Athearn BB SW-7ish

[jakeloyst]

There has been a lot written lately about the hobby and exaclty what the hobby is, from spending $$$$$$ on the new high tech units, to those starting with the old Athearn bb units and going from there. As this section is for recued and budget builds less than $100, this one will qualify. The Sw-7 was $12.00, and I picked up the juneco detail set for  2 for $10.00. Its not a total prototypical build, but rather what can be done with the older shells, and some detail parts for those working on a budget, or just beginning in the hobby, and learning as they go. I`m still working on ( tring to figure out) photobucjet, so the photos are coming.   The Juneco kits, contains all the parts needed to change the SW-7, to a close standin for the CN and CP sw1200rs switchers.  There are many other detail parts on the market, in brass, cast, or plastic with fatastic detail, but just the number boards would cost more than all the details included in the Juneco kit.

First step is to clean off the shell, and remove the molded on hood handrail brackets, as most of the SW`s have, or ended up with sill mounted handrails. The shell also has several mold lines on the curves of the hood, so those are sanded off, and I have never like the raised detail edges around the hood top doors, so those are sanded off as well, and then rescribed with a push pin and a straight piece of brass taped to the side of the shell. Also being removed are some of the hood louvers, to bring it closer to the prototype. No new ones are being added.  On the shell at each end, there are several little divits, that are being filled with putty, along with the holes left from the hood handrails..   more later

[upguy1981]

Wow cant wait to see the pic of this project

[liengineerbob]

I did one of those conversions years ago when I was a kid.....I still have it in the archives let me see if I can dig it out......and for the time period they came from, the conversion parts are quite good. No, it is not a new high-tech loco with all the latest and greatest, but is a load of fun to build!!

[jakeloyst]

Thats kind of my plan, ran into some issues with the frame on my gp9 lite, so gonna chill on this for a bit while I think on the rest. just relaxing enjoying the hobby

[m a y o r 79]

Hey just because its an old Athearn BB doesnt mean it cant be a great model. I'm planning on using two BB SW7's to make a Milwaukee Road TR-4 for my beer line layout (someday).

Can't wait to follow your progress on this build.

[cf7]

Mar 22, 2013 14:38:59 GMT -5 jakeloyst said:

but rather what can be done with the older shells, and some detail parts for those working on a budget, or just beginning in the hobby, and learning as they go.

I hate posts like this.  As someone who has been modeling for a little over 40 years, I still like to build the Athearn BB locos out of choice.  They are not only for newbees...I just prefer the old stuff over the new Chinese crap.

Why does the Athearn BB get knocked so much, especially if it's from the GP38-2 era and up?

[iomalley]

Here's my BB build of an SW1200, and a second one on the bench. (older CN version with contoured numberboards)




The only real deficiency that exists is the lack of knucklebusters. Sunrise made etched add-ons, and there are a bunch on Kaslo's VIA F40PH-2 etch sets, but no easy way to do it. Or you can opt out like I did and see if anyone notices...

[liengineerbob]

Plano now makes those knuckle buster latches if you so desire to add them.

[jakeloyst]

[jakeloyst]

Finally got the photobucket wizards to let me in. 1st photo, is just the Athearn stock shell, and the parts from the Juneco kit. 2 and 3 are front and rear views of both a CN and a CP unit. The hood handrails as well as some of the stanchion holes have been removed, as well as the top row of louvres, and the stacks on the CN unit. The holes have been filed and the scrapes from the louvres puttied and sanded. The CN unit has had the stacks and cab numberboard and clearance lights added. The stacks were drilled out to give a better appearance. I was going to leave the front grills as stock, but changed my mind, and will be building a simple styrene box, and using some brass wire mesh to give it some depth, without adding more than a buck or two to the price of the build. When done, both will be painted into the green yellow scheme for CN, and the maroon grey for the CP

[spud7378]

Looking good, I'm in this same process as we speak!

[m a y o r 79]

Lookin good so far. Kinda making me want to start working on my TR-4 set, just need to pick up one more SW7 and I can start rolling on it.

[CP_8530]

I'm interested in the progress, it looks like you're off to a great start.

A note: if you do one of the earlier CN SW1200RS units, you could get away with leaving the steps as-is (anything below 1319 had the standard steps, but anything above 1288 had the later numberboards like in the Juneco kit, so it might be a good idea to pick a unit between those).

I'd probably swap out those older Juneco sideframes for the nicer looking Athearn Flexicoils (part #39020). But if you're just building it with what's on hand...

[jakeloyst]

Thanks MrDan, just using the parts on hand that have been in storage for years, and some extras. Not going to do the trucks, just the shells. This pair will either end up donated to the local rail road club to snap onto the Athearn frame without any modifications, or e-bay for a few bucks. I have sets of the MBE, Athearn, and Smokey Valley (I think) sideframes,and go back and forth with which I think is better.

[jakeloyst]

[img src="http://i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag48/jakeloyst/sw1200rs0i1298.photobucket.com/albums/ag48/jakeloyst/sw1200rs008_zps46d88419.jpg"]09_zps125bd403.jpg[/IMG]

[jakeloyst]

Found a winterization hatch floating around for the Cn, and moved the bell. I have only ever seen one photo of this particular hatch. The side handrails are added, the end ones formed, but left off til painting. Grabs on both sides of the hood have been drilles, as well as on the cab end. Still to be added are the foot boards and pilots, just considering the method, as I wanted to leave this as a quick replacement for a stock Athearn chassis.

[CP_8530]

CN's gotta have some of the funkiest SW's out there. Well, aside from the Cat repowers with the giant spark arrestors and dynamic brakes that Englewood Logging in BC has.

[jakeloyst]

[jakeloyst]

Been working on the pilots and upper grills, I like the idea of depth on the models, so I have cut out the top grill, added a piece of plastic inside the shell, and after painting, will add some kind of detail that looks like rad coils ( dont know what yet). That will give the impression ,of the griil, then the coils, and finally the bottem sheet. The front pilots I have filed down so they are the thickness of the mu section, so that an Athern standard chassis can still be fitted inside the shell. The stepboards, are left over Plano items, cut and trimmed to fit and then glued, to a narrowed Athearn pilot, and the modified Juneco casting is then cemented over top. So far no extra $, just parts from the stock!

[jakeloyst]