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Post by richardthomasatal on Dec 30, 2023 20:55:30 GMT -8
And WHERE did you read anything about INTENTIONAL? The problem with you Athearn simps is you put words in people's mouths. I doubt any train company in the history of train companies has intentionally delayed a project to irritate people. Your emotional response indicates a lack of intelligence or blind brand loyalty that is beyond reconcile. My guess is lack of intelligence since you can't understand how a future run is past it's delivery date without me clarifying that it has been announced. The fact is lack of organization and proper oversight causes delays along with some factors that are beyond control. But many factors can be managed and simply are not thus causing the delays. I think you've run into what is called "sarcasm". Ed I'm aware of what sarcasm is, but why his defense of the situation? Because he is an Athearn shill. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Dec 30, 2023 21:58:35 GMT -8
What address were you trying to program in that caused the fault?
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Post by edwardsutorik on Dec 31, 2023 6:16:08 GMT -8
Because he is an Athearn shill. How is it that you know this? Ed |
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Post by cera2254 on Dec 31, 2023 8:40:54 GMT -8
I think you've run into what is called "sarcasm". Ed I'm aware of what sarcasm is, but why his defense of the situation? Because he is an Athearn shill. Most certainly not, you obviously don’t know me. I have lots of Athearn products that I am very happy with. I’ll give them some grace and give them to time to make the situation right. I have no problem with the problems being brought out but the only time you post here is to bash Athearn at every turn. Even when others are just as slow you continually single them out. I don’t like the delays any more than you do but it is what it is. |
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Post by sd80mac on Jan 2, 2024 6:52:38 GMT -8
If you don't grab your torch and pitch fork, you're a shill!!!!
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Post by gevohogger on Jan 2, 2024 7:17:16 GMT -8
If you don't grab your torch and pitch fork, you're a shill!!!! I guess that makes me a shill too! And a Rapido shill, an Atlas shill, a Scale Trains shill, a Bachmann shill, etc, etc... |
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Post by spsf on Jan 2, 2024 10:17:47 GMT -8
I received my Athearn P42 locos this morning after approximately 30 months of delays and still missing one from this release and several from future runs. My first step which I do on every model is to reprogram to the cab number using my Digitrax Evolution Express system. Well once reprogrammed the darn things wouldn't respond. I had to take them to a friends house with a different system to get them working again but can't get the road numbers in still. Then, I notice one decal misplaced badly. The icing on the cake was the locomotive was not running good at slow speeds. I am about tired of this. I have given Athearn one last chance. They finally returned estimated arrival dates to the website which was a big plus but these constant fumbles on product is wearing my patience thin. Especially considering they bring the price up to insane levels for locomotives. Diesels are now approaching $370 MSRP. Will they ever figure out how to return to the glory days? I hope so but it surely isn't looking likely. I think this might have something to do with short vs long addresses. I'm not too familiar with the nuances, but a loco can have both a short and a long address- however it can only use one at a time. So if you program a short address in (1-127), and the loco is still set to use a long address, it won't work. Program it as 460 or something and let us know if it works out? As for the slow-speed running, make sure you clean the wheels- they aren't clean out of the box due to the blackening agent. Also, a break-in run of 20-30 mins at a moderate speed can help. The prices are in line with others on the market. The cost to bring the good to market- especially labor and shipping- have gone up a lot since the pandemic and haven't really come down. There are also lower-priced models available for those who don't need a superdetailed model. For example, there are SD40-2s in stock now for $170 MSRP- street price is also lower. Hope this info is useful in some way- tried to address all of your points. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Jan 2, 2024 10:49:57 GMT -8
I think this might have something to do with short vs long addresses. I'm not too familiar with the nuances, but a loco can have both a short and a long address- however it can only use one at a time. So if you program a short address in (1-127), and the loco is still set to use a long address, it won't work. It goes one step further. You can program a short address as a long address using CV17 and CV18 plus CV 29 but some base stations do not like this (Digitrax for sure). For example, setting CV 17 to 192 and CV 18 to 46 should give you the address of 46 but it won't work at all on Digitrax systems. In fact you'll get wonky responses if you try to read the decoder's address on the programming track. Anything under 128 MUST be set using only CV 1 / short addresses. I am almost certain this is the issue that the OP is having. I ran into a similar issue when setting up my Rapido Turbo train, see thread here: atlasrescueforum.proboards.com/thread/7126/rapido-turbo-dcc-confusion |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 2, 2024 12:23:11 GMT -8
I believe that Digitrax assigns consist address starting with 127, and going down. So if you happen to apply a short address to locomotive 127, you're going to have problems if you start consisting. With Digitrax.
That said, I've been using short addresses from 1 to 100, and haven't had problems. Yet. From there, I add a number to the loco number: 127 > 1127, for example. This keeps 101 to 127 available for consist addresses.
Total PITA, of course. But Free-mo insists on Digitrax command stations.
Ed
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Post by jonklein611 on Jan 2, 2024 12:46:01 GMT -8
I believe that Digitrax assigns consist address starting with 127, and going down. So if you happen to apply a short address to locomotive 127, you're going to have problems if you start consisting. With Digitrax. That said, I've been using short addresses from 1 to 100, and haven't had problems. Yet. From there, I add a number to the loco number: 127 > 1127, for example. This keeps 101 to 127 available for consist addresses. Total PITA, of course. But Free-mo insists on Digitrax command stations. Ed Digitrax does consisting completely differently by default. There's no "consist" address, it's just a relationship between the decoder addresses in the command station. For example my lead F40 is set to 6454 and second unit is 6417. In Digitrax space, you dial up both units and consist the second to the lead. You can repeat this process with as many additional locos as are in the consist. If you dial up 6417 it will say Cn, letting you know that address has been consisted. If you dial up 6454 it says Top, letting you know you've selected the "lead" unit of the consist. There is no separate consist address to select / define unless you use Advanced Consisting, which I find to be super annoying / clunky as you're limited to only specific addresses that may or may not align with the road number of the loco. |
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Post by NS4122 on Jan 2, 2024 12:58:53 GMT -8
Does anyone that put an ESU decoder in a DC version know which AUX the rear marker lights are supposed to be on? I can't get mine to work.
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Post by nsfantodd on Jan 2, 2024 15:01:39 GMT -8
Does anyone that put an ESU decoder in a DC version know which AUX the rear marker lights are supposed to be on? I can't get mine to work. Seems like I read that on the non sound version the rear markers would not be wired up. Could be wrong. I have a non sound version enroute but don't know when I'll have time to check it out. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Jan 2, 2024 16:12:16 GMT -8
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Post by NS4122 on Jan 2, 2024 16:20:45 GMT -8
Jon and Todd, thanks for the quick responses. The wires were neatly bundled, so I didn't notice that they were unconnected.
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Post by hudsonyard on Jan 2, 2024 17:48:05 GMT -8
I'd be pissed if my 300 dollar locomotive had a noticeable mistake like that too, but i think people get too entrenched in brands and buying and the related bizarre tribalism surrounding it. I just need stuff to reach my modeling goals.
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Post by prr 4467 on Jan 3, 2024 6:40:54 GMT -8
Wow, such hatred toward Athearn.
Other manufacturers make bigger mistakes than road number being in the wrong place...
In my 45 years of purchasing Athearn HO locos, every single problem I ever had they took care of, and quickly too, also including replacement parts I needed during 2023 when a couple locos arrived damaged.
Yes, a few had leaning handrails and I didn't keep them...
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Post by gevohogger on Jan 3, 2024 8:15:05 GMT -8
Other manufacturers make bigger mistakes than road number being in the wrong place... That's a tough one to top. Why not just spell it "Amatrk" while they're at it. |
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Post by richardthomasatal on Jan 3, 2024 8:16:44 GMT -8
I'd be pissed if my 300 dollar locomotive had a noticeable mistake like that too, but i think people get too entrenched in brands and buying and the related bizarre tribalism surrounding it. I just need stuff to reach my modeling goals. Correct, and the same people that rip Rapido up and down will just as quickly dismiss major Athearn issues. I like or in this case hate all brands equally and expect a higher standard. Amtrak is probably not too pleased with this either. I hear they are rather particular on what they want the models to look like. These aren't just factory mistakes these mistakes and others are due to a lack of care, management and process oversight. Those that cared deeply left Athearn years ago and were replaced with lazy management. |
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Post by 12bridge on Jan 3, 2024 8:57:38 GMT -8
This reminds me of the new run of Athearn MP15AC's. They botched the UPY 1397. We have this engine at work. They were told of the mistakes (they used the wrong hood lettering) within a week of the announcement, offered any and all photos and measurements (even though another engine in the run had the correct lettering), and got the old "Hey thanks we will fix it!"
Never got fixed. First time I ever refused to take engines I ordered. Really soured me on Athearn.
No project manager at any company can be an expert on every single road, model and paint scheme. That's certainly acceptable. But when these things are costing as much as they do anymore, we are long past the 25$ blue box era. People want quality that's advertised.
I am beginning to wonder if we might actually start seeing a resurgence in people building and detailing again being that we are seeing more and more failures coming out of the companies that are making the ultra detailed engines that show up sub par.
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Post by gevohogger on Jan 3, 2024 10:31:58 GMT -8
Really soured me on Athearn. Don't be saying that! Makes it hard to paint everyone with a broad brush as an "Athearn shill". |
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Post by prr 4467 on Jan 3, 2024 14:08:05 GMT -8
Other manufacturers make bigger mistakes than road number being in the wrong place... That's a tough one to top. Why not just spell it "Amatrk" while they're at it. Look, I don't know nor care about Amtrak locos, so I don't have a dog in this fight, but road number in the wrong place can actually be fixed if somebody really wants to fix it. Though unfortunate for sure, that's not that egregious of a mistake. Aren't we modelers actually supposed to be able to fix things like this? Can nobody decal anymore, or do a little road number removal, paint touch-up and/or clearcoat? This is a far cry different from painting an entire model with COMPLETELY the wrong colors, not just one wrong color, but ALL of them, as some have actually done (and then flat out refused to even admit they were wrong, much less to even remotely consider replacing the bad shells). I've lost hundreds of dollars on those crappy $300+ diesel models. Sorry, but I view something that can be fixed with a decal and maybe a nicely done paint patch as not that big of a deal, by comparison, though it truly sucks for those who wanted their model to be "right" in the first place. I routinely buy stuff that ends up needing a little TLC, this repair or that repair, and just chalk it up to modeling. In my experience, in the past when Athearn has messed up loco body shells, they offered replacements to those who returned the bad shells (LV Geeps). They at least tried to be cooperative and helpful, which I cannot say is the case at some other manufacturers. Unfortunately, this happened over the holidays such that speculation is ongoing without any clear answer as to a fix or not. |
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Post by NS4122 on Jan 3, 2024 14:18:22 GMT -8
I put a Lokpilot in mine for now and even the Lokprogrammer won't take a long address under 128. It kept changing the address from 108 to 128 when I wrote the data. Changed it to a short address and it took 108. I've got some of the Athearn P42's. My recollection is that the addresses below 128 MUST be programmed as short addresses IF one is running Digitrax. I also have noticed that sometimes a new address doesn't "stick". So I tend to do an address read AFTER I've programmed the new address. I'm surprised Athearn is using decals on their locomotives. I thought it was all pad stamping. Ed |
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Post by spsf on Jan 3, 2024 14:46:42 GMT -8
I'd be pissed if my 300 dollar locomotive had a noticeable mistake like that too, but i think people get too entrenched in brands and buying and the related bizarre tribalism surrounding it. I just need stuff to reach my modeling goals. Correct, and the same people that rip Rapido up and down will just as quickly dismiss major Athearn issues. I like or in this case hate all brands equally and expect a higher standard. Amtrak is probably not too pleased with this either. I hear they are rather particular on what they want the models to look like. These aren't just factory mistakes these mistakes and others are due to a lack of care, management and process oversight. Those that cared deeply left Athearn years ago and were replaced with lazy management. Sorry that you feel that way. I thought that possibly by replying to your concerns candidly, it would give an impression other than laziness. What did customer service tell you when you contacted them? |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jan 3, 2024 15:20:29 GMT -8
I put a Lokpilot in mine for now and even the Lokprogrammer won't take a long address under 128. It kept changing the address from 108 to 128 when I wrote the data. Changed it to a short address and it took 108. Total speculation here, but I wonder if you had entered your long address as 0108, whether it would have worked. Also, you can enter long addresses using CV17 and CV18. That approach might work when entering the address the "other" way doesn't. Just some thoughts, Ed |
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 3, 2024 15:29:13 GMT -8
Sorry that you feel that way. I thought that possibly by replying to your concerns candidly, it would give an impression other than laziness. What did customer service tell you when you contacted them? I'd bet he hasn't even bothered. |
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Post by cemr5396 on Jan 3, 2024 15:41:37 GMT -8
That's a tough one to top. Why not just spell it "Amatrk" while they're at it. Sorry, but I view something that can be fixed with a decal and maybe a nicely done paint patch as not that big of a deal Same here. I get the whole "it should be right" thing, but spend 5 mins and a set of decals and the problem goes away. This is FAR from even being in the conversation of worst screw ups we have seen on models recently. Of all the aspects that go into a model, the printed lettering is probably the part I'm LEAST worried about, because it is easy to fix. I can't even remember offhand how many locomotives I have either renumbered or completely re decalled because I wanted something different than what the starting point was. Probably half a dozen at least. Now, there was nothing wrong with any of them originally, I'm just too impatient to wait for something to maybe get done 'in a future run'. |
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Post by jonklein611 on Jan 3, 2024 16:14:55 GMT -8
I put a Lokpilot in mine for now and even the Lokprogrammer won't take a long address under 128. It kept changing the address from 108 to 128 when I wrote the data. Changed it to a short address and it took 108. Total speculation here, but I wonder if you had entered your long address as 0108, whether it would have worked. Also, you can enter long addresses using CV17 and CV18. That approach might work when entering the address the "other" way doesn't. Just some thoughts, Ed And CV 29, but it will bork itself on Digitrax command stations. |
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Post by richardthomasatal on Jan 5, 2024 7:58:49 GMT -8
Someone made a swipe saying at me saying Athearn has addressed this on this thread but I don't see that anywhere. Customer service reply was "we're working on it after the holiday" and that has been said in the past with zero movement in the hopes hundreds of people will give up or forget.
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Post by gevohogger on Jan 5, 2024 9:34:07 GMT -8
Someone made a swipe saying at me.... Maybe it's not you they were talking about? LOL But if you want to claim that ring, go for it! |
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Post by gevohogger on Jan 5, 2024 9:52:57 GMT -8
That's a tough one to top. Why not just spell it "Amatrk" while they're at it. Look, I don't know nor care about Amtrak locos, so I don't have a dog in this fight, but road number in the wrong place can actually be fixed if somebody really wants to fix it. Though unfortunate for sure, that's not that egregious of a mistake. Aren't we modelers actually supposed to be able to fix things like this? Can nobody decal anymore, or do a little road number removal, paint touch-up and/or clearcoat? I agree with you, but only up to a point. Eventually the time will come when it's a model for which there are no decals. Or no decals of the right size or color. Sure, the Brian Bannas of the group will just draft up a new decal in CAD and whisk it off to their printer, but most of the rest of us are going to be out of luck. And as simple as it sounds, even a quick re-decalling and clearcoating of a plastic locomotive is beyond the scope of some of their customers. Anyone who has ever been a member of a club knows there's always some guy who can find a way to ruin a very expensive model trying to do something you or I could do in no time.
These models come from "the premium trains from Athearn". They should be held to a higher bar.
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