I have an Athearn SW1500 from 1975 that runs great (few hours) ( is this actually an SW7?) but stalls on the frog of an Atlas “Custom-Line” No 6 switch. Is there any way to make this engine an 8 wheel drive? I want to use it in a switch yard and stalling on frogs is no good. I have had this unit a long time and even though I have not had a layout until now and I really want to make it work. Any help will be greatly appreciated.
Larry, I’m kind of rusty when it comes to HO. I haven’t done it for over 20 years. But if I remember correctly, that Athearn engine has all wheel drive and all wheel pick up. As for the switch, don’t the custom lines have the metal frogs? If they do have the metal frogs, are you powering them through a set of contacts? The thing about Atlas switches is I don’t think they route power very well through the points.
If you are having trouble, you may consider switching brands of switches. The alternative is to power the closure rails and frog with contacts.
Well, if the loco does have all-wheel contact, then one of the trucks must have an open wiper or something like that. In other words, the loco should maintain power if the frog is dead because the other truck is still supposed to receive power from the tracks upon which it rests while the lead truck passes over the frog. Seems to me that one set of wipers is not making contact.
Four choices with the Athearn switches.
- Power the frog.
- File the frog so it is the same height as the adjoining rail.
- Use Peco
- Build your own.
Powering the frog will make the switch more reliable for all engines.
Filing the frog will stop the non-powered frog from lifting the engine and breaking contact.
Several advocates for options 3 and 4 and I’ll let them tell you why they champion either one.
Before doing anything to your switches as suggested by mstein,what brand of switches do you have ? I am puzzled why you are having problems…I have used Atlas switches and Athearn switchers for years and never had any problems…
Your Athearn switcher has a problem. These engines have ‘all wheel’ pickup. I suspect one of the metal contacts that run from the top of the motor to the trucks is either loose, bent, or corroded. Pop off the shell and snap off the metal contact piece and clean it up, then adjust it so that it makes contact with the pickup on top of the trucks. Also, clean the wheels as the ‘sintered’ wheels get real dirty, very fast.
Atlas Customline switches have an insulated frog. If this is a new one, it is metal and can be powered via a switch machine contact or by using a Caboose Industries ground throw(#220) with the electical switch built into it. My layout has 43 Atlas Customline switches & I have no problems with Athearn engines stalling on the frogs.
Jim
Jim