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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    I will once I get some white paint. Decades ago when I had 5 of these SW7's I started with an undec shell because they were plenty of them. I used to trim off the nubs on the shell for the handrails and stanctions . Most real SW7's had three stanctions on the pilot ends and one across the...
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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    It's finished other than a bit of painting fine details. Here's the bottom with the coupler mounting #5 kadee. I didn't take photo's of the actual mounting of the body coupler plastic pads of the filing I needed to do to have room for the pads. I used .080" thick styrene X 7/32" wide x 3/16"...
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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    Below is the setup forcing the frame at the cab end into a bow up, clamped the frame down inside the tank , placed an aluminum U channel just over 3/8" , after clamping to see a slight up bow I added the 120 watt iron to heat the frame the iron reaches 900 degrees and let it heat so the entire...
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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    I filed off all the flash and there was a lot of it. I also filed the bottom of the coupler pads flat where the stock metal clip is used for horn hook couplers. There was a bit of a bump on each side top of the frame just ahead of the cab side so I filed that away. Then made a jig out of...
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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    That's the same amount I found the three frames I have judging by your photo. I also did a MDC stream . I used straight steel 1/4" x 1/4" bar and a few small C -clamps and slowly tightened till straight yet it sprung right back it was a 2-8-0 . I did the same then placed it in an old toaster...
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    Athearn BB SW7 frame and shell.

    I noticed all three of the frames I have are bowed up toward the shell. If I set the shell in place using the fuel tank tabs one end is higher than the other. From memory I don't recall what the SW7 and S12 were like. I think I would have noticed this yet who knows. I don't feel trying the...
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    Anyone recall what Labelle oil # used to be?

    My oil and grease are over 35 years old. The oil was ok yet old and the grease turned thick and yellow , I never opened the grease #106 and when I did cut the tip open it was so thick the bottom seam of the tube burst open. The new grease it white and the oil needle is a push on to a plastic cap...
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    Anyone recall what Labelle oil # used to be?

    I only remember the 106 grease and from what's left of the oil bottle label it was 108 now I see 107 for HO and larger and 108 for small HO what ever that means. They don't define them other than one being a lighter weight oil . Mine was so old from the mid 80's it looked like it changed with...
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    For distraction I had a Stewart F3 shell and fit a BB Athearn frame.

    The Stewart F3's are nice units. As I recall the frame was one huge cast section part of it was the weight which almost hit the roof and the port hole windows were one section that held the shell to the frame , even the unpowered units had the heavy frame . I think they weighed more than the...
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    For distraction I had a Stewart F3 shell and fit a BB Athearn frame.

    Thanks , just need to paint the metal on the trucks then do the hand rails/grabs. It looks better than the Athearn F units. I used to have 5 Stewart F units , all F3 an undec powered A & B and 3 decorated F3A . They were nice running units plus I got their coupler kits and hand rail kits. I'm...
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    For distraction I had a Stewart F3 shell and fit a BB Athearn frame.

    Here are the photo's , it did happen. I have to say cutting that weight with a hacksaw and truing with files is not fun. Athearn motor mounts fit the PK2 motor. you can see the screw with the red wire for the motor ground . I used a self tap and just soldered the red lead that already...
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    For distraction I had a Stewart F3 shell and fit a BB Athearn frame.

    I filed the Athearn F7 frame to fit included thinning the tab of the fuel tank so it would fit in the shell slots. I also filled the coupler pads and the two front frame tabs the shell rests on so they would clear the front cab steps other wise the frame would not move back far enough I also...
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    What's Your Favorite Model Locomotive?

    When I was a teen ager my father always went to one hobby shop on Lombard IL. The owner for some reason must have watched what I was looking at. Three times he just gave me a steam engine. One was a Pennline TI that a customer gave up on another was a GG1 Pennline this was before Bowser , it...
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    Do You Prefer Six or Four Axle Locomotives?

    When I had my layout the only 6 axle units I had were Athearn Trainmasters , they made the 22" radius fine and the 18" yet they have an off set center axle. I have never run the SD40-2's on a layout. I've seen all sorts of attempts done to modify the center axle , none I would care to do, most...
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    What's Your Favorite Model Locomotive?

    I always felt the Genesis MP15AC is one of the best looking units out there. I almost got one years ago off ebay yet it was a bit out of my budget even though it was $99. I had quite a few PK2 , FA-2 and GP-20 SD7 GP30 . Plus many Atlas RS , S-2 units C424 and 425 , Stewart F3 VO1000 and...
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    The C Virus and MRR clubs

    I won't bring it up again. Living in Los Angeles and I have to go out for food and this has been made very difficult reasons I won't go into. Mainly I have been finishing train projects I started long ago. I'm not big on watching news yet with emails pouring in from every company I deal with car...
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    The C Virus and MRR clubs

    My last word on this. These politicians who decide what job's/ positions as well as who are none essential or essential are the none essential ones. Does anyone think they are dealing with any sort of hardship or lack of money , do they go to any store and deal with what they forced on so many...
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    What's Your Favorite Model Locomotive?

    If I had to pick a few these.
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    The C Virus and MRR clubs

    This virus thing is really turning into a nightmare. I haven't seen anyone sick yet I do see more and more masks and gloves. I go into a store , most of it looks like a hospital now with the bandanna's it looks like a hospital /store getting robbed. I don't get what the deal is trying to get...
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    Sentimental Journey: DC Power Packs

    What do the momentum and brake do? Are they like pulse = momentum and brake is like coast instead of a quick stop? I never got past using Pulse and never cared how it made most loco's sound , they were harsh sounding at least on the Tech II ones . I found my Tech II with pulse , fell behind a...




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