Will an Athearns New SD40-2 Body fit a blue box frame? I have 5 of the blue box SD40-2 and converted to CN wide cabs. One of the SD40-2W body fell apart, so I need a new Body and all I can find is new style bodys
No, for Athearn BB SD40-2 the body is held to the frame by side tabs. The new models the body is held to the frame by the coupler pockets. I am building a fleet of SD40-2 as they were the mainstay of my 1980s era Kansas City Southern. I have picked up a lot of old Athearn BB SD40-2 shells, full locomotives and various parts on Ebay for very reasonable prices, including undecorated units.
The newer SD40-2 units run and sound a lot better with the hex drive. I have tried to tune the older units up. Some work OK and some don't. I am pulling the guts out of some of the older units and just equiping them with a digitrax sound only decoder to run in a consist with other locomotives. Nice sound effect without the cost of putting sound in the entire consist. Also I don't need the power in a four unit lash up.
Jim, Modeling the Kansas City Southern Lines in HO scale.