American Chassis.

"peter abraham" wrote

Probably Athearn.

John.

Ta!

Pity the person who modified it didn't use the almost right Athearn PA chassis.

It was bought as a sell off item in Bodmin but the owner did not know the maker. it was very cheap.

Later this morning I spied an identical new motor for sale on Australian eBay - which I bought. It was stated to be - as John said

- Athearn.

Northwest Shortline, not Athearn.

That should read "Sounds like a Northwest ShortLine drive in an Athearn frame."

Sorry about that.

Do you have a pic?

I had hoped to have one by now but fotopic have not opened my account yet! I am loath to post it on the Rail newsgroup.

"peter abraham" wrote

Post on Usenet group alt.binaries.pictures.rail - it's rail orientated and the group has had model pictures posted in the past.

John.

I am now able to show the chaasis in all its glory on:

Well they are a bit fuzzy I'm afraid.

However, for my 2p worth I think its an Athearn chassis as it looks very similar to a couple I have.

Chris Packman

Railway Pictures Website

Standard Athearn chassis, what made you think its a 7 pole motor? Keith

"peter abraham" wrote

Looks like a slightly modified Athearn chassis to me Peter, with some hard wiring rather than the spring metal electrical connections.

John.

Good enough to confirm that it's a recent Athearn drive, as suggested by other posters.

You got a good deal. These are very rugged drives.

Rugged perhaps, but Athearn are now considered an "entry level" drive whereas, 20 years ago, they were the best rtr available.

Although I model 1958 and don't really follow the present or recent past modelling trends, judging by the fuel tanks, it does look like an Athearn SD40-2 chassis.

Big enough to go about 1000 miles between fuelings, which is what North America railways aim for.

-- Cheers

Roger T.

Home of the Great Eastern Railway

Thanks Guys, My camera is not good at close shots but a real stunner on life in the real! I really must look into the why's etc.

The hard wire is my addition as the flying spring pick-up is a little weak and was the only fault in the rig.

Can you get spares like wheel sets or frame irons in the UK? The only listed stockist for France is in Belgium. I have a spare motor coming from Aus.

"Roger T." wrote

I got my first Athearn loco in the mid-1970s and from memory it was an Espee SD-9. Even thirty years ago the drive which was fitted to that 'cheap' import was as good (if not better) than the current best offerings from Hornby & Bachmann here in the UK.

I remember setting the loco running at the lowest speed possible with the control gear of that era, and the SD-9 (without any hint of stalling) took over an hour to traverse one yard of Peco flexi-track!

John.

The guys who look after the display layout in the Pinewood Hotel in North Bay told me the Athearns (pre-China manufacture) were the most rugged drives, with Kato and Kato-built Atlas a distant second, but still very good. Lifelike, recent Atlas, and such, run very nicely, but don't last. Mind you, that layout is operated by a pushbutton, and everyone who goes by pushes the button. I reckon the locos average 6 hours a day, 365 days.

The drive in question is smooth, but does draw more power than Kato et al. It's quite a bit better than the drives of the 70s and early 80s.