In this product review video, Model Railroader Senior Editor Cody Grivno examines the Athearn Genesis HO scale (1:87.1) EMD FP45 diesel locomotive. Cody starts with the prototype history of the FP45, which was produced by the Electro-Motive Division from 1967 through 1968, resulting in 14 units built for the Santa Fe and Milwaukee Road.
The review sample is decorated as Milwaukee Road No. 4, a unit built in December 1968. The model features numerous factory-installed details, including a passenger pilot plow, plastic handrails, wire grab irons, and a detailed cab interior. The specific model reviewed represents the unit in its later orange-and-black freight scheme, complete with a winterization hatch and a non-dynamic brake housing.
The review sample, equipped with a SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, showcases features like the electronic bell, Leslie three-chime air horn, and rooftop beacon. The Athearn EMD FP45 is available in various paint schemes, including Milwaukee Road (orange-and-black), Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe (Superfleet and pinstripe schemes), and a fictional Chicago, Burlington & Quincy scheme. DC models with a 21-pin NEM connector retail for $219.99 to $229.99, and versions with the Tsunami2 sound decoder sell for $319.99.
