Large Scale Central

Just finished up 3 F7A units

General Discussion
#1

Two for my brother, one for my nephew.
We seem to like this stuff.

Athearn HiF drives.
Two CN for the brother, X2F’s and all, rewired, new bands, painted sideframes (and de-flashed), new motor to shaft couplings.
One really old SF blue freight unit (no warbonnet), so old it’s glue-in number boards, leftover from Globe days.
To that SF unit was added an Athearn Super Geared SF Warbonnet Blue and Yellow…

The really interesting part about rebuilding these is to test the power pack for red wire positive…and you have to set the trucks and bands to rotate in the correct direction.

Now I have another chassis to work on, one more CN shell, and a B&O shell.
But, I have a line on three more units…

#2

Dave,

thirty odd years ago when I was building the Athearn Budd railcars to look more like our state railways version, I encountered the ‘wrong twist’ syndrome a couple of times. I had both trucks driving in the opposite direction. A quick disassembly had it sorted out but when confronted with it the first time it certainly has one scratching one’s head.

#3

Yup. Seen it. Overall direction is an issue, if you want right rail positive, forward!
I think I traced the CN band drives down to about 1960 or 61. 1962 went to gear drives, it seems.
No CN listed before 1960 that I can find.

#4

Ahh yes…Way back in about '60, I had two “Railiner” cars painted and lettered: one for CP, and the other for CN…the CP has the yellow and tuscan stripes on the ends… The CN Bud Car, has the yellow and green on the ends. I still have them here, on a shelf…

I think one of them I re-motored with a Pittman long shaft motor…I should look…

Canadian Pacific called them “Railiners”

#5

I Still have a couple of the originals with the Hi FI drive. I also converted several to the Pittman motors with the big round shafts which helped slow these slot cars down. Mine date back to late 50s Later RJD

#6

I restored probably a dozen for brother and nephew over the last 6-7 years. All of them were ones we had as kids.
I found a junk shell, sectioned in a new pilot apron on one, same junk shell, spliced in a new back wall on another.
The funny thing is the couplings, armature to shafts.
By this date, they are toast.
Couldn’t find anything small enough…then I remembered. I have a LOT of EZ-Air hose…perfect.
Last one on the bench now. PO cut the lugs off that held the body on.
Dremel, cut-off wheel, slotted the sides, made some brass strips, epoxying in now.