Atlas SW9

I have had my Atlas SW9 apart years ago.    I remember that the gear towers extended quite far at the front and rear.    You may want to check if an SW1 sheel will fit.    The frame on the SW1 is teh same, but the cab and radiator end are both much farther in toward the middle, ie the superstructure is much shorter.

Also a while back, I kitbashed a 2 rail SW1 from an All Nation NW2 shell.    I used an P&D type mechanism.  

To make the body I cut the cab and hood away from the All Nation frame.    Then I shortened the front end of the body to the correct length for the SW1.    I attached the cab and hood casting back to the frame with some straps and screws.    I  used flat screws from the outside in and countersunk.    I then filled the holes with filler putty and sanded it all smooth.    I did an article on the project for the old "48/ft" magazine.    Contact me off line if  you want to see a copy of the article.

Harley Rider,

I worked on a project a while back just like you are about to do. I started with a 2 rail SW9.

The shell will fit on the frame. I think I had to remove one of the bosses at the truck mounts which held the former light board. I'll check to see if I have any photos of the project.

I gave up on the project when I found an Oriental SW1 at Chicago about ten years ago.

I think Brother Love has done the conversion. You might try doing a search to find images of his conversion.

I've got an Atlas SW9 (UP) apart right now to do a Blunami conversion. It's 3-rail, and I'm going to experiment with using a rectifier/capacitor combo to feed the decoder DCC. Eventually I would like to make it 2-rail. I love this locomotive! So, very interested in what you come up with for the running gear. My feeling is that if the wheels alone could be swapped out (NWSL options?) then maybe it would be fairly straightforward. However, I've also never done a 3R-2R conversion before. :-)

Fred

I wish Atlas had parts for the SW8/9 , it would make the conversion from 3 rail to 2 rail so much easier.

Harley Rider,

Here is what I was working on.  I ended up selling off the MTH shell and later putting the an SW9 shell back on the frame and selling that off also. But it did fit and the truck spacing was right.

I wish Atlas had parts for the SW8/9 , it would make the conversion from 3 rail to 2 rail so much easier.

NorthWest ShortLine offers a geared 2 rail wheelset kit for the Atlas SW series engine. Its a simple swap. You will have to fabricate pickup wipers. In fact Jay Criswell at Right-of-Way offers a replacement brass bottom plate for the trucks. To change out the flimsy plastic bottoms.  And I think wipers too.

Is that this one? I was wondering if that might be a direct swap, but haven't take apart the trucks yet.

Fred

The truck spacing should be identical on the prototypes.    The frames were built at the same time and GM/EMD was big on standardization.     the 567 diesel prime mover was 567 cubic inches per cyclinder.    They made it in 6, 8, and 12 cylinder versions I think.   What I found was unique, is the cylinder assemblies were individually removable, unlike a gas car engine.   And they interchangeable I think among the various size engines.

I was also wondering about the gears and the diameter.

@fpatton posted:

Is that this one? I was wondering if that might be a direct swap, but haven't take apart the trucks yet.

Fred

Fred, that looks like the ones that will fit, but you can E mail them to make sure. This is what I will need too so please let me know what you find out. Thanks, Dave

@fpatton posted:

Is that this one? I was wondering if that might be a direct swap, but haven't take apart the trucks yet.

Fred

Fred,

They are a drop in replacement set of wheels. I've used their set for Proto48 conversions.

If the model is 3rail you will have to make a set of wipers for each truck.

George, I want to thank you for all your suggestions, this is what makes 2 rail O scale so great.

This SW1 started out as a SW9 in 3R.  I used the NWSL replacement wheel sets and made my own 2R wheel wiper pick-ups.  The shell was easy to attach after drilling new holes in the frame.  I filed all the detail off of the walkways and added Plastruct tread plate.   I also added open grillwork to the radiator openings, top and front.   These were 3D prints obtained from All Nation. I added a number of other details and painted and weathered as Fernwood, Columbia & Gulf 600. It runs great and I still use straight 12 VDC.  I’m working on another one now that will be Illinois Central.

Fabulous work, Brother!

Brother Love, thank you for showing us your pictures of your SW1. I hope to do a Southern Pacific version, and your pictures help. If you have more suggestions or tips I would love to know about them. Thanks Dave

Brother Love, that's a very nice model!