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Old HO stock

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  • Member since
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  • From: New England (Cape Cod)
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Posted by DonRicardo on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 2:18 PM
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Posted by Llenroc fan on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 12:34 PM

I tried going to the "start a conversation" tool but it will not allow me to fill in anything.  If you really would like to get rid of them, as I said, I'll have some fun this winter working on them.  I will be interesting to see what can be "modernized" and used.

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Posted by DonRicardo on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 9:44 AM

wjstix

 

 
DonRicardo

I have six cars, a combine, a dome, an observation, a baggage, a sleeper and a passenger car, but only interiors for one, plus the dome car interior (seats). The chassis are complete, but have rapido couplers. The missing parts are the interiors.

 The dome car has two cracked window partitioners that are there but need to be glued/repired.

 

 

You said in the first post these were Athearn cars, but Athearn never made interiors for their HO passenger cars. There are manufacturers who make either kits or now 3-D printed one-piece interiors for the cars however. I have bought several off different sellers on Ebay.

However, your mention of Rapido couplers now has me thinking...Rapido, the Canadian model manufacturer, does make HO couplers that their own models come from the factory with. But they aren't that common as an after-market item on other brand cars.

Are you talking about old N-scale models, with the old Arnold-Rapido horn hook couplers?

 

 

The interiors were after markets, these are HO scale I have six cars but only two interiors, one for the dome upper seating and one for the sleeper...can't find the rest.

These were from my HO days, we're not talking years, but decades ago. When I purchased these, rapido couplers were the standard, DCC was just starting and not common. I don't recall the scale length of thses cars, they are standard size probably 75'.  They are undecorated except one, that body painted silver. All the glazing is present, with plastic four wheel trucks, the wheels being metal.

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Posted by wjstix on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 9:31 AM

DonRicardo

I have six cars, a combine, a dome, an observation, a baggage, a sleeper and a passenger car, but only interiors for one, plus the dome car interior (seats). The chassis are complete, but have rapido couplers. The missing parts are the interiors.

 The dome car has two cracked window partitioners that are there but need to be glued/repired.

You said in the first post these were Athearn cars, but Athearn never made interiors for their HO passenger cars. There are manufacturers who make either kits or now 3-D printed one-piece interiors for the cars however. I have bought several off different sellers on Ebay. Otherwise, you might be thinking of a different HO brand, like AHM/Rivarossi? (If so the cars will have "Rivarossi" embossed on the bottom.) Their cars did sometimes come with a one-piece plastic interior, sometimes not.

However, your mention of Rapido couplers now has me thinking...Rapido, the Canadian model manufacturer, does make HO couplers that their own models come from the factory with. But they aren't that common as an after-market item on other brand cars.

Are you talking about old N-scale models, with the old Arnold-Rapido horn hook couplers?

 

Stix
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Posted by DonRicardo on Wednesday, October 12, 2022 9:17 AM

I have six cars, a combine, a dome, an observation, a baggage, a sleeper and a passenger car, but only interiors for one, plus the dome car interior (seats). The chassis are complete, but have rapido couplers. The missing parts are the interiors.

There are ten freight cars with one missing a coupler, all of these are rapido couplers, with plastic trucks and wheels. There is also a LifeLike MBTA  FP40 dummy with light (#1004), that has two cracks on the body (repairable, and that needs couplers. These are two tankers, a coal Gondola with a plastic coal load, a stock car, two godolas with no loads, the rest being reefers.

All of these look good, but could use some detailing.

The AHM RS2 is Santa Fe number 2009 with rapido couplers. None of the locos are DCC. The AHM and Walthers have room to add DCC but they were not DCC ready.

 The dome car has two cracked window partitioners that are there but need to be glued/repired.

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Posted by Llenroc fan on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 9:37 AM

If noone else is interested, I'll pay postage and have some fun trying to restore/reclaim what is of value in the lot.

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Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 9:21 AM

DonRicardo
I have an old Walthers FP-40, phase III that no longer runs, can not locate parts list or diagrams.

When you apply power, does anything happen? Does the headlight come on? Does the motor make any noise? It may be something as simple as a wire coming loose so the motor isn't getting any power. Never hurts to 'pop the hood' and take a look.

I assume this is actually a Walthers F40PH? Walthers sold those for a long time, it was most recently reintroduced as part of their "Mainline" series in 2015 (see link). If the motor has actually gone bad, I would check with Walthers parts & warranty dept. They don't have an online parts order area like some manufacturers, but I have had good luck just e-mailing them saying what I needed.

https://www.trains.com/mrr/news-reviews/reviews/staff-reviews/walthers-mainline-ho-scale-f40ph/

https://www.walthers.com/contact-us

 

Stix
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Posted by DonRicardo on Tuesday, October 11, 2022 8:31 AM

Actually, I hate to see things go to waste. If I can't get the locos to run, I'll make a static display. The passenger cars are complete, just need painted, assembled, and they look good.

If anyone is interested, for the cost of shipping I'll send the whole lot out.

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Posted by doctorwayne on Monday, October 10, 2022 11:03 AM

I think you're right, Kevin...sounds as if he wants to fix 'em up, and maybe sell them to make a little dough, for needs on his N scale pike.

Wayne

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Monday, October 10, 2022 10:34 AM

NVSRR
Is this a parts search for Ho or n scale?  The op said he is in n scale now.

The title of the thread is "Old HO Stock", so I assumed he was talking about HO scale leftovers from the switch to N scale.

Hopefully the OP will let us know.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by wjstix on Monday, October 10, 2022 8:54 AM

SeeYou190
 
DonRicardo
I need couplers, and plan on using knuckle couplers. They are original black as they came in the kits. These are old stock I had buried in my closet and forgot about from layouts I built decades ago.

Stix
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Posted by NVSRR on Monday, October 10, 2022 8:15 AM

Is this a parts search for Ho or n scale?  The op said he is in n scale now. 

shane

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

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Posted by mobilman44 on Monday, October 10, 2022 8:06 AM

Most Athearn parts (or models for parts) are usually readily available on Ebay.  I've sold a bunch of them two years ago.  

For folks with a narrow budget or smaller layout, Athearn passenger cars are great!  You can apply American Limited (?) diagphrams, KDs (#5 or long shank), and even a repaint/decal job - especially on heavyweights.  

One of my favorite trains for many years was an AHM ATSF Pacific and 7 heavyweight cars - all fixed up with new olive drab paint and decals, diagphrams and KDs....  

For the other items, if you can't find directions/parts anywhere else, just post a pic or two of what you are working on and I'm sure you will find plenty of help here.

ENJOY  !

 

Mobilman44

 

Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, October 9, 2022 9:32 PM

DonRicardo
I need couplers, and plan on using knuckle couplers. They are original black as they came in the kits. These are old stock I had buried in my closet and forgot about from layouts I built decades ago.

I think Kadee #5 will work fine in the Athearn coupler boxes. There are improvements that could be done, but the good-old Kadee #5 in an Athearn box is always good enough.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

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Posted by DonRicardo on Sunday, October 9, 2022 8:24 PM

doctorwayne

 I need couplers, and plan on using knuckle couplers. They are original black as they came in the kits. These are old stock I had buried in my closet and forgot about from layouts I built decades ago.

 
SeeYou190
Athearn passenger cars are missing parts? They don't have very many parts. Bodies, floors, brake wheels, windows, trucks, wheels, couplers, coupler covers, and a few screws.

 

Other than the passenger car bodies, pretty-well everything else can be bought (and not necessarily from Athearn) or scratchbuilt - I'm doing a couple of such cars for a friend, and have everything I need on-hand.

Wayne

 

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Posted by DonRicardo on Sunday, October 9, 2022 8:21 PM

SeeYou190

 Couplers...all windows, trucks are there

 
DonRicardo
Any idea where to get schematics and parts for any of this?  I would like to finish the passenger cars.

 

Athearn passenger cars are missing parts? They don't have very many parts.

Bodies, floors, brake wheels, windows, trucks, wheels, couplers, coupler covers, and a few screws.

What is missing from these?

-Kevin

 

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Posted by doctorwayne on Sunday, October 9, 2022 12:09 PM

SeeYou190
Athearn passenger cars are missing parts? They don't have very many parts. Bodies, floors, brake wheels, windows, trucks, wheels, couplers, coupler covers, and a few screws.

Other than the passenger car bodies, pretty-well everything else can be bought (and not necessarily from Athearn) or scratchbuilt - I'm doing a couple of such cars for a friend, and have everything I need on-hand.

Wayne

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Posted by dknelson on Sunday, October 9, 2022 11:26 AM

Although in their day both AHM and Athearn Blue Box had extensive parts inventories and AHM even had a parts catalog, those days are over.  Athearn has parts for current production and a few things for older stuff, so visiting their website might still be productive.  If the original couplers missing were "horn hook" or X2F originals, it will be difficult to find commercial sources for AHM since their couplers were highly proprietary.  General sources in the Walthers catalog might serve for Athearn Blue Box.  Now would be the time to convert to Kadee or Kadee compatible.  If you know someone who has converted to Kadees just maybe they kept their old horn hooks rather than throw them away (which is what I did).  So asking around at NMRA divisional meets might be beneficial.

As mentioned in a recent issue of MR, at some point for older stuff the best source for parts might be looking for the same or similar model at a swap meet.  That might be the most reasonable solution for that Walthers F40PH.  Even when parts were actively marketed they weren't necessarily cheap, and I have seen AHM RS-2s selling very cheaply at swap meets.

Dave Nelson

 

 

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Posted by SeeYou190 on Sunday, October 9, 2022 9:46 AM

DonRicardo
Any idea where to get schematics and parts for any of this?  I would like to finish the passenger cars.

Athearn passenger cars are missing parts? They don't have very many parts.

Bodies, floors, brake wheels, windows, trucks, wheels, couplers, coupler covers, and a few screws.

What is missing from these?

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    June 2002
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Posted by drgwcs on Sunday, October 9, 2022 7:44 AM

Check out www.HOseeker.com for engine diagrams and other assembly instructions. Parts are going to be harder. You would need to contact Walthers on the loco but they do not carry a whole lot of parts for past models. I would lube the loco first and check for cracked gears. For the couplers on the AHM McHenry makes snap in knuckle couplers. You want the one for Rivorossi locos and rolling stock. Horn hook replacements will be hard to find as long out of production and favor perhaps ebay. 

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  • From: New England (Cape Cod)
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Old HO stock
Posted by DonRicardo on Sunday, October 9, 2022 6:45 AM

I have an old Walthers FP-40, phase III that no longer runs, can not locate parts list or diagrams.

I have five old Athearn 85' passenger cars blue box kits, an RS-3 Alco Conrail, #9611, missing grab rails and knuckle couplers, and a old AHM RS-2 missing couplers.

AHM RS-2, Conrail 9611 run very well.

I have an old Macy's Christmas set with a Prairie loco and four cars.

Due to space restrictions, I am now into n scale.

Any idea where to get schematics and parts for any of this?

 I would like to finish the passenger cars, and repair the locomotives.

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