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 Posted - July 06 2010 : 11:40:28 AM
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Does anyone know about what year Athearn went from a cardboard cradle surrounding engine kits to the insert with two twist ties? I just lucked into a brand new in box (with cradle) CB&Q SW7 ("SW1500") cow and was kinda wondering what year range it might be from. Its powered with a $10.98 price stamped on the box. Parts envelope never opened and it has the multi unit assembly diagram. TIA for any info.
Larry
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 1:45:05 PM
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| That price would put it around the mid to late '70s.
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 3:09:55 PM
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quote:That price would put it around the mid to late '70s.
Originally posted by shaygetz - July 06 2010 : 1:45:05 PM
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I think it may be older. I have a 1978 Walthers catalog and 15.98 was the going price for these then. I have another CB&Q SW7 (no box) which is a later run unit - the truck assembly is slightly different and the boxed unit has brass wheels. Having looked at the HO seeker site - the blue box with white end label appeared in 1968 so Im guessing its from circa 1968-1970.
Larry
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 3:26:21 PM
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hi SOU2645 solid blue boxes ran from 66/68,then went into the familiar blue and white boxes,i have a gp7 in a solid blue box with cradle and ties,ken
top photo 66 bottom 68 onwards
taken from hoseekers site cheers larry
Edited by - catfordken on July 06 2010 3:45:39 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 3:42:23 PM
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Oh very nice. here's the SW7 in its original box with the cradle surrounding it.
larry 
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 3:49:05 PM
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its after 68 but think before 75 due to that insert, ken
Edited by - catfordken on July 06 2010 4:00:25 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:12:37 PM
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quote:its after 68 but think before 75 due to that insert, ken
Originally posted by catfordken - July 06 2010 : 3:49:05 PM
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The assembly sheet has the SD45/SDP40/F7/GP7 (9)/SW7/GP30/GP35. I woulda figured Athearn dropped these after about 1969 since that was about the last year the GP30 was available at all. Here's a pic of one side of it.
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:31:23 PM
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| athearns price in 1971 was $11.98 so $10.98 seems a reasonable price to expect tp pay via a retailer ken
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:39:22 PM
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and 10.98 is the actual Athearn price on the box. Im narrowing it down to 1968-69 now. All this info has helped. thanks!
Larry
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:41:43 PM
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| why are you so determined to find exact year ken
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:51:16 PM
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ok ok y'all seen this b4 but it is in a Athern box Even if its wrong
Box says its for a D&RG loco
But you can see my inserts are of foam 
Edited by - microbusss on July 06 2010 4:53:28 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 4:58:12 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 5:15:52 PM
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quote:why are you so determined to find exact year ken
Originally posted by catfordken - July 06 2010 : 4:41:43 PM
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I collect Athearn blue box locomotives. Its kinda neat to know what year there abouts each one was likely produced. Its amazing to find even little minor production changes made to the same model and roadname over the years - like the brass wheels on this one versus regular metal on my other "Q" SW7. Plus I was curious as to when Athearn changed the inserts from the complete cardboard cradle to the "tray" with the 2 twist ties. I know the foam appeared in 1984 as they began the change from metal trucks to plastic. This SW7 is the only bluebox unit I have with the cradle pictured - although I do have a couple of yellow box units with similar ones. I have a few twist tie packed units and of course many foam packed ones. I also see that Athearn eventually used smaller freight car size boxes for some locos (the SW7 being one) as this is the only one I have with the same size box used on many other units.
Larry
PS. Its really amazing that after likely 40+ years its still in brand new unused mint conditon - and the headlight even works!
Edited by - SOU2645 on July 06 2010 5:19:48 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 5:20:36 PM
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hi larry,me i just get em and play with em,but as they say to each his own,good luck on your quest,and always willing to help,if poss,ken
Edited by - catfordken on July 06 2010 5:21:19 PM
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 5:22:30 PM
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quote:hi larry,me i just get em and play with em,but as they say to each his own,good luck on your quest,and always willing to help,if poss,ken
Originally posted by catfordken - July 06 2010 : 5:20:36 PM
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I play with mine too - nothing like the smell of electricity LOL! I appreciate it. Same goes here.
Larry
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 9:30:00 PM
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| Nice loco. I love the old blue boxes as well. I just got this one at an auction last week.
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 10:11:27 PM
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Hi Larry. I cannot see on your picture, it is a little dark.. Look at the instruction sheet lower right side there might be a Number with a dash then a number like 6-73. It might also say revised then the numbers. If it is there, that should be the approximate month and year of your engine kit.  Carl
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
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Posted - July 06 2010 : 10:48:05 PM
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Great find. I love the look of these. Too bad they don't still cost $11!
~CamdenLine
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Posted - July 07 2010 : 08:56:04 AM
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The instuction sheet has a 8-66 date on side and 9-66 on the other with the illustrators name beside them. No revised date.
Larry
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Posted - July 07 2010 : 10:19:31 AM
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Hi Larry. Those dates tell you that the kit was made around 1966. Nice find. I recently got the same engine with metal truck side frames, no box, in a eBay deal. I had a box I put it in. Runs nice. Carl
Numquam Immoderatio Satis Est
(Too Much Is Never Enough )
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Posted - July 07 2010 : 10:47:05 AM
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hi carl the blue and white box came out in 68,even though the instructions are dated 66,if they had piles of the old instructions,and the loco was same,surely they would use them till they ran out,and then make new instructions? ,thats assuming that the box or instructions were not replaced by persons unknown ie lost box or instructions,there is no real way of knowing unless you owned from new or you could date said loco ken
Edited by - catfordken on July 07 2010 10:54:22 AM
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Posted - July 07 2010 : 11:02:09 AM
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Im guessing the sheet is original to this unit. I believe Athearn used these sheets until 1969 or so - or whenever the GP30 was finally sold out of stock. The only two models not on it are the Hustler and DD40.
Larry
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