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 Posted - March 02 2010 : 10:28:56 AM
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Hello All, I just picked up a beautiful complete Varney Aerotrain. The loco is powered with the old Kemtron drive. I was wondering if anyone has had experience with re-motoring. I've heard Bowser made a kit so an Athearn SW drive can be used. Has anyone done this?
Edited by - Adams on March 02 2010 10:37:57 AM
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Posted - March 02 2010 : 10:44:15 AM
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 the GM Aerotrain *super jealous*  I want one! How much you get it for & what's the railroad on it?
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Posted - March 02 2010 : 11:07:30 AM
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| It wasn't cheap at $100 for the set, but it's the lowest price I've found for a complete like-new set. It does not have any railroad decals, only GM and the numbers in the number boards. I'm thinking about Rock Island decals, though. I've wanted one for a long time also, so I splurged.
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Posted - March 02 2010 : 11:12:11 AM
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| hi chris and why not,part of american railroad history,lovely item ken
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Posted - March 02 2010 : 6:13:55 PM
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| true ken & the shocks on train were from BUSES! Which don't do well on lumpy railroads
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 12:21:03 AM
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The cars were made from altered GM bus bodies.
They even retained the luggage compartments underneath.
Nice find Chris! I have the MTH O gauge Pennsy version.
Carl T.
President of the Cape James Terminal RR.
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 4:17:14 PM
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Hi Chris. Here is the Info On the Bowser/Alliance/Athearn Frame Power drive conversion. The frame from Bowser was $14.95 I do not think that it is still available. you would have to check.
There is a website called accuratelighting.com that lists the part. But, they are selling it for $27.95 almost twice the price.
Hobbytown of Boston also made a Drive also. Once I find the info I will post it.
My AeroTrain Has the original Varney power drive.  Carl
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 4:56:22 PM
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| Thanks, Carl, for the info. I did contact Bowser, and they don't have it anymore. If you find out anything else, I'd be glad to hear from you. Mine has what I guess is the original drive, which was made by Kemtron. It works as good as expected, but it's the same old story whenever you have a rubber tube shaft and no U-joints. Chris
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 6:48:56 PM
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Hi Chris. I Guess if you want one in a hurry that accuratelightning site is the only place right now. . 
http://www.accuratelighting.com/HOscale/Electrical/HoscaleElectrical_BowserAerotrain.htm
Here are some pictures of the Varney Drive.
/tyco/forum/uploaded/vintageho/Varney Aero train Drive.jpg
/tyco/forum/uploaded/vintageho/Varney Aero train Bottom.jpg
Many years ago I purchased a Painting of the Aero Train and a TrucTrain going around Horseshoe Curve in Altoona, PA. It is painted by Grif Tellen in 1955.
/tyco/forum/uploaded/vintageho/Aerotrain Horseshoe Curve.jpg
So since I was building a layout and was incorporating a horseshoe curve. I wanted to duplicate the picture. So I counted the number of cars in the picture and started collecting them. The TrucTrain was not much of a problem but, the Aero Train cars were hard to find without paying a premium. So It took some time. I finally have enough cars for the Aero train But, I no longer have a layout to put them on. Maybe I will try again in the near future. Carl
/tyco/forum/uploaded/vintageho/Varney Aero Train 12 Car Set 2.jpg
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
Edited by - VintageHO on March 03 2010 6:54:22 PM
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 7:04:54 PM
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| TrucTrain? Thought it was called Piggy-Back Service But dang VintageHO niiiice set there & picture
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Posted - March 03 2010 : 7:54:57 PM
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| Yes, Carl, Nice picture and nice Aerotrain---Looks like the Varney had a solid driveshaft with u-joints. The Kemtron looks very similar, but has a few more metal parts, like the gears. However, it has the flexible tube shaft. Maybe instead of a new mechanism, I can somehow find or build a drive shaft. Chris
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Posted - March 07 2010 : 4:22:31 PM
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| Today, I saw a set identical to mine go for $152 on Ebay, so I'm not feeling so bad about my $100 investment!
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Posted - March 07 2010 : 4:46:01 PM
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Nope, Truc-Train was the Original PRR version. "piggy-back" came later.
-Gareth
"A is A"
-Aristotle
Law of Identification
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