ATSF F7A Help


BNSF4723

Member
Hello Ya'll, Say I can really use your guy's help here.I am wanting to get the ATSF F7A/F7B HO Scale Locomotives.I have done some digging around,And I happened too come across.The Historic Rail Catalog,I saw a Set of F7A/F7B the F7B is unpowered. And would like too know who made these HO ATSF F7A/F7B Locomotives.Also how hard is it too Power the F7B,I do have so Athearn HO Gears,Drive Trains,Motors.So will that work or Not.I am hoping someone would help with this,If they have tehse 2 Locos.Please reply soon Thanks. :D :confused:
 
Does the catalog indicate who the manufacturer of the locomotives is?

If it's Athearn, I'd recommend buying another powered unit and swapping the F7B dummy chassis for the powered A or B chassis. The dummy trucks on Athearn locomotives aren't much different from powered trucks, but typically they lack the "hook" for the top motor connection. Theoretically, you could replace the wheels, add gears, a worm, the drive couplings, motor, etc., but when it's all said and done, it's cheaper to just buy another powered unit.

If it's not an Athearn unit, I don't know what to tell you. I really don't have any experience with anything else (like Stewart or Intermountain or Athearn Genesis). Well, there were those Bachmann units, but they don't count....
 
Lookie What I Found

Hey I found 2 Athearn (RTR),Ready To Roll ATSF F7A/F7B HO Locomotives.So Now I am a lil Happy Engineer,Just Now ordered them from the Hobby Shop In Town.I'll let ya know when I get them. :p ;) :D :eek: :) :cool: :eek:
 
Hi BNSF glad to hear you found locos to your liking. I just did an online search of the Historic Rail pages and a search of their pages returned item not found for ATSF or F7 A or B . Anyway glad to hear from you. Do you have a layout yet, or onw planned?
Cheers Willis
 
Ok Thanks say what are some good Detail Parts that are not so pricy that are cheap.& what glue should I use to glue the Detail Parts on
 
BNSF4723 said:
Ok Thanks say what are some good Detail Parts that are not so pricy that are cheap.& what glue should I use to glue the Detail Parts on


I would recommend that you head back to your hobby shop and get a copy of the 2005 Walthers catalog.
It is stuffed with all kinds of detail items and modeling ideas. :D
 
Ok Say On the F7B if it is the ummy Unit The Athearns I ordered how I Power That.I do have some Athearn Motors,& Etc.From some SD40-2" GP40's,So will that work for the ATH RTR F7 Dummy Unit.
 
I don't have any experience with the Athearn units, so I don't know if those will fit your B unit or not (but I kinda doubt it). I think the easiest way to power the B unit would be to either buy another powered Athearn A unit and just switch the chassis, or to find another powered B unit that is similar to the Athearn. I don't know if the Stewart chassis' I have would fit or not. It would more than likely take some modifications to get them to work either way, but I think using another powered Athearn F unit drive would be the easiest.

Trying to modify the frames you have now to fit the F unit would probably be a lot of work, and I doubt the trucks would be correct anyway. You could try to use the trucks from the dummy unit, but they probably don't have any gear assemblies, and linking them to the motor could be kinda messy. Of course, it would certainly be a learning experience :)
 
Hello Y'all Finally got my ATSF F7A's/F7B's.Also I can power the F7B with my power Parts I have,Say I am going too be glueing some Parts on them what glue do ya reccomend I use for that.I have Super Glue or that JB Weld Glue.Now I have a few Questions too ask you guys.1 The engines are far aprt when the are coupled together and there is about a 2 inches together.So how do I make them more close like you see in Pics.With the rubber mounts in betweeb each Locomotive.Hope to hear from ya soon,I'll be back later too ask the other Questions.
 
the diaphams can be bought, and shorter shank couplers from say, Kadee. I'd suggest n ot letting JB weld OR normal super glue anywhere near your models. Head back to that hobby store and ask for "CA" its a form of super glue, don't get thin glue if you're steady handed, get 5-7 second setting, thicker CA, as the 1-3 sec thin is almost instant (and can glue your fingers togeather fast!). As for durablity, you could also try walthers goo, it takes a little while to set but is allways somewhat tacky when placing, but is fairly thick, and work better with say, weighting rolling stock (although I've used it to place perts on my units).
 
"CA" Glue gets gets my vote! Save that JB Weld stuff for repairing cracked engine blocks and broken farm equipment. :D
 
Ok Thanks Old 97,Why using Super Glue is not a good idea,It is that that I do not want to listen to you just wondering is all.But thanks again for your replies.
 
Normal super glue will create a foggy white film around itself on the model, CA is a basicaly a superglue, yet does not do this.

Try searching google for stuff like that, and I think, if I'm remembering correctly, Details west has a superdetail kit for them. Lemme go look. Also remember that most details are unpainted.

EDIT Here's a link for you, you will probly have to do a bit more research to uncover everything you need to make it 'correct' but:
http://www.detailswest.com/FUnit_info.htm
 
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Ok Thanks for the Site & Info,All I am Detailing is the Winsheild Wipers,Grab Bars on the Doors where the Crew Climb In N Out of The Locomotive.Also the Two Grab Bars on the Nose,MU Hoses.Thanks for all your your Help ya guys have given me.
 
I think the Historic Rail catalog listed F units from Bachmann. I've owned a few from them and their Spectrum line is way better than the trainset stuff Bachmann used to offer. That said, I think the Spectrum stuff is on par with the old blue box Athearn stuff.
 



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