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Detail parts (handrails) for Athearn Diesel "fixer-upper"

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  • Member since
    January 2014
  • 197 posts
Detail parts (handrails) for Athearn Diesel "fixer-upper"
Posted by ChrisVA on Thursday, August 31, 2023 3:49 AM

I saw this loco on eBay. It is an old Athearn UP switcher

https://www.ebay.com/itm/276018118342?_trkparms=amclksrc%3DITM%26aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160811114145%26meid%3D681d77ef6c5e450a93f50fbcfb86bd2d%26pid%3D100667%26rk%3D8%26rkt%3D8%26sd%3D204423337083%26itm%3D276018118342%26pmt%3D0%26noa%3D1%26pg%3D2351460%26brand%3DAthearn&_trksid=p2351460.c100667.m2042

Questions:

What is the make/model of this diesel?

If I were to take it on as a fix-up project, where could I get the missing handrails that are mentioned in the description?
Thanks!

 

 

  • Member since
    June 2014
  • From: Ohio
  • 231 posts
Posted by josephbw on Thursday, August 31, 2023 8:17 AM

You could do what I did. I bought some wire and used my needle nose pliers to make my own handrails. It was pretty easy and very therapeutic.

Joe

  • Member since
    March 2011
  • 1,950 posts
Posted by NVSRR on Thursday, August 31, 2023 8:51 AM

Sw1500

A pessimist sees a dark tunnel

An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel

A realist sees a frieght train

An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
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Posted by SeeYou190 on Thursday, August 31, 2023 9:54 AM

Genuine Athearn handrail kits sell for about 12-20 dollars on eBay.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    December 2004
  • From: Bedford, MA, USA
  • 21,484 posts
Posted by MisterBeasley on Thursday, August 31, 2023 11:27 AM

I found a set of handrails on a rack at my former LHS.  They were in a bag with a manufacturer's name, but no indication of what engine they were for.  They were only a couple of dollars, so I figured I could use them.  As it turned out, they fit an old Athearn BB GP9 I had gutted and made into a running sound dummy.

It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse. 

  • Member since
    January 2007
  • 283 posts
Posted by Lee 1234 on Thursday, August 31, 2023 3:11 PM

PPW A-Line has Blue Box stanchions.  Looks like they also have the original tooling to make up any BlueBox hardrail set you want.

Lee

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • 8,908 posts
Posted by maxman on Thursday, August 31, 2023 9:07 PM

If the below is the model you have (RTR SW1500), the following is the part drawing from HOSEEKER.net.

Looking at the original posted picture, it appears that more is missing beside the hand rails: lift bars; signal hoses; train line;  windshield wipers.

 

  • Member since
    March 2012
  • 1,162 posts
Posted by PC101 on Thursday, August 31, 2023 9:45 PM

From what I see in the OP's post. It has horn-hook couplers and holes for the handrails in the side sill of the walkway.

Athearn #140-3933 UP yellow, gray with red strip.

I did not find it in the 1992 Walthers catalog. 

It is listed in the 1997 Walthers catalog for $35.75.

In 1997 it did not come with lift bars, signal hoses, train line or windshield wipers.

I did not look in the catalogs between 1992 and 1997. (edit: it is listed in the 1993 Walthers catalog as ''NEW'', so it could/would have been on the market back in 1992.

The SW1000 and SW1500 listed handrail set part #140-39015 was $4.00 in 1997. It is not clear if handrail stancions were included. There is a listing for short #140-10424 and long #140-10425 stanchions.

Make and model (for real), General Motors Electro-Motive Division (EMD) built 1966 to 1974.

 

 

  • Member since
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  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
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Posted by wjstix on Friday, September 1, 2023 9:48 AM

If you can't get the handrails from Athearn directly, your best bet might just be to keep an eye out on Ebay and at model railroad flea markets to see if you can pick up an old SW1500 dummy unit. It will have the handrails for your unit, and probably won't cost much more than it would be to buy the actual handrail set from Athearn and pay for shipping to get it to you.

Stix

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