After receiving the SW7 calf for my birthday, I have decided to begin this project. These are the following steps that I am planning on.
1. glue and paint the handrails
2. replace the stock Athearn motor with a repower kit #130 from Alliance Locomotive Produts
3. replace the stock Athearn wheels with nickel silver replacement wheels from NWSL. The stock wheels are 42", but I will get the correct 40" wheels from NWSL to match the actual prototype.
4. I will then use the old metal wheels from the cow and place them on the calf. That will allow me to have electrical pickup from eight wheels on each side. I will use plugs between the two locomotives to hook them together. This will help with the unpowered frogs that I have in my yard.
5. I will then install a Digitrax DH123 decoder again using power pick up from both locomotives. I also plan on installing lights, one on each end of the set for directional lighting.
6. If all goes well and it seems to run well, then I plan on installing a Digitrax SDH164D sound decoder.
Haven't really thought too much ahead about sound. I had thought of putting the speaker just in the calf. If there is room in cow, I guess I could use two speakers, one in each engine. That is a good idea.
The following two pictures are from the Second Diesel Spotters Guide. You may want to remove the steps and foot boards as the prototype did. Easy to do with some styrene.
Here's another picture if you want to grow a "herd".
I did a "cow/calf" combination many, many years ago.
The drive is a Hobbytown of Boston drive that was especially designed for Athearn's SW series locomotives. The "cow" is a dummy. The drive makes enough noise to not warrant a noise maker board.
Hope this info has helped some and was interesting to others reading this thread.
Bernd
New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds
Whatever control system you go with, remember that the stock Ath mech uses the cast-metal frame as part of the electrical circuit. Coupling a Kadee (metal coupler) equipped Cow and Calf together "tail to tail" will likely cause a
short. (The intermittent electrical contact thru the couplers can make this bear to locate,
and both "locos" will appear to run fine independently...!!!)
If you elect to replace the Cow<>Calf coupling with a semi-permanent metal drawbar, then the electrical connection will be better, and the symtoms of a short-condition "more consistent"/obvious.
Bernd - I hadn't noticed that detail of the steps of the calf being plated over. Thanks for pointing that out. I figure I'll go back afterwards and add some details like that. I also need a radio antenna on the roof, need to change the light, add a rerailer, some grabs, etc.
Prof Klyzlr - I think I'm going to use Kadee #28 which are insulated plastic couplers which should take care of insulating the frame.
Just some thoughts. I did a cow/calf as a switcher for the yard my SP in Ohio. I used a pair of Llifelike SW 900 and an Athearn calf shell (lost the footboards) to replace one of the shells. Because of a slight grade and the length of car cuts being switched I needed the power of both units to push the cars. I used dummy couplers between units to avoid the shorting issue(if it existed). Works good.
Comments
SW7 Project
After receiving the SW7 calf for my birthday, I have decided to begin this project. These are the following steps that I am planning on.
1. glue and paint the handrails
2. replace the stock Athearn motor with a repower kit #130 from Alliance Locomotive Produts
3. replace the stock Athearn wheels with nickel silver replacement wheels from NWSL. The stock wheels are 42", but I will get the correct 40" wheels from NWSL to match the actual prototype.
4. I will then use the old metal wheels from the cow and place them on the calf. That will allow me to have electrical pickup from eight wheels on each side. I will use plugs between the two locomotives to hook them together. This will help with the unpowered frogs that I have in my yard.
5. I will then install a Digitrax DH123 decoder again using power pick up from both locomotives. I also plan on installing lights, one on each end of the set for directional lighting.
6. If all goes well and it seems to run well, then I plan on installing a Digitrax SDH164D sound decoder.
Nice looking models. When you
Nice looking models. When you get around to putting sound in, are you going to put a speaker in the calf unit as well? Joe
Joe - Sound
Haven't really thought too much ahead about sound. I had thought of putting the speaker just in the calf. If there is room in cow, I guess I could use two speakers, one in each engine. That is a good idea.
Birthday are awesome!
Aren't birthday's the best thing ever!
Dave
Very nice project
May I add some info to the Cow/Calf combination?
The following two pictures are from the Second Diesel Spotters Guide. You may want to remove the steps and foot boards as the prototype did. Easy to do with some styrene.
Here's another picture if you want to grow a "herd".
I did a "cow/calf" combination many, many years ago.
The drive is a Hobbytown of Boston drive that was especially designed for Athearn's SW series locomotives. The "cow" is a dummy. The drive makes enough noise to not warrant a noise maker board.
Hope this info has helped some and was interesting to others reading this thread.
Bernd
New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds
Powered conversions : Watch the couplers
Dear DC,
Whatever control system you go with, remember that the stock Ath mech uses the cast-metal frame as part of the electrical circuit. Coupling a Kadee (metal coupler) equipped Cow and Calf together "tail to tail" will likely cause a
- Cow N-Rail
> Cow N-wheel
> Pickup plate
> Frame
> Cow Coupler
> Calf Coupler
> Frame
> Pickup plate
> Calf S-wheel
> Calf S-rail
short. (The intermittent electrical contact thru the couplers can make this bear to locate,
and both "locos" will appear to run fine independently...!!!)
If you elect to replace the Cow<>Calf coupling with a semi-permanent metal drawbar, then the electrical connection will be better, and the symtoms of a short-condition "more consistent"/obvious.
Just something to be aware of...
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
hardcore flywheel switcher mechs...
Dear Bernd,
That's some serious flywheels there ;-)
Was there a specific reason for the gap between the flywheel though?
Happy Modelling,
Aim to Improve,
Prof Klyzlr
Hey
Bernd - I hadn't noticed that detail of the steps of the calf being plated over. Thanks for pointing that out. I figure I'll go back afterwards and add some details like that. I also need a radio antenna on the roof, need to change the light, add a rerailer, some grabs, etc.
Prof Klyzlr - I think I'm going to use Kadee #28 which are insulated plastic couplers which should take care of insulating the frame.
Cow & calf
Just some thoughts. I did a cow/calf as a switcher for the yard my SP in Ohio. I used a pair of Llifelike SW 900 and an Athearn calf shell (lost the footboards) to replace one of the shells. Because of a slight grade and the length of car cuts being switched I needed the power of both units to push the cars. I used dummy couplers between units to avoid the shorting issue(if it existed). Works good.
Have fun most importantly!
Patrick Stanley SP in Ohio
Those Flywheels
Prof. wrote:
That's the way Hobbytown of Boston sold the the kit. Haven't the foggest idea why two separate flywheels. I do need to change the motor thought.
Bernd
New York, Vermont & Northern Rwy. - Route of the Black Diamonds