Athearn F7A parts

Athearn is definitely in business still and has all of the parts for that model available for repair stuff. The coupler has changed a bit from the '50s era models to today models. The one that I am most familiar is the metal pocket with a stepped (at the top) pin in the middle of the pocket and a spring steel clip that goes over the pocket. This works well with the X2F coupler but not with Kadee couplers. McHenery couplers are plastic so they will work - you don't want to have any electrical connection between the frame and the couplers or you will have strange shorts.

-- Bob May

rmay at nethere.com http: slash /nav.to slash bobmay http: slash /bobmay dot astronomy.net

For the older F7s, I have some answers, but if this is the newer Genesis unit my advice probably doesn't apply.

Anyway - Walthers sells a diesel dress-up kit that has better windows than Athearn supplied for the F7s, I believe it's still available. It has windows, handrails, horns, etc.

As to the couplers, you're really better off drilling and tapping for a 2-56 screw, and then mounting Kadee couplers. I used a #5 in front, and (I think) one of the #40-series in back to get a bit closer coupling. The Athearn mounts use plastic clips, which are easy to snap off but don't really provide a good long-term mounting, especially for Kadees or similar.

- Steven Rio Grande Southern pages -