2005 Ac4400 Athearn with old style trucks

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C

CP6027

Member
I just bought a brand new Athearn AC4400 GECX # 1049 RTR. According to the Athearn website this model was announced in 2005. I had bought a UP AC4400 UP #5978 last year and according to the Athearn website it was announced to be released in 2008.

The two are different in two ways:

(GECX #1049)
1. The 2005 model has old style trucks with the L shaped wiper for the old metal strip that went across the top of the motor. The chassis has a ground wire that goes to the light board.

2. The 2005 light board has a JST 9 pin harness plug but no 8 pin NMRA socket.


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(UP #5978)

1. The 2008 model has new style trucks with two wires soldered to them.

2. The 2008 model has new style light board with 9 pin JST and a 8 pin NMRA socket.

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I would like to know when Athearn started making the current style trucks and circuit boards. I don't want to buy the old style in the future but don't want to limit myself to 2008 production for no reason.
 
NYSW F45 said:
that first pic looks to have the 8 pin socket, but not with that black piece in it.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I know that the holes are there but the socket isn't there. That's really not that big of a deal because you still have the JST 9 pin. I was just pointing out that thee was a different light circuit board.

I like the newer style trucks because of the wires and because it locates on the frame better, the old style has a lot of forward and back movement.

Anybody know when they started making the 2008 style?
 


is there a height difference between the 2? When I swapped out the old blue box motor for the newer style motor with light board I could barely get the amtrak P40 shell to sit back on the frame. The motor was a direct replacement with same motor mounts.
 
I didn't notice any height difference between the motors. The 2005 has the new style hex shaft drive so I think they are the same motor. Not sure if there is any real difference in height between the BB motor and hex drive one. I know on the GP38-2 there isn't enough room for the light circuit board, probably the reason why Athearn doesn't off it that way.

The Rail Power shells all seem to have more room and are all DCC ready with light circuit boards.
 
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