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 Posted - March 04 2013 : 08:33:19 AM
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Do the current Athearn non DCC diesel locomotives have big enough flywheels to allow coasting after shutting off the power allowing for smoother stops?
I ask because I recently purchased a non DCC Walters TRainline GP9 with flywheels and they are smaller than 10 year old Walters and Athearn locomotives I have. The new Walters stops like it doesn't have a flywheel. The flywheels serve to keep it running smoothly.
Do I have to get an older used Athearn diesel to get larger flywheels?
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Posted - March 04 2013 : 1:20:55 PM
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| I do not have any of the newer Athearn locos and so can not comment on them. However, it is quite easy to add/replace flywheels. You can then select what ever size fly you want.
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Posted - March 04 2013 : 7:11:47 PM
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I has a old Rock Island SD 40-2 loco that has flywheels in it
Edited by - microbusss on March 04 2013 7:13:04 PM
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Posted - March 04 2013 : 8:31:23 PM
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More than just the fly wheel size comes into play when trying to estimate the amount the locomotive will cost. I have purchased BB locos that had fly wheels and did not coast at the time I received them. Cleaning and properly lubed and they coasted no issue.
The Walthers model you mentioned may have had more rolling resistance in the trucks.
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Posted - March 04 2013 : 10:24:32 PM
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Toptrain - why such a snotty answer? I asked about Athearn locomotives. I gave the background of why I am asking the question. Go look at the "Other Makes" forum and you will see I posted the same information but asked about Walters and Atlas locomotives.
If you don't want to help somone out, just don't reply- no need to be snotty.
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Posted - March 05 2013 : 12:16:19 AM
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Flywheel size may have been reduced to make room for electronics in some newer locos, but there's generally enough room above the drive train for the decoder & wiring. Sound may bite into flywheel space, though. Athearn's Genesis line uses Roco motors with dual flywheels and have very smooth performance from what I've heard. It's probably just a choice by Walthers and not indicative of a larger trend.
The Tyco Depot
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Posted - March 05 2013 : 12:41:10 AM
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Ahahahahahahhahahahahahahahahahahahaahahahahahaahha gasp, wheez, Ahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaaaa.
Sandbox!!! 
Helping is always best, don't you think. My help here is laughter, it sometimes heals things.
Tycoing is a cult without Kool-Aid and no Jones' ! Resistance is futile! You will be absorbed by the Powertorque! 
-Gareth
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Posted - March 09 2013 : 02:18:46 AM
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Like all metals, brass is up, maybe it's an effort to keep the cost down too. The Trainline GP9 is just a re-issue of the Model Power GP-9, which was itself a re-issue of the Cox copy of the Athearn GP7 (they gave it a low hood so it would be less obvious) with the drive modified to be similar to Mehano's later releases.
It may run better once you break it in, too, when new everything is tight and it could even be binding a little bit in the geartrain.
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Posted - March 11 2013 : 12:40:30 PM
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If you are referring to the current Ready to Run Models that are DCC quick plug ready, then yes they do. That being the case, mine are dcc equipped and I have messed with the cv's a bit to get the performance I wanted out of them. Didnt try them prior to the installation though. (DC only).
If you are not having fun, you are not doing it right.
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Posted - March 16 2013 : 9:05:20 PM
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| Ended up returning the Walters after pickiing up a never been out of the box blue box Athearn NS GP 38-2 on ebay for $38 total. Runs smooth as silk and nice smooth stops.
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