Love the old Alcos

**skillman** · 10-07-2012, 08:58 PM

The problem with those old AHM's is that they have plastic frames and rather horrid gearing in the trucks. The new Atlas or Athearn (old MDC) Alco's run so well that it really doesn't make sense to waste the time on it. It's an Heirloom!!

Steve

**PApat** · 10-08-2012, 02:51 AM

Understand. I've never had an AHM loco, but I did purchase a brass RS11 and repainted it. The drive and trucks were so bad I decided it easier to find a used Athearn drivetrain to just swap out. Now it runs well!

**montanan** · 10-08-2012, 05:18 AM

Originally Posted by PApat

Steve, ever thought of repowering? There are many resources now that can help that loco. I have one of the original wide-bodied Athern GP9's I bought in the '70's. It was relatively easy to repower with an A-line can motor.

-bill

You are so right about repowering. It is extremely easy and the results can really suprise you. In my photo of the Alcos, PAPat did pick up the EMD unit in the rear of the photo. These units were my prototypes for my freelanced paint scheme. The locos looked great, but these are the old wide body Athearns, and they really didn't perform the way I liked so both of them were repowered about 20 years ago. They still perform great, as good as the Atlas Alcos. I was amazed at the results. It was almost like getting new locomotives. Give it a try.

**skillman** · 10-08-2012, 08:02 PM

I have repowered a bunch of locos both diesel and steam. I have built new frames, used different trucks and regeared trucks and gear box's. Northwest Short Line was a real boon back in the day and being out of Seattle it was easy to get their stuff. Well, kind of easy. Sort of.
I went through a period of trying to have loco's that nobody else had. A lot of modelers tried to do this. As soon as I would finish an Alco, Atlas would release their new loco and usually it was the one I had just gotten finished. Of course theirs were just great and much better runners than my bashed units. Then I would have to get a couple of theirs and paint and detail them. Sometimes I could sell my units and sometimes I just kept them and sat them on the layout as decorations. I made a couple into dummy's but I didn't use many unpowered units. A small train on a small layout doesn't require a bunch of motive power.

Steve

**PApat** · 10-09-2012, 01:48 AM

Funny you mention NWSL, Steve. I tried to repower a brass locomotive with two powered trucks. I wound up selling the trucks on a Yahoo group. They weren't powerful enough to even pull the brass loco. Having just returned to the hobby last year, I have to buy most of my locos on Evilbay or from user groups. I'm modeling a specific time period and most of the engines were made in the last decade. I am amazed at the amount of estate sales and folks who bought extra stock and never opened the boxes.

**skillman** · 10-09-2012, 08:14 PM

At some point before I got out of the hobby the "limited run" market became hot. I see that this is still true today. Athearn was great about having all the parts you could need available to their customers, and undecorated units and rolling stock to be made into the desired road name. The limited run and ready to run market has lead to the "this is what we have, take it or leave it" business plan. Maybe I'm being a little harsh but I'm not impressed with the availability of inexpensive equipment and replacement parts in this hobby today.
There is some beautiful equipment available and some really "nifty" gadgetry to be had but it sure comes at a price.

Steve

**skillman** · 10-09-2012, 08:18 PM

I meant to add that the good thing I see is the availability of Alco's. I have several kitbash's that I had plans for that I don't need to do today because the models are available.

Steve

**montanan** · 10-10-2012, 05:10 AM

Originally Posted by skillman

I meant to add that the good thing I see is the availability of Alco's. I have several kitbash's that I had plans for that I don't need to do today because the models are available.

Steve

It sure is nice to see all of the new locomotives that have become available on the market in recent years. Back when I switched from N to HO scale, about 18 years ago, there was still quite an availability problem when it came to road names. I had custom painted a number of Northern Pacific locomotives because there were absolutely none available, and in recent years manufacturers have really gotten their poop in a group and really expanded the number of road available. Back when I changer scales and decided to freelance, I was scrambling to fine manufacturers that had undecorated locos. Atlas came along and made my day. What a difference in price. I think I paid just over $40 for the Alcos.