1950's Era Athearn SW1500

CardScientist Jan 13, 2023

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  1. CardScientist

    CardScientist TrainBoard Member

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    While I redo my track plan, I wanted to share a few of my noteworthy locomotives. This one is one of my favorites. I'm not terribly great with diesels, but I'm pretty sure it's an SW1500 (feel free to correct me). The box was lost to time a long time ago. I received this locomotive from my late grandfather, who had a fairly detailed 4x8 layout of his own, about 10-15 years ago to help get me started. I quickly gave it the nickname of "Sparky" as sparks flew from the trucks when it ran and gave off the smell of ozone. It was equivalent to a 4th of July sparkler. Still ran surprisingly well, like Bachmann Spectrum levels of smooth running. For that reason, a few weeks ago I took it to a nearby hobby shop to get it cleaned and possibly fix the sparking problem (I have no experience taking locomotives apart, and I did not want to start on a working one, especially one with sentimental value like this one). They fixed it as much as they could. It still sparks a little bit, but it's much better. According to the hobby shop's repair guy, this is a 1950's era Aethern, and locomotives of this era tend to spark like that. No idea if this one is prototypical, but I still love this locomotive and it will find a home on my layout when it's ready.
    sw1500(1).jpg sw1500(2).jpg
     
  2. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    No, not an SW1500, not with those arched cab windows. That model dates from the mid 1960s, and models are more generally based on ten year old prototypes than vice versa.

    I'm not so sure myself, and don't have my spotter's guide at hand, but I'm venturing a guess of SW9.
     
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  3. BoxcabE50

    BoxcabE50 HOn30 & N Scales Staff Member TrainBoard Supporter

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    Wasn't the old Athearn switcher an SW7? It certainly is not an SW1500.
     
  4. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    You did that from memory? Good job.

    Yes, it's an SW7, with extra vents on the sides above the road name.
     
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  5. CardScientist

    CardScientist TrainBoard Member

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    Quick google image search and the SW7 does look closer. I appreciate the ID. Really wish I had the box to see, but that was lost to time long ago. Kind of sad I don't have the other half of the set (I think its called the calf? And the main loco is the cow?) One things for sure, this thing really growls like old Athearns do. I'm more amazed the thing runs as well as it does for being about 60 years old (probably showing my age with that). These models really do run forever if you take care of them. Is the paint job prototypical? I've seen pictures of Penn Central running of these, but none from just the Pennsy days
    Edit: Nevermind, I did manage to find an old picture of a Pennsylvania run SW7
     
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  6. acptulsa

    acptulsa TrainBoard Member

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    Well that makes a difference, except not in this case. An SW7 with a calf isn't an SW7, it's a TR4. But the Pennsy didn't own any TR4s, so it's just as well your calf wandered off.

    The paint job is, but the wash job isn't. The Pennsy wasn't famous for clean equipment. Should have taken the body off before you went to the hobby shop. ;)
     
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  7. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I was going to say Athearn sold it as an SW7, too.

    Doug
     
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  8. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    Here's an SW7 in its box:

    . Athearn SW7 in Box.jpg

    Doug
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2023
  9. CardScientist

    CardScientist TrainBoard Member

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    Did not know that. Did I mention I'm not great with diesels? Nothing on google or ebay for these calls it a TR4. They just call it an SW7 Cow and Calf set

    It's fine. It never had any wash job or detail added to the paint job. Just got the dust off. Maybe in the future once I practice with a few "will never run again" locomotives I'll add a well worn look to it
     
    Last edited: Jan 13, 2023
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  10. Doug Gosha

    Doug Gosha TrainBoard Member

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    I would leave it as is.

    Doug
     
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  11. friscobob

    friscobob Staff Member

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    Athearn marketed this model as an SW1500. I have two of these beasties that I've painted and superdetailed for a possible future switching service. Has that older wide motor inside (which is why Athearn's earlier non-F-unit shells were a little wider), but it's a workhorse.
     
  12. WVa_Jon

    WVa_Jon TrainBoard Member

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    Athearn did indeed market this one as an SW1500, based, as an old Railroad Model Craftsman article stated, on EMD's original or proposed design. The actual SW1500 was a LOT different (cab, and front end, to name two differences). You can find any number of photos of 1500's on sites like "Fallen Flags" (https://www.rr-fallenflags.org/) if you know the railroad (that's the only way to sort or find anything that I know of) or one like Railroad Photo Archives (http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/) Click on "By locomotive model" on the left side and then scroll down to EMD. Click on SW1500 and you'll have your pick of over 23,000 photos!

    Another place to find info is Rail Pictures dot net (https://www.railpictures.net/) You can see the drop-down menus near about the center of the page. Good luck and good hunting!

    Somewhere I have, or used to have, an old SP cow and calf based on the "1500" but Athearn may have revised the specs to really call it an SW7 by the mid-80's when I sprang for a pair of unpowered locos. If and when I ever get my trains out of boxes, I can always say they're waiting a turn at the fuel rack, scheduled maintenance, and so forth. I do hope your powered engine gives you many years of good service.
     
  13. John M. Cronin

    John M. Cronin New Member

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    This is in fact an Athearn "Blue Box" version of the EMD SW 1500. I bought new from the local hobby store (N. Hollywood or Rosamond in Cal.) in the early '90's the undecorated SW 1500 Cow plus a matching undecorated SW 1500 Calf. I finished them as a ATSF black & silver zebra stripe NW2 (it had a single lens headlight just like this model) TR, TR2or TR3 cow & calf built between 1939 & 1949. I just took them out of the Athearn "Blue Boxes" earlier this week.

    TR sets were built prewar and TR 2 & 3 sets were built after the war.

    Later Athearn offered an actual model of a SW 1500. The photos I have seen of the SW7 had two headlights stacked vertically.
     
    Last edited: Jan 6, 2024
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  14. Rip Track

    Rip Track TrainBoard Member

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    IMG_3459.jpeg CardScientist, I have the same locomotive. I got mine secondhand at the LHS a few years ago. Parts are still in the envelope. Nice runner.
     
  15. Rip Track

    Rip Track TrainBoard Member

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    In case anyone finds this interesting.
     

    Attached Files:

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  16. John M. Cronin

    John M. Cronin New Member

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    Parts are still available from Athern. I just bought those white plastic motor mounts for mine because the original had hardened, became brittle and were disintergratin causing the motor to move and break contact withe the chassis. After installing the new mounts it is held firmly in place.
     
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  17. BNSF FAN

    BNSF FAN TrainBoard Supporter

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    I always like seeing those exploded parts diagrams (y)
     
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  18. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

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    Yes a quasi SW7

    Athearn anticipated this to be the SW1500 before they seen the real SW1500 and athearn assumed it would follow the same body lines as the SW7

    Surprise emd went to the boxy look along with the 645 Powerplant

    Anyways it's a quasi SW7
     
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  19. Mike VE2TRV

    Mike VE2TRV TrainBoard Member

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    If one's not finicky, it can pass for any twin-stack EMD switcher from the SW7 to the SW1200. With some added details, even an SW1200RS:
    IMGP1862A.jpg
    IMGP1865A.jpg
     
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  20. VinceP

    VinceP TrainBoard Member

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    Exactly Mike even a little extra work you can make several versions of NW2's mrr mag did that article back in the early 80's
     
    Last edited: Jan 8, 2024
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