Athearn Chassis for Rail Power 8-40B?

[csxatl]

Which Athearn Chassis fit a Rail Power 8-40B?

Before I purchased a Rail Power shell on eBay, I read this thread
dieseldetailer.proboards.com/thread/7675

So, I got out my old Athearn GP35 dummy from the early 80'sand woops! The shell will totally cover then entire chassis, including the horn hook couplers. Also, I don't see any mounting hole to match the nib in my Athearn chassis.

Did they retool the 4-axel chassis or am I missing something?

Yes, I know I can buy the chassis from the Rail Power site which has been bought out by Details West.

thanks

[sgoti]

You use the trucks, etc from the GP35.

You need the Railpower frame to install the trucks on.

[csxatl]

yes, thought of that and that's what I'll prolly end up doing

just wondering if my thinking was on track

[liengineerbob]

I am pretty sure those RPP B40-8 shells were meant to fit onto the Athearn U-Boat B frames, not the GP frames.

[danraitz]

There is not an Athearn BB frame that can be used for this loco. To power this, you would use the drive-train components (motor, trucks, etc) from any of the Athearn BB 4 axle units.

Dan

[sdp45]

Last point, the GP35 has the wrong trucks and since your GP35 has metal truck side frames, they cannot be removed. If you want to do a rail power b40-8 get a GP38-2/40-2/50 powered chassis and yank the motor and trucks. This chassis has the correct length splines between the trucks and motor as opposed to the GP35 which is shorter. You will still need to get the right chassis and side frames for the b40-8. (I think Train station products now smokey valley makes the FB-2 Truck side frames.

[spike]

Any Athearn four axle unit with road trucks,and removable plastic sideframes can be the parts donor. You will need the RPP frame, since the truck centers are further than a U Boat.


Drive shafts will be the next challange, again due to the truck centers. Athearn had a plain splined shaft for the SD40T-2. Two female universals go with it. The shafts may need to be shortened too.


I'm not sure if the kit has the FB side frames, but Smokey Valley does. They fit right on the Athearn truck.


I have two of these kits, which are to become part of my freelance roster.

[m a y o r 79]

Its a little more of an expensive option but once in a while you can find someone selling a powered chassis from a Walthers B40-8 on ebay. Thats what inused for my RPP shell. Of course at that point the argument becomes why not just use the entire Walthers model.

[spike]

In my case, I have lots of Blue Box Athearns. That's what i could afford at the time. Consequently, I happen to have lots of Athearn spare parts. Since CSXATL has the donor chassis, he will just need the B40 frame, which can be found on Ebay, or from ALine. The longer drive shaft shouldn't be too hard to find.

[m a y o r 79]

Spike, I think your right. The only option aside from an Atlas or Walthers frame is to buy the railpower frame from ALine. The Athearn drive components from the longer locos (SD40-2's U30C's etc.) would work for the drivetrain.