Does anyone have a Walthers SW1 that doesn’t run very good? If so just take the gear towers apart and clean out whatever it was they used for grease, replace with La Belle 106 grease and it will run as good as a Kato. I just bought 2 at a Flea market, put them on the track and they sputtered and shook and made a heck of a racket going down the track. After cleaning them they run so smooth and quite, the change is hard to believe. Just be careful with the pick-up wipers, I used drafting tape to hold them to the towers when I put the wheel sets back in.[8D]
Also, call Walthers and ask for the drive-line upgrade kit(free). Another ‘must’ item is to replace the brass wheels - the Atlas S2/S4 wheels drop in. You can order the set direct from Atlas. I have a pair of them and they will run great with a little work.
Jim Bernier
I’ll have to get that drive line upgrade kit–I have one, and it runs amazingly well except it wobbles a little bit at low speeds due to the rubber tubing drive kit.