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  1. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    They painted them last spring. They did have the Rail Link color scheme until then. They actually painted them on one of the sidings near my home. Your are correct about them looking like they are covered in oil. Last summer they were nice and clean following their repaint, now they are...
  2. ken_23434

    Minimizing "HUM" from Athearn BB

    OK, thanks. I have Hob-E oil and grease that I used. Dextron would have saved me some time, since I already had that in the garage. The recommendations I kept seeing were for Labelle products, but the LHS doesn't carry them. I guess a phone call to them would have saved that trip. I was...
  3. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    Tom, Here is the parts diagram that came with my SW-1500. Mine is the Blue Box (BB) kit variety. I am not sure if this is the type you had or if your's is the Ready To Run (RTR) line. You said your's was about 10 years old. I was not doing this back then, so I do not know if the RTR line...
  4. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    I think I will have to grab my camera and go get some of my own pictures this weekend. The line near me has 2 switchers, #1551 and #1552, and they have different cabs on them. #1551 has 2 side windows where #1552 has 4 side windows. Otherwise, the two look pretty similar to me. The cab on...
  5. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    OK, thanks. I guess I have the correct model then. Maybe I should check into the optional parts to see if I can make mine a little more prototypical before I get around to the painting.
  6. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    It's a little off topic from the original poster, but... Here are a couple pics of the train near me. Can anyone identify what type it is.
  7. ken_23434

    Minimizing "HUM" from Athearn BB

    I will try that out. I would never think the commutator could cause a noise. The better conductivity sounds great. Any concern with it shorting out the commutator segments, though?
  8. ken_23434

    Help! How can I get this power pack to work with Atlas Code 83

    I had a smiliar power pack that came with a train set I got for my son a couple years ago. I have a power cord that has the "head phone" jack and just goes to 2 bare wires. I thought it came with that train set. I also have the one you are talking about. But as others have said, just cut off...
  9. ken_23434

    Minimizing "HUM" from Athearn BB

    My engine does not have the shell on it yet. :eek: I am going to paint and decorate it at some point. I was just giving it a test drive without the shell when I noticed how loud it was. I wonder how much worse it will be with the shell on it. The concern with excess grease and the...
  10. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    As I remember from the exploded parts diagram that came with my engine, it had places where there was one part # and then behind it there would be a (SW-1500) and then a different # with (SW-1000). I guess enough of the parts are the same that Athearn just used one diagram to cover 2 different...
  11. ken_23434

    Athearn 1000/1500 Diesel Locomotive

    I recently got the undecorated version. Other than an annoying HUM from the engine, I think it is a good loco for what I bought it for. I am hoping the HUM will go away as it breaks in, or I can find the source and reduce it. If you need the expoded parts diagram that came with it, I can...
  12. ken_23434

    Minimizing "HUM" from Athearn BB

    OK, thanks for the input. I kept seeing things about not using too much lube on the gears and bearings. From the factory, they usually come with way too much lube according to what I read. So, I am reluctant to slop a lot more grease into the gearboxes for fear of causing other problems...
  13. ken_23434

    Minimizing "HUM" from Athearn BB

    I recently got a new Athearn BB SW-1500. The item is "new" although I am sure it has been sititng on a shelf somewhere for a long time. Based on info I read on this site, the first thing I did was take it apart, clean and inspect the gears, reassembled everything and hardwire the motor and...
  14. ken_23434

    John Wayne's "Red River"

    I never thought it was so important for a cow to be well rested, fed and watered right before getting slaughtered. :rolleyes:
  15. ken_23434

    Ho Scale fire station

    Do you want the door to operate in a realistic way, or do you just want the flexibility of having the ability to have the doors either open or shut? If it is the 2nd option then it seems a lot easier. a) Just have it so you can just take the door off. Maybe some small magnets...
  16. ken_23434

    Magnet uncoupler?

    There are more than one type of the magnet uncouplers. There are the permanent magnet ones that mount between the rail on top of the ties and there are the electromagnet ones that mount under the layout(use DC not AC power). Those are the 2 basic types I know of from Kadee. I am sure...
  17. ken_23434

    Bachmann's E-Z command system...

    I have the E-Z Command system for my layout. I am newly getting back into the hobby. The E-Z Command can be found very cheap, that is it's big advantage. It will let you get into DCC for not very much. It will allow you to address up to 10 engines. #10 by default is DC. That is handy if...
  18. ken_23434

    Structure Blueprints or Plans

    I did a Google search also and was able to find plenty of airplane prints but nothing with buildings, docks, bridges and such. I am working near an industrial area and was looking at the various cranes on the horizon this morning and thought that they would be a prime candidate for scratch...
  19. ken_23434

    Structure Blueprints or Plans

    Does anyone know of an on-line resourse with blueprints or plans for various structures for people to scratch-build their own stuff? I used to build RC planes with my dad when I was younger. The blueprints for the planes were basically a drawing that you would build the wing or fuselage on...
  20. ken_23434

    Con Cor Locos

    Thanks for the info. It helped me out a lot. I won an auction on Ebay for an undecorated Athearn BB SW-1500. I will now get to try out my skills at painting it like the local short line.




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