EMD SW1

[Anonymous]

Does anyone know where I can get a model of a EMD SW1 in HO scale? Is anyone making this?

[SSW9389]

Roco made a good one in plastic for Walthers about 20 years ago. Watch ebay and train shows for one.

[wgnrr]

Also, AHM made a model of a SW-1, but those are alot 'junkyer' than the Walthers model.

Phil

[jrbernier]

The Walthers model was the best - very good runner and it is 'scale'. The AHM model was sort of off scale, and the drive was quite poor - But it could be reworked. Back in the 60's, Lindburg had a SW1 - not too bad, but the drive was a spring belt afair and it really did not run all that good. I used the hood/cab off of one and mounted it on a Athearn SW7 frame. I reversed the power trucks so they would fit under the SW1 shell and just powered the front truck. I also picked up 3 AHM conversions that had a good can motor/flywheel in them. All that hit the flea markets when the Walthers SW1 came out(I have 2 of them).

Jim

[Anonymous]

How bad are the AHM SW1s? I'd like to get an SW1 and can get an AHM for really cheap. What can they be compared to?(as far as running qualities) If they're that bad, can they easily be repowered with Athearn parts? Would the shell fit an Athearn frame (maybe SW7) ?

[jsoderq]

AHMs are really bad. Way out of scale and terrible drive. Not worth fooling with. Buy a Walthers when you can. You may be able to build some kind of srive, but the body is still bad.

[Anonymous]

just keep an eye on eBay one will turn up sooner or later, be ready to pay $50.00 to $75.00 depending on road name.

[Dave-the-Train]

Didn't P2K do one???

[Anonymous]

Yikes! That's quite a bit. Looks like I won't be getting one for a while.

P2K makes a SW600 I suppose if you swapped the cab it COULD work.

[jrbernier]

  Swapping the cab or even the complete shell will not work.  The SW1 is built on the same frame, but the cab/car body is much shorter.  The drive on the Walthers engine takes this into account and the gear tower are 'inboard' on the trucks. 

BTW - There is one up for bid on the auction site right now(search on 'walthers switcher'....)

Jim 

 

[coborn35]

Thought I would pass this along:

http://cgi.ebay.com/WALTHERS-HO-MILWAUKEE-ROAD-EMD-SW-1-DIESEL-SW1-ENGINE_W0QQitemZ140073869569QQihZ004QQcategoryZ19141QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

[snagletooth]

 its better to save up while trying to find the Walthers version, they are still out there. By the time your done try to kitbash one, you'll have spent almost as much, be frustrated has hell, and no matter how good a modeler you are, probably wont look or run as good as walthers. besides itll probably take a while to find one whule your saving up

[R. T. POTEET]

The Walthers model was the best - very good runner and it is 'scale'. The AHM model was sort of off scale, and the drive was quite poor - But it could be reworked. Back in the 60's, Lindburg had a SW1 - not too bad, but the drive was a spring belt afair and it really did not run all that good. I used the hood/cab off of one and mounted it on a Athearn SW7 frame. I reversed the power trucks so they would fit under the SW1 shell and just powered the front truck. I also picked up 3 AHM conversions that had a good can motor/flywheel in them. All that hit the flea markets when the Walthers SW1 came out(I have 2 of them).

Jim

Funny that you should mention the Lindburg - I thought it was Lindberg but I just don't remember how to spell it - SW.  I joined a club in Taxachusetts when I was assigned their with the Air Force in 1965; they used one of the Lindburg(?) SWs as their "disaster" switcher; whenever new trackwork was laid down they would run that SW over it; if it would negotiate the trackage anything would.

 That is not the end of the story; years later I joined another club and they were using one of those SWs for the very same purpose.

[Milwhiawatha]

Seems there is a want for this kind of locomotive again maybe we should see if Walthers got the tooling for making these. I live near Walthers and know one of the guys who is into research there so I could maybe throw a hint there are modelers looking for it.

[SteamFreak]

There are actually 4 Walthers up for auction now, plus assorted AHM's as you can see in the search results: SW-1. Maybe you should spring for the AHM with the illuminated brakeman.

It looks like Model Power has continued production with the old AHM molds.

Walthers also has a replacement cab that comes with flush-fitting windows and detailed interior: EMD Switcher Cab Kit

[G Paine]

Seems there is a want for this kind of locomotive again maybe we should see if Walthers got the tooling for making these. I live near Walthers and know one of the guys who is into research there so I could maybe throw a hint there are modelers looking for it.

Go for it Milwhiawatha, my Walthers SW-1 is a great runner, one of the best locos I have.

 

[Milwhiawatha]

Seems there is a want for this kind of locomotive again maybe we should see if Walthers got the tooling for making these. I live near Walthers and know one of the guys who is into research there so I could maybe throw a hint there are modelers looking for it.

Go for it Milwhiawatha, my Walthers SW-1 is a great runner, one of the best locos I have.

 

Well the guy i know wasnt in so I'm hoping He is in on Wednesday when I go to pick up some decoder wire and detail parts for the Walthers Diesel shop.

[Jetrock]

The Walthers SW1 is a very sweet runner. The only operating problem I have noted is that it tends to wobble at low speeds (although it does crawl quite well) because the universal joint is basically a length of rubber tubing--although Walthers makes a replacement universal joint to eliminate the problem. Personally I think it's kind of cute.

[Anonymous]

Maybe with Walthers taking on Lifelike, they could do a P2K version.........

[Anonymous]

Yeah. They've already done many of the older switchers such as- SW600, SW8(00) SW900, why not a SW1? Seems to be a growing number of people that want one.

[Milwhiawatha]

OK went to Walthers talkedto a guy at the showroom and I asked him what we need to do if we want this and he said we all need to email Walthers with the request of this locomotive to be reproduced. So if anyone wants one email them under customer support I think thats where I found the email.  Lets get them to do it.