I purchased a few years ago a Athearn SW-1500 that was custom painted by a professional in Southern Railway colors. My question is- could I purchased a new undecorated Athearn SW1500 that just came out with a better motor and mechanism(which is what I understand) and place the old shell from my original SW-1500 that I purchased a few years ago and that shell would fit the new motor mechanism. Does anybody know if that is workable or did Athearn change the body of the motor mechansim in its new production so the old shell would not fit. I needed to know. I would appreciate some insight from any of you. Thank you very much.
Athearn has replaced the Blue Box SW1500 with a Ready to Roll version. It might be possible to replace motor in your model with a newer Athearn motor.
For a while some years ago Athearn refered to their SW7 as a SW1500 I’m assuming you are refering to the SW1500 modern version.
If you have both engines in hand, try it out.
The newer one has a much better drive, Mashima motor, and separate headlights front and rear.
If it doesn’t work, you might be able to retrofit the new drive into your old frame, or just put a better motor in the old frame. http://ppw-aline.com/re-power.htm
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WSOR, are you sure about the new Athearn unit having a Mashima motor? Or do you just mean it has a better motor. I have one of the most recent SD40s and a pretty recent AC 4400. Those aren’t the Mashima you mean are they? I’m running those for the time being, but they’re on the ‘when I get to it’ repower list as I have about 8 blue box diesels being repowered and about 7 motors at present.
I would LOVE to find out that’s really a Mashima in the new switcher, and that Athearn is using Mashima in all their offerings from now on.
Furthermore, if they just make their trucks the way Kato or Atlas does, but keep their superior sideframe Athearn would be the leader again.
I know the MP15ACs, and I’m pretty sure the newest SW1000-1500 have the Mashima motors. They are quite small, to fit in the available space. Here is the inside of a MP15AC.
I don’t know if better motors are going into the bigger engines.
The Genesis MP15AC also has Atlas-Kato style trucks, but with the Athearn sideframes. I believe the Genesis F-units have a similar setup.