I am looking at purchasing a Undec CF-7 shell, and the guy told me it fit on a F-7 frame. I am wondering if anyone out there knows if this is true? And are the F-7 frame and the GP-9 frame the same?
Athearn’s CF-7 shell is based on the Rail Power Products CF-7 shell which was originally intended to fit on an Athearn F7 frame. However, it did require some fairly serious modifications to fit. You might want to research first before taking the plunge.
Athearn sells powered CF-7 engines. Do not know if it was ever offered un-dec. Is the shell you are looking at the old Rail Power Product? Overland made a chassis for the CF-7 and was a perfect fit. Maybe you can find one, I purchased mine in 1992. The Rail Power shell is very good and is offered in two cab roof styles.
Rail Power alos marketed a ‘conversion’ frame for their CF7 so one did not have to do the major surgery to make the shell fit correctly on the frame…
Jim
thanks for the info. It is an rail power products shell. I just can not break down and pay the 50+ dollars for one loco, and then have to repaint it then. Its only going to be a switcher unit. I just like the looks of the thing.
First no the F7 and GP7 has two different frames.Second Athearn owns the RPP is now part of Athearn.The Athearn RTR CF-7s are very smooth runners BUT,like the prototype a little on the light side.
What road name are you looking for?
Mine will only pull 10 or so properly weighted car before slipping, got it MU’d with a Walthers GP15 now to do my yard work.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
This page at Athearn’s site shows two versions of undec CF-7:
Mike says:Mine will only pull 10 or so properly weighted car before slipping, got it MU’d with a Walthers GP15 now to do my yard work.
Mike,I can understand that seeing my CF7s will just lug 22 stock weight cars on the level…I haven’t figure out a method of adding weight yet due to the headlight wires.[:(]
I am pretty disappointed with the performance (drawbar pull) of this model. I guess I should have included that just East of my yard is a 1.5% grade, this is acutally why it can only pull 10 or so cars on my pike. Still 10 cars and slipping, that sucks! I looked at adding weight, but not sure where to do it.
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub
Mike,If I find a solution I will post it…I am sure it can be done…
IMHO with RP20.1 weighted cars and that 1.5% grade I’ll say that engine is doing good pulling 10 or so cars after all its pulling extra weight which equals the cars you can’t pull.[;)] You see there is two ways of looking at this. My CF7s will lug 22 stock weight cars…Yours pull 10 or so RP20.1 heavy weights up that 1.5% grade not bad,not bad at all come to think of it[:D]
I wonder what the real CF7 tonnage rate was? I know they was on the light side…
I am sure something could be milled out to fit the shell somewhere, just have not taken the time, not really a priority since I don’t run it as a single unit anyway. It is always MU’d to something. I either use it to drill cars in the yard with my GP15, or it will run one of the locals with the GP15 or a GP60 I have. Either way it looks nice working the rails which is why I bought it (actually my son is the actual owner of it and what ever assignment he gets, then that is where it works).
Mike in Tulsa
BNSF Cherokee Sub