I have an Athearn SD 45 Blue Box loco that is about 20 or more years old. I would like to re-power it with a modern skew wound motor.
Does anyone that has done this have any recommendations on where to obtain such a motor that would require the least amount of modifications to the loco.
This loco has only been run for about 1 hour on DC and is mechanically in like new condition.
I will also be installing a decoder for DCC operation and hence the reason for replacing the motor.
I have the skills to do this swap-out but just need to find a suitable motor.
Your stock flywheels are not compatible with most, if not all of the replacement motors being sold today. Athearn uses a 2.4mm shaft and everyone else is using a 2.0mm shaft. The flat bottom of the Athearn frame also requires some sort of mounting pad to be used.
The easiest way is to get the PPW / A-Line # 12607 Kit. This kit has flywheels with Athearn couplers attached to it. Use silicone to glue the mount into the frame then use 3m double-sided tape to attach the motor to the motor mount. The mount makes it easy to attach the motor to your frame. You will want to hardwire the trucks to the motor at this time.
Yeah, there are new SD 45’s coming out but this particular loco was my first HO loco back in the Early 80’s and I just want to be able to put it on my layout and run it with DCC.
This would not be necessarily a wise choice for most MRR’s however this one has a special value to me as a MRR.
Like the saying goes… you never forget your first!
Charlie,I know what you mean…I have a Athearn GP7 that has tons of sentimental value…Above all my late wife got that engine for me back in 75…It has lots of real miles on it and currently in the shop awaiting a new motor…Just got to get that project going…I have the Athearn motor.
I repowered an F45 with a NWSL motor and was able to use the brass Athearn flywheels by finding an appropriate width piece of brass tube to make a sleeve for the NWSL motor chassis that would, in turn, slip snugly into the flywheels. Works great and saved me the cost of new flywheels that would fit.[C):-)]
I’ve used both Sagami motors from NWSL and Mashima motors from the local hobby shop to remotor Athearn diesels.
I remotored four of Athearn’s mislabelled SW1500s, using Mashima motors, also installing Flexicoil trucks to create some SW1200RS locomotives.
As you can see from the last photo, I don’t bother to re-install the flywheels, as I don’t think that they contribute that much to performance. I do add weight to all of my conversions, though: the U-boats weigh in at just over 33 ounces apiece. In most cases, modifications to the frame in order to accomodate a new motor were relatively minor, and were done using a cutter in a Dremel and/or a large file or two. Silicone caulking was used to mount the motors in all of these conversions. All motors are, of course, hardwired. The two motors in the U-boats are wired together, but otherwise physically separate, so each motor powers only one truck.
I have ordered the A-Line Diesel re-powering kit with a Mashima flat can motor with machined brass flywheels and Athearn coupler installed on each flywheel. This should be the easy way out.
Understandable why this loco is special to you. One thing: Have you superdetailed the body? See thru grills, fans, etc.? Years back MRR had a lot of good articles on detailing the wide body Athearn hood units. Made a big difference in appearances.
Dr. Wayne,
Very impressive work! Great weathering. I especially like the 3rd and 4th “eye-level” photos.
Say there Wayne. Love yer solutions and that dual repowered U-boat reminds me of a friend who repowered his DD40 back in '74 just as you did using a pair of open frame motors from Bowser(wasn’t much available then in can type motors). It ran beautifully after his mod. Great job and photos!![C):-)]