I just looked at a couple of the few I have left … there’s four holes for the plastic motor mounts to press in to, with a rectangular recess towards the front and towards the rear from these holes. The one towards the front is longer than the rear so the motor will only go in one way.
The mounting pads aren’t centered on the over-all motor … even if you could turn it around, the drive shafts wouldn’t fit.
Here’s a GP35 frame - there’s no way you could turn the motor 180 degrees and expect it to go in …
Even if you could change the motor around,you will have the same problem,the polarity has to be changed,for the motor to turn in the other direction… They pick up from the bottom and top of the motor…
Actually it would … if you could. The mount is designed like this so they all go in the same so they will all turn the same direction.
Think about it … looking at the top of the motor, both shafts are turning away from you. Rotate the motor 180 degrees (without changing polarity) and now both shafts are turning towards you.
This has become interesting,there are two shafts connected to a armature,which is basically one shaft,that is turning away from you,turning the motor around it will still turn the same way,Direct Current flows one way,so turning the motor will not change any thing unless the Direct current is reversed.And if the pick up on the bottom or top is not changed it will still be the same…
LMAO ! … It’s a physical thing Frank, not an electrical thing ! Go do it.
Hold a running motor in your hand with the shafts to the left and right, both shafts are turning away from you. Now turn the motor 180 degrees, the shaft are now turning towards you.
This is why the Athearn chassis are designed so the motor can only be installed one way at the factory so they know the motor will be turning the proper direction.
So now you agree that by turning the motor (physically) 180 degrees, the engine WILL run in the opposite direction even though the motor is still wired (electrically) the same ?
Yes, it is easier to swap the trucks, because you CAN’T turn the motor. But trust me, IF you could turn the motor, the engine WOULD run in the opposite direction.
It’s actually no different than physically picking up the engine and turning it 180 degrees - it will still be heading in the same direction on the track, but the engine itself will have visually changed direction (long hood vs. short hood)
Sorry,Mark,I turn the motor by mistake in a Athearn Trainmaster the fool thing ran in reverse while in forward.It was weeks before I lived that down at the Galion club in fact I had a new moniker for several weeks-wrong way Larry.
Never done that yet-always the first chance while cleaning BB locomotives since I disassemble 3 or 4 at a time.
Athearn BB locomotives never was a work of perfection like some may think…Anything is possible including using a U30C drive parts and motor to power a dummy SD45–I was told that was impossible because blah,blah,blah and yada,yada…Yet,I did just that in about 20 minutes at the club I was a member of at the time.It ran
I ordered 4 SW1500 interiors for my BB SW1500s…I was told on a forum they wouldn’t work in a BB SW1500…
