SD9

I run 11 Proto SD7s (and have 4 virtually identical SD9s about to join the roster), and have never had any problems at all with them.  The detail is great, but nothing has dropped off or broken, even although they get run all the time (apart from the odd sunshade, but that happens to us all).  The two oldest have been running fine since their purchase in 2001 - no split axle problems as yet.  From my experience, it's the Proto GP9 that is plagued by this feature).  I've won the rest on ebay, where you can still pick them up.  I don't, as yet, have any of the problems Joe F reports with his Proto SDs, of bad electrical pick-up when they have run a bit.

The 11 SD7s all have a Loksound 3.5 installed, with the 23mm round speaker fitted in the cab area following minimal adjustment, and are very smooth runners.  My friend Mike Ruby is continuing to tweak a custom Loksound download for them, but even with the stock sound, they are great. Yes, you have to modify the light package if you want to run SP, but that's a given for ALL SD9 models.

Having purchased 1 Blueline SD7, I am rather unhappy with it - it is far less smooth than the Proto version, and due to the decoder problem, I can't MU it up to my other locomotives. As for Athearn, their SD9 rates a very poor second to the Proto version in my opinion, and is unprototypically wide.

Brian Moore

SD9 electronics

Brian,

When you wired in the Loksound decoders, did you replace/remove the PC board that comes installed in the P2K? I've heard that sometimes those create problems as well.

Have you seen the July '08 Model Railroad News - it has a nice article in it that describes the procedures for getting a Blueline to work right.

P2k SD7

I picked up 3 of the p2k sd7s in SP tiger stripes when they came out in 2001 (actually not sure of the year).

I put drop in decoders in two of 'em. The third got a Soundtrax low cost EMD diesel decoder. Two of them are still running on my layout hauling freight. The third one however has split some gears of something an makes an awful noise. Of course that was the one with the sound trax decoder...

They are pretty faces but are a lousy choice for leading a train of any weight down a grade as they pogo like crazy. I restrict them to uphill service on my railroad through the 2.8% helper grade.

The other thing about them is the edges of the number boards glow quite brightly when the lights are on. Looks like there might be an alien living in there of something.

Cheers,

Charlie

Jeff All my SD7s have the

Jeff

All my SD7s have the Loksound decoder attached via the 8-pin plug, with no hard-wiring at all, and the original board left in place - as said, minimal preparation is required, and the 23mm speaker sits snugly in the cab, stuck to the roof with a double-sided foam pad.  I've never encountered any problems with them at all.

Thanks for the Blueline information - I don't get MRN myself, but will attempt to access the article. 

Brian

Well.....

The SD9 got sent off to ebay.  I'm thinking Kato GP35 or SD38-2 for yard duty, possibly both with one at either end if I ever get that far.  Either were used often in yard duty by BN so I think I'm set either way.  Not quite what I wanted to do, but at least I'll get a solid drive in the yard and I'll have enough room to put in sound.  I don't know when I'll install the sound though as I suspect the yard crew probably won't even notice for a while as they'll be too busy to care.

-

S

Light leakage

Charlie, on those locos where light leaks around the edges of the number boards, get yourself a black fine-tip Sharpie and color around the sides and edges.  That seems to work for me.