dknelson It is not surprising that Athearn made these mistakes initially -- after all there were few sources of reliable data for this kind of thing at the time, and there was not a cadre of modelers seeking out that data as there is now. Even Model Railroader insisted for a few years in the 1950s that the only difference between a GP7 and GP9 was the GP9 had a dynamic brake blister. It took MR years to admit that all their prototype drawings involving the famous Blomberg truck were very wrong, and some manufacturers followed their "wrong" drawings to the letter. What is surprising is that Athearn persisted in mislabeling their SW1500 and GP9 long after the mistakes had been pointed out and were widely known. Dave Nelson
It is not surprising that Athearn made these mistakes initially -- after all there were few sources of reliable data for this kind of thing at the time, and there was not a cadre of modelers seeking out that data as there is now. Even Model Railroader insisted for a few years in the 1950s that the only difference between a GP7 and GP9 was the GP9 had a dynamic brake blister. It took MR years to admit that all their prototype drawings involving the famous Blomberg truck were very wrong, and some manufacturers followed their "wrong" drawings to the letter.
What is surprising is that Athearn persisted in mislabeling their SW1500 and GP9 long after the mistakes had been pointed out and were widely known.
Dave Nelson
No offense to the memory of Irv Athearn, but that was the way he ran his operation back then. No corrections, no apologies, no comment.
Gary B.
very significantly different... actually very little is the same.
dknelson I never checked to see of RMC had made the same mistake in their drawings. Their Loco 1 the Diesel is to my knoweldge also out of print and it can be a very useful resource if you model pre-1970. Just recently I helped out a buddy who needed to see what a 1965-55 GP40 drawing looked like -- all he had access to were drawings from the later production. Dave Nelson
I never checked to see of RMC had made the same mistake in their drawings. Their Loco 1 the Diesel is to my knoweldge also out of print and it can be a very useful resource if you model pre-1970. Just recently I helped out a buddy who needed to see what a 1965-55 GP40 drawing looked like -- all he had access to were drawings from the later production.
I vaguely remember that when MR Cyc 2 came out, Extra 2200 South reviewed the book, panned it, and suggested that Loco I was a better book.
Dan
Maybe .... but I seem to recall MR "fessed up" before the Cyc Vol 2 came out so perhaps those are corrected drawings in the book (it largely has to do with the arch of the truck between the journals -- MR had relied on a simpified drawing from EMD that was never intended as a technical drawing, so there was a straight line instead of an arch, and to save time they used that initial drawing for all subsequent prototype plans that involved Blomberg trucks, making whatever modifications were needed but keeping that wrong arch. Does anyone know what year MR drawings of the truck can be "trusted" again?
dknelson It took MR years to admit that all their prototype drawings involving the famous Blomberg truck were very wrong, and some manufacturers followed their "wrong" drawings to the letter. Dave Nelson
It took MR years to admit that all their prototype drawings involving the famous Blomberg truck were very wrong, and some manufacturers followed their "wrong" drawings to the letter.
I wonder if this is why Model Railroader Cyclopedia Volume II: Diesel Locomotives is still out of print.
jrbernier Athearn released a model of the SW7(very similar) back in the mid 60's. It was mis-labeled as a SW1500 for many years(until Athearn released a correct SW1500 model). If your SW1500 has a classic EMD deep curved roof, and 'wasp' waist - it is really an SW7. EMD's basic switcher carbody did not change much until the SW1000/SW1500 in 1966. Jim
Athearn released a model of the SW7(very similar) back in the mid 60's. It was mis-labeled as a SW1500 for many years(until Athearn released a correct SW1500 model). If your SW1500 has a classic EMD deep curved roof, and 'wasp' waist - it is really an SW7. EMD's basic switcher carbody did not change much until the SW1000/SW1500 in 1966.
Jim
Atlas/Rivarossi had a similar situation in N scale, where the loco was actually an SW9/SW1200 with angled roof panels on the cab. This was noticed in the MR product review at the time of original release.
jrbernier Athearn released a model of the SW7(very similar) back in the mid 60's. It was mis-labeled as a SW1500 for many years(until Athearn released a correct SW1500 model). If your SW1500 has a classic EMD deep curved roof, and 'wast' waist - it is really an SW7. EMD's basic switcher carbody did not change much until the SW1000/SW1500 in 1966. Athearn also had a 'GP9' that was really a GP7 in their line for many years.... Jim
Athearn released a model of the SW7(very similar) back in the mid 60's. It was mis-labeled as a SW1500 for many years(until Athearn released a correct SW1500 model). If your SW1500 has a classic EMD deep curved roof, and 'wast' waist - it is really an SW7. EMD's basic switcher carbody did not change much until the SW1000/SW1500 in 1966.
Athearn also had a 'GP9' that was really a GP7 in their line for many years....
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
The curve of the roof line is the most obvious difference, and the sides of the cabs are higher due to that. The front headlight and engine number over the grill is different for the SW1500 and the look of the grill itself differs. Vent louvers in the sides differ.
It is always risky generalizing about EMD or other engines but in general ... the SW9 has six louvers in the battery box area; the SW1200 has five except for the earlist production which had 6.
Both used the 567 engine and had 1200 hp. The 1500 had 1500 hp and used the 645 engine.
Do a Google search for both. You will get many hits with links you can store in Favorites.
I have doe that many times when wanting to know more about particular locos.
Rich
If you ever fall over in public, pick yourself up and say “sorry it’s been a while since I inhabited a body.” And just walk away.
I have both SW 9/1200 and SW 1500 switchers. They look basically the same. I would like to know if there are any physical, exterior differences between the two EMD models. I'm thinking that the difference in with the interior equipment (prime movers, electrical, etc.) rather than the exterior but I'm not sure. Also, I have seen SW 1500's that look like MP15's, with the more squared off cab. Is that a newer version of the SW1500?