I have three HO Athearn F-45’s that I want to keep using. My problem is that most of my power is Kato, P2K, Atlas, etc. (all the high dollar equipment) I know that I can change out the engine to a Kato but what about the gearing? Changing the engine isn’t enough. Can I re-gear Athearn trucks or do I need to use another kind. Can a Kato SD-45’s trucks with their gears fit onto an Athearn blue box chasse? Can anybody help me with this problem?
-Zak
Your in luck. As long as its an F45 and not the longer FP-45 simply mount the F-45 shell on a Kato or P2k SD45 Chassis and Mechinism. as the F45 is mechanicly an SD45 with a coweled Body.
James
You know, I new that the F-45 was an SD-45 but I didn’t know if you could do the conversion over in Models. So all I have to do is get an SD-45 chassis and I’m good?
Yep because from the frame down both locos are the same. You might have to tinker with the shell a little to get the different manufacurors chassis to mount up and stay mounted. But we are taalking like maybe a screw through the coupler box into a pad added into the pilot or something. Nothing super complicated.
James
Sweet! James, thanks for the infor. Good to hear from you again. I guess now I have to go spend another $100+ for an SD-45 three times.
What ever works for you, Would you be willing to donate your Athearn Chassis and Mechinsim to a good cause?
James
If I can’t find a use for them, then sure. I’ll let you know.
I never had any issuses running blue boxes with other brands of locomotives. I will just place the faster running units ahead of the slower ones and let work = force X distance and ohms law sort it out, it always has on DC. If you have DCC it’s no issue, you just spend some time and program all your units to run alike, ie same top speed and set the start voltage and voltage step curve and that usually fixes any problems. Fred
Fred,
You know I did hear that you could program you engine on DCC. I’m not running DCC yet, but I look to, so I don’t know all the tricks to it. Some guys say that blue boxes us too many amps. would this cause a problem for running my trains? I know that keeping my engine the way it is and just programing it when I get DCC would be a lot cheeper.
Zak,
James gave you a good alternative. Sometimes you can find Kato SD45s on Ebay for good prices.
Another alternative that is a bit cheaper and will also give you top of the line performance is to go with a Proto Power West chassis. Comes complete with the high quality Mashima motor already insulated from the frame, weights, brass flywheels, Athearn trucks, with polished gears.
Check it out at: http://www.ppw-aline.com/LocoChassis.htm
Cost is $80 for the EMD Cowls. I have 4 FP45s and am going to buy one of these chassis to compare to an FP45 that I’m going to repower myself. I’m going DCC, so I want a top notch motor and drive in these units.
The feedback that I’ve heard on PPW chassis has all been very positive.
I just checked out that Proto Power West website. That is cool. I’ll have to spend some more time on it though. Antonio, I’m with you, I just want good power. I want to keep all of my blue boxes because I’ve put a lot of time and effort into them. I’ve tried cleaning them and they still suck. I believe that it is out with the old and in with the new with these old Chassis
If they are old they may just need a new motor which will fix any amp draw issuses. The replacement motors sold will fix them right up. Money is ususally an issue with me so for what two chassis costs from Kato you could buy a decent DCC. Fred