I have a Milw. FP45 and an undec. F45 that I need to paint for MRL......I haven't run the F except for a brief test/break-in , but I've run the FP quite a bit, and I'm pleased with it. Nothing exceptional, but I'd easily put it on par with Atlas. I like the fact they are doing road-specific details also.
Go for it! I've got two of the Santa Fe FP45s and intend to get more when they come out in the yellow warbonnet.
Continuing to post on this old thread, I have the recent Athearn FP45. The metal frame shows below the sill, so I decided to paint it to make it less noticeable. At first I was going to air brush it, but I decided to hand paint it because I couldn't get the fuel tank off it seemed easier to do. Here are the before-after photos of the sill and mechanism. After: There is a little "flash" or filings along the corner of the mechanism as though the machining wasn't polished or finished. I removed those carefully. The fuel tank filler neck is only on the left side of the fuel tank. Is this correct? Shouldn't there be one on the other side, too? You have to remove the couplers to remove the shell. Easy to do. I plan to add a rotating beacon. Very, very smooth operating engine. Anyone else have ideas or questions for detailing or improving the appearance? Please do post.
Looks great Flash! I will be doing that to mine too. Big improvement. As far as the models, go for it! Excellent models, not to expensive, run and look great. I think you'll enjoy them.
I have three of them and think they are smooth runners and not bad pullers. The Athearn F and FP 45's are four axle powered units. The inside axle on each power truck, is an idler. The idler wheels and mechanism reminds me of MiniTrix's chassis and boogies. Detailing isn't bad and they look pretty much like the prototype. The fuel tank filler neck is missing on one side of mine as described by Flash. Flash, I like the weathering job you gave your fuel tanks. Nice! Kato and Atlas they aren't. I'm proud to have them operating on my layout and I give them a thumbs up.
That shouldnt be too hard to add. I am going to have to check mine in a bit when I go back down to the garage.
Flash, yours is not missing. They are not on mine either. Looks like the mold was made that way with just the one side filler.
Looking at several photos, they definatly have them on both sides. Again an easy fix, but makes you wonder.....Why!?!?!
I noticed the same thing about my BN F45 as Flash's Just gotta get my shell off so I can paint it, or maybe hit it with a sharpie
Your comment about four powered axles made me get mine out, all four have all axles powered, they are the most recent DCC/sound release, have the mechanisms changed?
F45 in Big Sky Blue I do have the Athearn F45 in Big Sky Blue (Great Northern). While the loco is running very smooth, even at low speeds, I personally don't like the paint job. The paint on my model is too thick, it covers small details. Second, the edge between blue and white and white and dark gray isn't razor sharp, but feathered. I've never seen something like that. Oh yes, the windshield wipers aren't correct at all. (They are inverted.) I've never been disappointed with their rolling stock, but I am really disappointed by this loco. Sorry to say that. Cheers Frank
A word of appreciation to Westfallen for pointing out my oops or foible. Wow...I don't believe this. I guess this qualifies me as the village "IDIOT". Permission to refer to me as such, is hereby granted. Gosh, I hate it when I pull a doozy like this. I was looking at one of my Minitrix 6 axle locomotives just before I examined the FP45. Must be half-heimers. Unbelievable! To be human is to err... but this is a self inflicted shot to the foot and insult to my memory banks...I said with a sheepish grin. I just reexamined my Santa Fe, FP45's red and silver warbonnets and the single pin stripe F45, they are "All axles powered" and the trucks look a lot like Atlas 6 axle trucks. No wonder they pull so well. My apologies to all. Must take notes, must review present thinking, must never assume, Ass-U-Me, I said while shaking my head in utter dismay. I hate eating humble pie. Unless it's warmed up and alamode. LOL err:
You can satisfy some of the people all of the time, but you can not satisfy all the people all of the time. I have an MILW unit. I like it,,, I just noticed they have a cab interior. I already did the frame painting thing, installed a decoder. I want to get a sound unit so I can pair the two together. One note,, if you install your own digitrax decoder,, you will have to change bit 0 in cv 29. Because the decoder has to be installed backwards. So you need to change the direction of travel if you want to be correct. Adios Wyatt
I picked up a black-and-orange Milwaukee unit today at my favorite LHS's 4th of July sale. I am very impressed with the motor and sound control of the decoder right out of the box. I may fiddle a bit with the start voltage and I will be changing it's ID, but I am very pleased.
Just wondering .. Did you ever put in rotating beacons on your FP45? Ditch lights? I have the FP45 with the FP45 Soundtraxx in it...only problem... no instruction sheet in box.
