun! So, prissy models for the RTR oversupply. Merely if you lot're a re-painter, gird your loins for some extra work.
Prototype information -
Past the early 1960'due south the Electro-Motive Division (EMD) was at a big disadvantage. Their 567 engine, in use for over 20 years, had reached information technology's peak at 2.500 horsepower in a turbocharged 16-cylinder version. EMD released a new 645 engine in 1966. The most powerful locomotive using this serial of engine was the SD45, powered past a xx-cylinder turbocharged 645E engine producing 3600 horsepower. Orders from railroads all over the land, especially western roads, poured in. Peachy Northern received the offset one off the production line and Santa Atomic number 26 took delivery of a 90-unit gild the first year.
At the same time Santa Fe was looking to supersede information technology's aging armada of passenger locomotives. They wanted something more fashionable than a freight hood unit of measurement with a steam generator for thier famous Super Principal train. EMD had already extended the SD45 frame and added a steam generator to the rear creating the SDP45. They responded to Santa Iron's request by adding a cowl body to the SDP45 thus creating the FP45.
Santa Iron took delivery of the first 9 FP45's in Dec of 1967. Numbered 100-108, they were painted in the carmine and silver warbonnet rider scheme with black Roman-style Santa Iron lettering on the sides. The cowl offered a cleaner engine compartment and internal walkways, both of which would lead to production of the F45, a regular SD45 with the cowl. Santa Fe acquired forty F45's in 1968, numbered 1900-1939 and delivered in the blue and xanthous 'pinstripe' scheme. The 2nd twenty were equipped with steam lines for apply on passenger trains. When Amtrak took over passenger service the FP45's went into the freight pool, receiving blue and xanthous paint. The pinstripe paint scheme gave way to the blue and yellow warbonnet scheme by 1980. In the early 80's all 40 FP45's and 8 F45's were rebuilt at the San Bernadino shops. During the failed merger with Southern Pacific seven FP45'southward and twenty F45'south received red and yellow 'Kodachrome' pigment. On July 4th, 1989, FP45's 5992 and 5998 were released from the San Bernadino shops equally numbers 101 and 102 in the newly revived ruby and silverish 'Super Fleet' scheme with a large Santa Fe on the sides. Two F45's were wrecked and scrapped and one was sold to Wisconsin Primal while the remaining vi were donated to various railroad museums. Six F45'south were sold to Wisconsin Central and the remaining units went to Morrison-Knudsen as lease units with i being assigned and painted for Utah Railway.
Milwaukee Road was the other railroad that bought FP45'south. Arriving in late 1968 for Hiawatha passenger service, they wore the UP yellow and gray scheme and were numbered i-5. They differed from other F45's and FP45's as they did non have dynamic brakes installed. Fifty-fifty before Amtrak arrived these locomotives were re-assigned to freigt service between Chicago and the Twin Cities.
Great Northern acquired fourteen F45'due south, numbered 427-440 and painted in the Big Sky Blue scheme, in 1969. The internal walkways were of import to the GN given the winter weather on the line between the Twin Cities and Seattle. Crews no longer had to worry virtually ice and snow covered walkways like on their hood units. GN planned to run all of their master line freights with a F45 on the point. GN ordered an boosted 12 units, which were delivered every bit Burlington Northern 6614-6625 in 1970. BN connected the F45 purchase in 1971 with 20 additional units numbered 6626-6645. The 46 F45's were regular ability on the Chicago to West Declension trains over the former GN lines. Three of the original GN units were leased to Utah Railway for 5 years later beingness retired by BN. Ii other units were sold to Susquehanna and iii went starting time to Trancisco, and so to Wisconsin and Southern, and finally to Montana Rail Link. 1 of the two Susquehanna units was re-sold to MRL in 1993.
Model Features -
- All new tooling
- All-wheel bulldoze and electric pick-upwardly
- v-pole skewed armature motor
- Machined contumely flywheels
- Available DCC-ready without audio or DCC with sound
- Cab interior
- Celcon handrails
- With or without dynamic brakes*
- Photograph-etched non-sideslip endwalks
- Snowplow or streamlined pilots*
- Detailed multi-piece plastic fuel tanks
- High or low-mounted headlights*
- Lost-wax brass horn
- Rectangular or oval cab door windows*
- Flush-mounted individual window "drinking glass"
- NEW McHenry knuckle-spring couplers
* Details specific to railroad and era
Equally mentioned higher up, removing the shell is a bit more complicated than information technology probably needs to be. Commencement you lot have to remove both couplers. After that, the shell should slide up and off fairly readily (merely spread the sides apart).
Class: A
F45 and FP45 reviewed 02/09 Model Railroader ("The model is built primarily of plastic and the quality of the molding is excellent. Rivet seams and other details friction match image photos. The separately applied front handrails are fabricated of flexible acetal plastic and take thin calibration profiles. The rooftop fans are especially well done, with separate fan blades under see-through grills. The etched-metal side intake grills are also come across-through. 1 particular missed on the N scale FP45 model was the carve up fuel/water tank. In that location should be a noticeable seam that divides the tank. The fuel tank is right for an F45. The FP45 and F45 are available with or without dynamic brakes (denoted by two forward fans on the roof). Other roadname-specific details include horn placement, round or square cab windows, snowplow or streamlined airplane pilot, and flush or hinged number boards. The passenger warbonnet pigment scheme on our review sample matches prototype photos. Along the bottom sill, the "F" and "FUEL" stencils are legible nether magnification. Although unreadable, EMD builder'south plates are likewise printed on each sill under the cab. Cab handrails are molded into the body shell. The stirrup steps are separately applied.
"Afterward removing the front end and rear couplers I lifted off the body shell. The motor and 2 brass flywheels are encased in a split die-bandage metal frame. A printed-excursion board is mounted on top of the motor. Two light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are mounted on each end of the board. Athearn also sells a Digital Command Command-and-sound-equipped version of the model. The headlight of the DC model we tested came on at just nether 3 volts. Equally I advanced the throttle to three volts, the FP45 moved steadily at four.5 scale mph and accelerated to 145.3 scale mph at 12 volts. Depending upon its gear ratio, a epitome FP45 had a top speed of 102 mph. (The F45 had a top speed of 83 mph). The model ran smoothly through a 9" bend, but looks better on curves of eleven" or greater. The Athearn FP45 has an impressive 1.12 ounce drawbar pull, which is equivalent to 27 N scale freight cars or xiii N scale passenger cars on straight and level track. This N calibration diesel is a smooth-performing model that accurately depicts its cowl-covered prototype. $99.98")
Spookshow Abode
Source: http://www.spookshow.net/loco/athearnf45.html
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