(A 3/9/13 updated success story) - Would you ever consider doing this?

If it makes you happy, then do it.  That's what this hobby is all about.

Richie

It has been done before -- Rail King diesels sacrificed for upgrading older Premier engines, etc. Since you're planning to sell off the non-sound set, you're recouping some of your investment, and even if you weren't you're enhancing your model railroad collection. It's all good.

Its a reasonable idea, folks have done much similar over the years.

Before you do this, make sure the screw holes in the tenders are identical.

Jim Sutter is SO right about the location of the screw holes on the two tender shells.

With that caution, I think it is a solid idea.  Have done it more than once myself.  I believe you are correct. You will get a good chunk of your money back by selling off the rest of the set. Might take a while though.

Ed Boyle

I had this thought also, I have a Santa Fe Hudson that is the FARR loco, with the awful sound of steam. I also have a Pere Marquette Berkshire that has the sound tender, similar to what the Reading T-1 has, was considering a tender transplant. That way I would gain Railsounds, and the six wheel trucks, to boot. Nice that it isn't a permanent switch. 

Have you thought about adding a railsounds car to your consist?

I've done this.  Makes perfect sense to me.  In my case I bought the set used at a swap meet but I swapped out the tender shells and all like you did - easy, quick, very little risk it won't work.  However, I did not resell any of the set - gave the track that came with it away and kept the rolling stock as I can always use that.

I recently did something with a pair of GP9 diesels.  I had an Alaska R.R. GP9 out of a set from about 15 years ago that started out life as a solid blue unit.  I added the yellow on both ends to make the paint prototypical, added a snowplow and and a winterization hatch.  The only sound was a weak sounding horn.  About 3-4 months ago I came across the GP9 out of the Titanic set at Nassau Hobby.  The frame and rails were yellow, it has railsound and smoke and engineers in the cab.  I completed the body transplant about a week ago.  I even was able to remove the engineers from the Titanic engine and put them in the Alaska.  The only problem was installing the built in "funnel" for the smoke unit.  I thought I figured it out but during my test run I never did get any smoke so I don't belioeve I got that funnel lined up with the smoke unit.  Ihave to take the shell back off to see if the smoke fluid is getting to the unit.

I was thinking of selling off the modified Titanic unit.  I think the color scheme looks better with the black frame and handrails instead of the yellow anyway,

like the Nike commercial says

"just do it"

If the screw holes do no aligh you can transfer the electronics from one chasis to the other.  Just use the origional chasis as a guide and you will probably have to transfer the trucks also.  I have seen this done several times both ways. 

I hope this helps

Ron

The Polar Express Railsounds tender might work, and you can get them for @ $100.

You could scavenge everything from that, if all else is the same, as others have said.

excatly!

Kenn,

   Make sure of the mounting holes and go for it.  Lots have been done this way.

PCRR/Dave

Go for it. You have more to gain than to lose.

Joe

ABSOLUTELY!  It is your trains, stuff and money.  Just so the shells are interchangeable in fit.  If the holes do not line up drill new ones being VERY careful that NO metal filing get into anything.  Sounds like a good way to go to achieve what you are looking to enhance your toy train fun and pleasure.  

Ron

Mounting holes do not matter, as long as the shells fit do it. I have a set of Postwar F3 AA bases that never leave the tracks. I have found over the years various shells and I just change the shells. One day they are Santa Fe, one day they are WP.. I have Rio Grande too.  Silver bases make it easy.