Hi all, I just bought a Walthers SW-1 at a swap meet and plan on repainting it. I have no paperwork with this engine and I would like to find the diagram/instructions so I can disassemble it properly without damaging anything. This seems to be a long-since discontinued item from what I can tell from websearching it. Are there any web downloads available for the diagrams of this engine?
Thanks,
Todd
What scale is the model you’re mentioning?
Oh, sorry about that. It is HO scale. I think these were made in the mid 1990’s? Todd
Hope this is legible. If not, send me a PM.
Mark
Well that certainly helps Mark.Thanks for posting that for me. I cant really tell, but it looks like the body is a snap on/off fit without any screws holding it to the frame right? Is there a way of zooming in on that diagram?
Thanks.
Todd
Todd, I sent you a PM.
OK, well thanks again for the scan, it’s 100% better than what I had to start with. I’ll give it all a closer look tomorrow when I am rested and ready to tackle the project. BTW, this SW-1 is currently in a gaudy, almost “glow-in-the-dark” SP Gray/Red, and will soon be in a nice weathered Penn Central black. ( I model Michigan RRs in the 1970’s, so an SP unit has no place on my layout). I see you are in espee country, so please don’t take offense. Thanks again for your help Mark,
Todd
Hey Mark, I just printed your scan out and it is just big enough for me to make out the written instructions. I think I am good to go now. Thanks again for taking the time to post/scan that for me. Nothing like fellow model railroaders for being good friends… I hope I can return the favor someday…
Todd
Hi Todd, I have two or three Walthers SW-1’s. They are great little engines. I bought them while living in Seattle - more humid than here in Montana. They ran very smoothly and slowly. Here in Montana one of them has slipped a shaft-U-Joint coupling. Walthers has been very forthcoming with replacement U-joints.
Your engine may need some work (or maybe not), but I think you will find it a very ‘useful engine’.[:)]
Dick Chaffer / Bozeman, MT
These are great performers. There are two types. The early type had a rubber hose acting as a universal joint to the rear truck. The later has a real universal joint. The u joint is no longer available from Walthers. I have a new short coupled u joint on order from somebody that is for 2 mm shafts if I am not mistaken. It is best to replace the rubber hose u joint.
The cab comes off first. Spread the front of the cab with strong fingers and lift the front of the cab up about one eigth of an inch. Push the rear center of the cab to release the tab holding it to the frame. The cab can be lifted straight up with a little jiggeling and leveling out. The hood will come off easily. Reverse these steps for reassembly. These can be fitted with small decoders. I am looking at a LokSound Micro as I do not have to hide a capacitor and the speakers will fit in the cab. I have not installed it yet but it is a project to be done. If I am not mistaken the motor appears to be isolated, again I have not taken a volt meter to it yet.
These are great runners in DC and should be just as good in DCC. They do not move long heavy trains as such but than again they are yard switchers. Hope this is helpful.
Chris
I’m not a fan of the “bloody nose” scheme either. My SW1 (EMD locos don’t use dashes in their primary model designations) is in tiger stripe. I prefer the tiger and black widow schemes for switchers and road switchers. If it has a red nose, I know it’s out of my modeling period.
These obviously aren’t SW1s, but AS-616 and ASB-616 Baldwins sporting tiger and black widow schemes:
Mark
hey mark, tell me more about the converted box car caboose. i am something of a transfer caboose freak and enjoy building and kit bashing such animals. did the cotton belt ever have any like your sp model?
as for the sw-1, i got a universal kit from nwsl and that helped it a bunch. it is a big engine for it’s size and i use one done up for the ICRR as an industrial area switcher. doing up another one for a passenger terminal switcher. they seem to out pull the P2K sw’s but not quite up to handling the same load as the Kato nw-2’s.
one of mine had the motor tilted at a bit of an angle and upon mounting it dead level, the universal noise stopped and it ran even smoother.
grizlump
SP converted boxcars to cabooses before the 1920s, although most were converted during WWII. The SP and Pacific Electric and Northwestern Pacific subsidiaries had them. Most SP boxcar conversions were used in the Los Angeles and San Francisco areas in local service, and on Donner Pass in secondary services, for example with light helpers or local trains. The usual conversion was to add a pair of windows on each side, block the side doors partly open to provide space for a man-sized side door, and add end doors, side sill running boards, door-side ladders of grab irons, caboose handrails at the side door, and marker light brackets. Some lasted until 1954 on the SP, although most retirements were between 1949 and 1951. Some other railroads did similar conversions, but I’m not sure about the Cotton Belt.
The pictured model is of a specific prototype car which omitted the roof boards between the running boards and the door-side ladders.
Westerfield produces HO craftsman kits for three variations of the SP boxcar cabooses.
Mark