SD9 Conversion

T

The Yardmaster

Colin
Oct 25, 2007
33
0
6
Corunna,Ontario,Canada
I bought a bluebox sd9 black widow during the summer and want to convert it over to a powered unit,i remember seeing or reading somewhere that I could use the power trucks off of an sd45 but after reviewing parts list for sd45's and the parts list for a sd9, I find that they are not the same parts numbers as indicated on the sd9's list of parts.

Any thoughts or ideas on this conversion would be appreciated.

Colin
 
N

nachoman

my advice - pick up a used SD9 from a swap meet or ebay (can probably find one less than 10 bucks) and swap shells. By the time you find the motor, trucks, etc, you will be more than 10 bucks anyway.

Kevin
 
jbaakko

jbaakko

Active Member
Jun 25, 2006
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San Diego, CA
rr.blockchoice.com
The F45/FP45, SD45, SD7, SD9 all use the same style Athearn truck. They should work the same. Later styles, such as the SD40-2, SD40T-2, ect would not work, as the pivot point is lower, and of a different style.
 
T

The Yardmaster

Colin
Oct 25, 2007
33
0
6
Corunna,Ontario,Canada
Nachoman & Jbaakko thanks for the replies,going to a train show this weekend and hopefully something will be available,if not I'll just wait for the next show to see if something shows up.

Also have a local hobbyshop looking as well,so it may just be a matter of time.
 
R

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Feb 13, 2003
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Lakewood, Ca.
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I think that Athearn only made 5 types of power trucks for the blue box locomotives and it may have been only 4. The 4 axle trucks for the DD40 are unique to that model. The 3 axle trucks for the Pa & Pb are unique to that model. The 3 axle trucks in all of Athearn's old blue box EMD Sd type locomotives and the c-type "u-boats" were identical and the 2 axle trucks in the 2 axle trucks in all of the old Gp type and b-type "u-boats" were identical. I'm not sure about the Sw trucks. I think the Sw trucks were the same as the Gp's but the motors were shorter. The differences were in the side frames. I'm talking about the old style plastic side frame trucks and not the even older style metal side frame trucks. I don't know about the new r-t-r and Genesis units out now, but I think they might be different in some of the newest models.
 
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