tstage E-L man tom: I can understand why they want a hefty price for these locos even today. They're well worth the money. Yes they are, Tom. And even more so now that I've converted it to DCC and added a rear headlight. She's a sweet little runner and I enjoy switching with it and watching her "ooze" around the layout. I'm hoping that Walthers will re-release the SW1 and include sound with it. I've been VERY happy with the performance of the Atlas HH600/660 switcher, too. Tom
E-L man tom: I can understand why they want a hefty price for these locos even today. They're well worth the money.
I can understand why they want a hefty price for these locos even today. They're well worth the money.
Yes they are, Tom. And even more so now that I've converted it to DCC and added a rear headlight. She's a sweet little runner and I enjoy switching with it and watching her "ooze" around the layout.
I'm hoping that Walthers will re-release the SW1 and include sound with it. I've been VERY happy with the performance of the Atlas HH600/660 switcher, too.
Tom
Those engines are indeed little known gems in the model switcher category. It is possible to place a Loksound Micro in the cab and have DCC sound! One of my switchers has front and rear lights, a working, strobe on the roof, plus sound. Without a doubt, that little Walther SW1 is a favorite. Of course, I'm biased. I run an SW1 at our local tourist railroad several days a week.
http://www.esnarailway.com/
The Cedar Branch & Western--The Hillbilly Line!
E-L man tom I can understand why they want a hefty price for these locos even today. They're well worth the money.
https://tstage9.wixsite.com/nyc-modeling
Time...It marches on...without ever turning around to see if anyone is even keeping in step.
tstage,
I know what you mean about the Walthers SW1's. I have one as well. It is a great little loco. Back in about 1993 when I bought it new, I originally bought it for my kids for Christmas as it wasn't what I really wanted to get for them. I was going to take it back and get something else when the store owner said that he would advise me to keep it because they were discontinuing that run. I kept it and got something else in the train line for my kids. I can understand why they want a hefty price for these locos even today. They're well worth the money.
BRAKIE Jim,I think he is talking about the calf not having side steps on the end next to the cab unit-not the pilot foot boards. As far as I can determine no calf came with side steps on the end next to the cab unit.
Jim,I think he is talking about the calf not having side steps on the end next to the cab unit-not the pilot foot boards.
As far as I can determine no calf came with side steps on the end next to the cab unit.
I thought he was talking about end steps? No worries. Still the info might be relevant to somem folks.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Larry
Conductor.
Summerset Ry.
"Stay Alert, Don't get hurt Safety First!"
charlie9not to nit pic but, if you look at prototype photos of the calf units you will see they have no steps on the rear end. it would be easy to modify the athearn shells with a bit of sheet styrene. charlie
charlie
That isn't a nitpick, but more of a question of time period isn't it? Didn't the FRA mandate the removal of steps on the ends because of safety? The D&RGW's SW1000's were delivered with steps on the ends, but they were removed sometime in the 1970's IIRC - I"ll have to check photo's to see when.
Athearn offered the D&RGW RTR SW1000's (at least #141 and #144) with fairly era specific details, in their case they did have the steps on the ends, but also spark arrestors and friction bearing trucks. The also did a third number representing a group of SW1000's that were delivered in 1968 with roller bearing trucks. IIRC that model has no end steps either.
Erroneously the D&RGW SW1000's also have MU cables, which need to be removed as they weren't MU'd IIRC and photo's show no MU cables.
Basically check photo's for your time period and RR to see what their practice was, and whether your period was still during the use of end steps (if your Switcher had them ever) or it it was later after they were removed.
OK, I get it.
I thought that maybe there was a difference between the shells of the earliest version of the SW7 (the one that Athearn called the SW1500) and the later one (the one Athearn called/calls the SW7).
So, those are the same, then.
Thank you for posting the comparisons,
Ed
Railing down side of model, lit number board and twin head lights,number boards on front of cab and horn on the cad roof.
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Like all things railroad don't bet the farm..IHB had SW1500s both ways with and without the side railing as did CR and several other railroads.Some roads relocated the horns as well.
SW7 small grill, 2 windows o the cab sides, Single light mount on the front and only rail at front and rear steps. Vents are panelled on the nose. The horn is on the front of the cab.
SW1500 full nose grill, Full nose vents over hood, 4 windows on cab side, Railing down side of model, lit number board and twin head lights,number boards on front of cab and horn on the cad roof.
Cheers...
Chris from down under...
We're all here because we're not all there...
7j43k DSchmitt: Difference between the shells: The SW7 shell- high arch cab roof and louvers on the top of the long hood. The SW1500 shell - shallower arch cab roof and grills on top of the long hood that overlap the sides. I'm not following the "overlap the sides" part. I've got what appears to be an old (outside bearings) cow-and-calf Southern set, and I don't see what you're talking about. I don't see "overlapping". Please explain, Ed
DSchmitt: Difference between the shells: The SW7 shell- high arch cab roof and louvers on the top of the long hood. The SW1500 shell - shallower arch cab roof and grills on top of the long hood that overlap the sides.
Difference between the shells:
The SW7 shell- high arch cab roof and louvers on the top of the long hood.
The SW1500 shell - shallower arch cab roof and grills on top of the long hood that overlap the sides.
I'm not following the "overlap the sides" part. I've got what appears to be an old (outside bearings) cow-and-calf Southern set, and I don't see what you're talking about. I don't see "overlapping".
Please explain,
The grills on the SW7 cow that you have do not overlap the sides. See: http://hoseeker.org/athearnstandardguide2/assemblyinstructions/1athearnsw7cowcalfnd.jpg
The grills on the SW1500 do overlap the sides. See: http://hoseeker.org/athearnstandardguide2/assemblyinstructions/1athearnsw1500sw1000cowcalf1175.jpg
The units with the older style metal trucks can be modified to narrowgauge. I have a centercab switcher that a vendor bashed to HOn3 based on just such a SW chassis. It's a real puller, too.
From what I understand, the new style trucks can't be modified to narrowgauge. This is another reason why people look for the older Athearn units.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
DSchmitt Difference between the shells: The SW7 shell- high arch cab roof and louvers on the top of the long hood. The SW1500 shell - shallower arch cab roof and grills on top of the long hood that overlap the sides.
not to nit pic but, if you look at prototype photos of the calf units you will see they have no steps on the rear end. it would be easy to modify the athearn shells with a bit of sheet styrene.
LensCapOn I believe the original mechanism had metal side frames on the trucks which were the electrical path. The redesigned trucks have plastic side frames with a bright metal strip behind for the electrical path. It's pretty clear if you have seen both.
I believe the original mechanism had metal side frames on the trucks which were the electrical path. The redesigned trucks have plastic side frames with a bright metal strip behind for the electrical path. It's pretty clear if you have seen both.
Yes the early 1966 SW7/1500 had metal side frames and no flywheels.The next generation had metal side frames and the improved "fly wheel drive" and the third generaration has the plastic side frames with the newer motor with flywheels.
The early runs used the Jet motors..
Way back (it's an outside bearing version), I bought a Southern cow and calf. I wired the two units together so the set has 16 wheel pickup. It NEVER stalls. I really enjoy running it.
Athearn also manufactured 'calf ' aka B units, as seen here. Often referred to, as a Cow and Calf .
Non Profit Train Video Review Information.
William
The information given above will show you some of the physical differences between the newer SW1500 and the original SW7/1500. Note also that there were original versions of the SW7/1500 and updated versions of the same loco that had to do with drive train changes. You can see some of these differences if you access the HOSeeker website: http://www.hoseeker.org/athearn.htm. Scroll through the Athearn models.
A more reliable way to identify the models is if what you are looking for includes the original box. Back in the year 2000 the Walthers catalog listed both the SW7 and the SW1500. Walthers uses their own prefix plus the manufacturers part number to list items. The prefix for Athearn would be 140-, followed by the number on the kit box. The undecorated SW7 was 140-4001. So the Athearn kit number for that loco would be 4001. The numbers went up consecutively to 4013. There were also unpowered units with kit numbers from 4051 to 4063.
The SW1500 units were numbered 3900 up through 3909, and 3933 through 3943. There were also unpowered units listed which I won't bother going into unless someone has a need to know.
Paint schemes are not a reliable way to differentiate because there were common road names between the two models that might vary only because the actual paint scheme had a difference. For example, the SW7 is shown as available in Conrail and the SW1500 is shown as Conrail-Quality Logo.
Hopefully the above info is useful.
Regards
The photo in GP39's post is the SW7 shell.
I tried to sell my two cents worth, but no one would give me a plug nickel for it.
I don't have a leg to stand on.
leewal,
If you're interested in SW switchers, in general, the older Walthers/Roco SW1 switchers are real jewels and have wonderful low-speed response. I converted one to DCC about a year ago and it will crawl at 0.33 sMPH.
The one downside to them is that - even though they are 20+ years old (1991 release) - they still fetch a pretty penny on places like eBay. You can find deals if you poke around though.
Brass flywheels and gold motor on the later production.
Shells are not a reliable means to date the units.
This Burlington body is from the 1960's.
It is mounted on an 80's built Athearn drive.
I'm looking for an older Athearn SW1500/SW7. I know that Athearn originally sold their switcher as an SW1500 and later renamed it SW7 when their new, accurately named, 1500 was produced. Is there a sure way of identifying the old from the new? On e-bay they seem interchangeable. Maybe there are road names and/or road numbers that can psoitively identify them.