Genesis SD45-2 starting speed.

green_elite_cab

Keep It Moving!
Hello!

I ordered an Athearn SD45-2 with sound, but i didn't realize there was such a problem with its starting speed until afterward. I decided to wait until it arrived (since it had already shipped) to see how it handled.

As gorgous as the model is and as nice as the sound is, the thing won't start up at any value below 15 on 128 speed steps (i'm using a Prodigy Express DCC system), and when it does, it shoots off like it had a rocket booster. You have to instantly put the throttle down and hope you didn't go to far as to make the locomotive stop.

Is there any kind of programming that can be done to save it? the manual mentions being able to program speeds and things, but i'm not quite sure i understand it.

Thanks for your help
Chris.
 

woodone

Member
I see that you have not got a reply, so I will give it a go to see if we can get it running right.
Athearn uses MRC decoders if I am not mistaken. You need to set the start speed, should be CV2- set it at 1 and then try to run the loco. See if that will not help. You want the loco to just creep with your speed step set to 1. If that does not help. change the CV2 ( change it to a 2 then try 3 etc.) untill the loco just creeps with your control speed set set at 1.
I am not sure but some MRC sound decoders you can't read the CV values. Just go ahead and program The CV's anyway. CV3 will set the acceleration, CV4 will set the deceleration. CV6 will set mid speed, and CV5 will set top speed on most decoders.
So give that a try and let us knowwhat you come up with.
Hope this might help.
 

cnw1961

Member
That is some good advice from woodone. I hope you succeed and get a good running loco. Unfortunately, MRC seems to have a problem with their quality control. Some of their decoders are fine, some of them are junk. On the Atlas forum I saw some threads where people complained about the bad motor control of their new sound equipped Athearn MP15ACs and SD45-2s (and programming did not improve anything), whereas some others stated that their engines were running well. I bought a MRC Sheer Brilliance sound decoder a while ago and the motor control is so bad, that I cannot use it. All attempts to program it to get a better performance, failed. Compared to the motor control of a Loksound decoder, it is complete junk. Having said that, I still hope you got one of the better MRC decoders and programming will help.
 
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