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 Posted - April 12 2012 : 8:32:50 PM
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I have some retro-fitted ideas to give new life for our favorite oldies. My first idea is that I'm taking my Varney NW/SW (what ever ) and retrofit it onto a Athearn SW7. Just gotta cut off the frame's 2 mount tabs and coupler boxes/mounts. I wonder if a C430 shell would fit another Athearn frame?! Just list these kinda retro fits you've done or seen.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - April 13 2012 : 2:42:05 PM
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I would think, unless you are doing "like-to-like" transfers, then finding a similar "wheelbase" would be very challenging. I mean, would you try to take a C430 shell and mount it on a Mantua F7 chassis? I'm sure people have mixed-n-matched to get something to work, but I can't see it being all that easy( or prototypical ). But, I'll wait and see what pops up on this here thread, let's see what happens next....
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - April 13 2012 : 3:16:01 PM
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Does my "frankentender" qualify?
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - April 13 2012 : 6:22:01 PM
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There are several retro fits that I know of.
The C430 will fit an Athearn chassis , I think it's one of the GE units that has the same wheelbase.
The TYCO SD24 , I'm fairly certain will fit the Athearn SD9 frame.
The AHM RS3 will fit the Athearn F7 frame.
The C630 will fit the Trainmaster frame but, it must be lengthened by 3/8" approx. So that's not a drop fit.
Didn't our very own Shaygetz put a TYCO GP20 on an Athearn chassis?
Most of the Athearn frames have to be milled to some extent and/or the add-on plastic shell.
My brother does lots of these types of retrofits. I know about them but, don't recall the details.
I"ll ask him when I get the chance.
I like the idea of the Varney SW on an Athearn chassis. The SW (or at least the one I have) is a cast metal shell, with some weight added and the Athearn chassis/drive ought to make a really decent loco.
Unspoken expectations are premeditated failures.
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Posted - April 13 2012 : 6:28:16 PM
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Thats what I say. Shaygetz did indeed put a GP20 shell on a GP35 frame by Athearn. Have to cut the frame ends off and body mount some couplers. Lets of styrene went into it.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Pierce
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Posted - April 13 2012 : 8:21:14 PM
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I put a Tyco GP-20 on a Athearn GP-9 chassis and all I had to do was to file off the mounting lugs to make it fit. I will post pics when I get a chance.
Adam
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Posted - April 14 2012 : 11:10:46 AM
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I have 2 Tyco GP20's on updated Mantua - Model Power GP20 frames and the Tyco SD24 drops onto the IHC SD24 frame, I did an SD24 too. The tank weight mount has to be modified for the SD24 but will work.
I also have a spare IHC SD24 frame/motor set up, a Tyco 430 fit's but has incorrect trucks, fuel tank, etc.
Edited by - eaglerock109 on April 14 2012 12:39:31 PM
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Posted - April 14 2012 : 3:00:46 PM
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quote:Thats what I say. Shaygetz did indeed put a GP20 shell on a GP35 frame by Athearn. Have to cut the frame ends off and body mount some couplers. Lets of styrene went into it.
Originally posted by Redneck Justin - April 13 2012 : 6:28:16 PM
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Justin,
I recently put a Tyco GP20 shell on a modern GP20 Mantua chassis. I cut the front pilot just enough that I could spread it open and around the chassis mounted coupler after I had slipped the other coupler through the other pilot and then the shell onto the frame. The shell did require some grinding down of mounting pads and stanchion pockets to make it fit right, and it's reversible and reliable and different.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 14 2012 3:02:25 PM
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Posted - April 14 2012 : 4:32:30 PM
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I have an Athearn GP9. Don;t wanna hack up into a GP20 though.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - April 14 2012 : 5:25:27 PM
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I imagine for a C430 to fit an Athearn frame would require shortening one's frame to an prototypical lengthn. Then, i wonder if Athearn bluebox diesels ever had a Alco style track side frame.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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Posted - April 14 2012 : 11:02:12 PM
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There are two types of sideframes used on the C430. The AAR type, which TYCO uses on their model. This is similar to what is on an RS-3. The other type is the Hi-Ad. Far as I know, there are no model manufacturers that have Alco Hi-Ad trucks. Tiger Valley Models, does/did sell cast metal ones.
I am fairly certain the GE B23-7 frame has the same bolster spacing as the C430. The Tyco C430 shell is a really nice rendition of the 430. It deserves a decent driveline.
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Posted - April 15 2012 : 09:02:49 AM
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Here's an Alco shell, that came in a lot purchase with modifications made before I bought it. The shell is test fitted on a Bachmann Spectrum chassis. The trucks are close to the Hi-ad versions.
The lugs inside the shell need removed and the stanchion pockets need modified to make the shell fit better or you might need to grind on the metal frame. The spacing of the trucks is close but probably not perfect.
There's a list of things that you might work on but this could be a good starting point.
Another, but more expensive, conversion would be an Atlas 424 chassis although the Atlas shell is much shorter than the Tyco.
Alco Fan
Edited by - Alco Fan on April 15 2012 09:36:34 AM
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Posted - April 15 2012 : 10:31:24 AM
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Looks good Alco Fan! The Bachmann diesels do run pretty good. Good gearing, wieght and pulling power.
" Heck with counting 'em rivets, TRAINS ARE FOR FUN! Not called the Mad Scientist for nothing either!"
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