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 Posted - June 06 2018 : 08:19:26 AM
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So,, brainstorming recently, I have been wanting to re-power a Tyco shark to run (reliably) at train shows. I found a nice Athearn chassis in my office at work I'd forgotten about. #42005 on the botton. Maybe an F7 unit? Anyway, I came home Tuesday night, and got out the Midnight Special I'd gotten from the train shop, it was missing the front truck. Took it all apart, the weight was extremely hard to pry out, I thought it was glued in at first, it finally popped out. Geez!  Then the fun ( and mods ) began.
First, I trial-fitted the chassis inside the shell, or tried to. The front Athearn coupler mount hit the plastic coupler tower on the Shark shell, that had to go. I cut it down, got clearance. Retried the fit, the front of the frame wouldn't seat fully. Hmm, have to trim off some metal up front, too. Got out my dremel, and modified the front frame two different ways. Once done, it fit inside the shell snugly, and the bottom tabs on the athearn shell chassis rested nicely on the bottom edge of the Tyco shark shell, the side tabs fit in the slots, and it seems like it will work fine. Yay!  I may need long coupler shanks to make it work, but that's OK. Happy to fit a nice Athearn chassis under a Tyco body successfully!
Here's some pictures of the work.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
Edited by - AMC_Gremlin_GT on June 06 2018 8:42:23 PM
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 11:23:09 AM
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| Nice job there. Does ti run as well as it looks now??
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 1:40:52 PM
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I think it's GE sideframes that are a good match replacement for the EMD sideframes, I did such a mod years ago myself
just me Ray... and just because I have Tyco doesn't mean I am not a model railroader
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 3:00:27 PM
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Nice craftsmanship!!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 5:43:10 PM
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Nice, smooth looking retrofit, Jerry. I've found both the Athearn
and older Model Power F unit chassis fit pretty good, with just
whanging off the extra zinc tabs and interior shell sprues. It is
so nice to have a Tyco piece that runs without fear of the
dreaded gray smoke.
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 8:36:40 PM
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quote:Nice job there. Does ti run as well as it looks now??
Originally posted by oldtimer52Â -Â June 06 2018Â :Â 11:23:09 AM
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The Athearn chassis DID have a decoder installed at one time, but had been removed, I had wired it for DC, and tested it before modifying it. It runs smooth and quiet. It will get a decoder again soon. I wish there were some nice blue and white passenger cars to match it, seems like Tyco only sold it in a freight set. I think it'd look better in a passenger consist myself, but then the caboose would be out of place.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 06 2018 : 8:52:13 PM
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Augh! If you find a blue box loco chassis that's already got a decoder wired in, just find someone else who has one and trade for their stock DC chassis if that's really what you need... try to save folks like me the trouble of isolating motors and soldering in decoders into fifty million Blue Box diesels!
--CRC
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Posted - June 09 2018 : 1:41:13 PM
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quote:Augh! If you find a blue box loco chassis that's already got a decoder wired in, just find someone else who has one and trade for their stock DC chassis if that's really what you need... try to save folks like me the trouble of isolating motors and soldering in decoders into fifty million Blue Box diesels!
Originally posted by PRR 4800Â -Â June 06 2018Â :Â 8:52:13 PM
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Ha, ha, sounds like someone doesn't want to do the work.  My train shop charges $65/hr to do work. I only charge about 25-30. Send me your engines and decoders ( and cash) , and I'll be happy to install them into your fifty million BB engines ( lets see now, that's 25 times 50,000,000....hey, I'd be a Billionaire like Trump!  
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 09 2018 : 1:48:42 PM
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Here's some more pics of my Tyco shark upgrade. I had to trim the light bulb tower in the shell, it hit the truck tower and kept it from swiveling easily, and also skewed the chassis inside the body. One snip, and it cleared up the problem. I was able to use a long shaft kadee on the rear, but it's close, and even that long coupler ( #36 I think ) wouldn't reach in the front, so it won't get a front coupler for now. But it DOES have a new decoder, I will test it at the shop on Sunday.
Jerry
Here's the new decoder installed as of Friday night. Yay!
Here's the nose mods I did - trimmed down the lightbulb tower, and cut back the original coupler mount tower.
And the rear coupler installed. It's close, should be enough clearance I hope.
And ready to carry to shows in the Wal-mart pasta containers I love, $1.50 each, work great for engines and rolling stock.
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 09 2018 : 5:06:05 PM
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Great project, Jerry!! Nice decoder work in a vintage piece of HO-Scale.
By the way, those Walmart pasta boxes are Awesome!! Do you know if they can contain a boxed car or loco, or does it have to be loose?
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
Youtube Channel: www.youtube.com/rpmodelrailroads
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Edited by - RP model railroads on June 09 2018 5:10:01 PM
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Posted - June 09 2018 : 7:13:45 PM
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quote:
By the way,... Do you know if they can contain a boxed car or loco, or does it have to be loose?
Originally posted by RP model railroads - June 09 2018 : 5:06:05 PM
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Sorry, but most boxes will not fit. The Tyco brown box is 1/4 too "high" to fit inside. The old Tyco Blue-box kit box DOES fit, though ( from the '60s ). Athearn, Bachmann, AHM, all are a bit oversized to fit. I prefer them loose anyway, so I don't have to wear out a box taking the car/loco in and out, in and out. Plus I can see what it is instantly through the container. They'll have to be loose.
Jerry
" When life throws you bananas...it's easy to slip up"
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Posted - June 09 2018 : 7:48:53 PM
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quote: quote:
By the way,... Do you know if they can contain a boxed car or loco, or does it have to be loose?
Originally posted by RP model railroads - June 09 2018 : 5:06:05 PM
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Sorry, but most boxes will not fit. The Tyco brown box is 1/4 too "high" to fit inside. The old Tyco Blue-box kit box DOES fit, though ( from the '60s ). Athearn, Bachmann, AHM, all are a bit oversized to fit. I prefer them loose anyway, so I don't have to wear out a box taking the car/loco in and out, in and out. Plus I can see what it is instantly through the container. They'll have to be loose.
Jerry
Originally posted by AMC_Gremlin_GTÂ -Â June 09 2018Â :Â 7:13:45 PM
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Ah, okay - awesome idea though!
"Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in Heaven." - Matthew 5:16
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