HO Chassis Interchangeability
Question 1
I would appreciate any and all input on how many manufactures have common chassis for different loco models. I found this on e*ay;
If this is true how many other company’s do the same thing?
Question 2
Any knowledge on different manufacturers shells fitting other manufactures chassis? Example. Proto 2000 S-12 guts working with Athearn blue box S-12 shell?
A little background about my interest in this topic.
I model fallen
Generally, model producers like to replicate the prototype the best they can, so if 2 prototype locomotives have different wheelbases, the model will too and no shell from a different loco will be compatible.
Example: GP7’s 9’ etc will not fit on GP38’s and 40’s etc, but they will tend to fit with each other because the wheelbases are the same. A GP35 is a different wheelbase than both. And an Alco RS-11 shell will generally fit on an RS-32/36 frame because of the similar wheelbases.
Proto doesn’t make an S-12. But Bowser, Stewart, and Athearn do. In this case, the wheelbases of the locomotives are the same, but the models’ drivetrain’s could be different because different producers have different designs of the innards. The shapes of the inner weights, the lighting pipes, etc, could all be different, so its doubtful that shells from 2 different manufacturers of the same locomotive will be an easy interchangeable fit.
Having said that, with a little nip and tuck to some of the innards and shell mounts, shells from different producers of models of the same loco will tend to fit.
But its generally a learning process to know for sure which different model locos are compatible.
Having not done it, I don’t really know but the mounting of the shell is purely proprietary. A millimeter here or there in the dimensions of the shell could be a huge problem.
One option, used by Howard Zane, is to have your railroad lease power from another railroad, with the model you want.
I have one to offer, although I doubt that it will be of much use nowadays.
A friend, who’s a CNR modeller, wanted me to paint a Rivarossi C-Liner for him, in the CNR green & gold paint scheme.
When I got the model, I did a few detail upgrades, but found it to be a very poor runner.
I wondered about re-motoring it, but that would have left it with the original drive train…and probably no improvement in performance.
Instead, I took it to a nearby hobby shop, and began to look at the other diesels that were available, comparing wheel bases and other features.
I discovered that the Stewart (now Bowser) Baldwin AS-16 had an appropriate wheelbase and trucks with removeable sideframes. At the same shop, they also had Detail Associates C-Liner sideframes.
This conversion was done quite a few years ago, so I don’t recall exactly what modifications I had to make to the Rivarossi body shell, but it wasn’t anything complicated, as it was easy to remove or re-install the body shell on the new frame.
While more recently-released C-Liners have better details and probably better running characteristics, this one turned into a decent runner, and not all-that-bad of a looker, too…
Wayne
I don’t think P2K made an S-12 - do you mean maybe the Stewart/Bowser chassis?
A lot of the BB smaller locos are oversize, because they tended to use the same chassis for more than oen loco. Early models liek the BB Gepps are also extra wide, the older black motors were a lot wider than the newer gold colored ones. Byt themselves it’s not real noticeable, but coupled up with a new Athearn model that is the correct width, or another make like P2K that is the correct width, it’s easy to see how much wider the old BB loco is.Issues like this will tend to cause fitment problems putting the wider body on the narrower chassis, or vice-versa.
Depending on the road - just take the complete loco and repaint it. I’m somewhat lucky in that Reading switchers were Pullman Green with a balck underframe, n crazy stripes or anything. Doesn’t get much easier to paint, so if I want more than were available factory painted, or a loco that wasn’t offered factory painted for Reading, it’s a simple as you can get paint job.
–Randy
Hi Bumpy Jack.
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This is a difficult question. I believe what you are asking is are frames from one manufacturer the same as frames from another manufacturer, and thus interchangeable?
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With very few exceptions, the answer will be no.
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There were some Bowser locomotives that either had frames made by Athearn, or were perfect clones. Some of the drive components of some Proto 2000 locomotives are Athearn clones, but many are not.
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Overland made upgrade frames for many Athearn and Rail Power Product shells, but whether or not they were actually improvements is a matter for debate.
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Theoretically, as pointed out, locomotives with the same wheelbase could use the same frame, but the way the shell is manufactured could make this difficult.
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-Kevin
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I have swapped shells on quite a few locomotives with success. I would think that the same type of locomotives should be very close to the same dimensions. I have interchanged several E7 shells on several frames. Model Power, Proto shells fit the Athearn SD40-2 frames. The Bowser E7 cast metal bodies are made to fit the Athearn SD40-2 frame as do the Hobbytown metal bodies. The Proto E7 slips on the Model Power E7 frame.
If the manufacturer made their models to accurate scale they should be interchangeable with a bit of modification.
I kitbashed a pair of Athearn frames to fit the Rivarossi Krauss Maffei ML-4000 shells. The Rivarossi diesels leave a lot to be desired to be a good puller. The Athearn frame makes the Rivarossi shell run great with good pulling power.
The Rivarossi diesels only power two axles on the rear truck. The shortened Athearn PA frame make the Krauss Maffei a very good locomotive with all wheel power driving wheels as well as all wheel power pickup.
It’s definitely a case by case situation, but a lot of them can be adapted by doing a bit of grinding. I managed to fit an atlas RS-3 shell over a Roundhouse RS-3 frame (don’t ask why, it’s a long story). The best approach is to ask on this forum or to seek info on a specific loco to see if others have done it. For example, I read that one could swap the shell of an old MDC boxcab for a Bachmann 45 tonner. Did that and did the same for the MDC climax A. Also managed to put a BB Athearn under a Bowser aerotrain when I learned that someone else had done it. But I did do some exploration on my own: I succesfully managed to put an AHM SW1 (?) truck set under an old Fleischmann Baldwin switcher.
To me, making things fit is the easy part - what I find difficult is making the assembly easily removable for maintenance later…
Simon
Simon
I bought an assortment of 2mm brass spacers/coupling nuts off eBay for making mounts to keep shells on locomotives and passenger cars after kitbashing.
They also sell them in plastic and Nylon. Very handy for numerous projects.
I glue the nuts to the shells with either JB Kwik, CA or Loctite Plastic Bonder (Nylon, Delrin or pp5 plastics).
2M/3M soldering lugs make good screw brackets.
One other thing to note is that some shells changed hands or appeared in several brands, so they may be compatible across the years.
For example, the Kader built Lionel GP30 shell is the same as the early standard Bachman GP30 shell and -though the attachment points are different- will fit on top of a Spectrum body and also on top of the current Standard standard Bachman (same as Spectrum but with different lighting equipment).
Also, some Athearn frames were used with a couple of different bodies so there is some cross compatibiltiy. I’ve got to check, but I think the frame on either the early wide-body SD40-2 or SD45 had were compatible with another model as well.
I can recommend a look at the Hobbytown drive chassis most of their drives were made to adapt to different body shells . In their kits you can change length center to center spacing on trucks and sideframes can be swapped out.
I have built their switcher chassis and changed sideframes to Alco Blunt sideframes and also EMD flexicoil sideframes. This switcher kit comes with AAR B truck sidframes.
The cab unit chassis can have truck spacing changed to fit EMD Funit, Alco FA1, Alco FA2 FM Cliner and Baldwin Sharknose.
I have used their universal road switcher chassis on GP 7 ,GP9, GP18, Alco RS11 and FM H-16-44. These is some modeling skill required to modify things as well as build the drive it self. I have found it a lot of fum to build and use Hobbytowns of course they are very fine running engines. I run them on DC and I have replaced many of the DC 70 motors wirh can motors. Search for Hobbytown of Boston online. If you buy used on Ebay or elsewhere stick with the more current kits in the yellow box equipped withDC 70 type motors and flywheel drives .The older nonflwheel kits are ok but I think the the flywheel drive kits run much better.
Ron High
Ron: Yes, I also strongly recommend Hobbytown of Boston. I recently ordered stuff from them and got excellent service.
Mel: Good idea about using plastic nuts and gluing them on the shell, I had never thought of that.
Simon
Simon
The threaded standoffs give you more area for the glue.
Mel
My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/
Bakersfield, California
I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
The Athearn BB GP38-2 or GP40-2 will fit a Atlas GP38/GP40 drive with little work.
I am the person that started this thread 4 years ago. Here are similer but different Questions;
Are Atlas HO U36C shells, red box, black box, master, compatible with all the U36C red, black, master, Frames? Also, are all Atlas U30C somethings, compatible? For example, can I plop a Red Box U36C shell on a master series U33C frame, and so on? Thanks, JB
I have a Marklin locomotive (Koploper) that won’t run on a two rail system, but I prefer the chassis because it has a pilot.
Can I buy a Marklin TRIX Koploper and exchange the Marklin shell with the TRIX shell? Same company, same locomotive.