The new SW1500, is it worth it?

I'm with ya there- I have a Russian Decapod and E8, plus quite a bit of foreign power (KCS, UP, Santa Fe, SCL, SP, MP and Kiamichi) in my collection. But of all my DCC-equipped power, it's all Frisco.

 

I'm still undecided on the new Athearn SW1500. Haven't bought one yet. Looks like they are appearing on eBay now frequently in case I change my mind. It looks very nice, but I'm still happy with my modified "Blue Box".

FYI, there is a decent secondary market these days for Frisco o/w units. In the past two weeks I've sold an Atlas GP38, an Athearn SD45, an Atlas B30-7 and a Walthers GP15-1, either by direct sale or via eBay.

Also just sold my Ulrich Frisco 2-bay hopper kit (metal) which I've had for about 500 years (really just since 1962 or 63). Still have all three of the old MainLine Models Frisco car kits (40ft box, 50ft box, 40ft stock), all definite "oldies but goodies". Starting to think what to do with them. Also have the old Ambroid ACL phosphate hopper car - got to build that as I am an old phosphate chemical guy.

I also have a vast plethora of Kadee Frisco 40 ft PS-1 box cars, which I'm starting to think about thinning down, since Kadee now seems to be doing new number duplicates.

I'm spending more time trading now than I am modeling. Got to stop that!

Ken (obviously musing)

 

Many thanks to Keith Edgington, Ken Wulfert, and others for parts and information. These are BB Athearn SW1500 #'s 318 and 341, these are my first SL-SF SW1500's
After adding AAR pin lifters, grab irons, MU stands and hoses, new bells, speed recorders, antennas, visors, Smokey valley side frames, and modifying a set of Athearn side frames. The hardest thing to install were all those flush fitting AMB windows, man there are a bunch of them. Windshield wipers, some weathering and away we go. Cut the end handrails and put in crosswalk chains, but I cant find any drop steps, that I can afford, or willing to pay that much for anyway. Soldiered a couple constant lights kits together for them. Looked on the Fallen Flags web site and found a couple pictures where all the lights were removed from the cab roofs, to keep the lighting packages simple. The drive lines on these BB Athearns weren't working for me either. So I modified the Athearn drive to accept a NWSL 484-6 ball & Socket on one end. A tight fit but they work really well.
There is no doubt that the RTR version is better out of the box, in pretty much every aspect, great details and they look and run as good as they look IMHO. But I still enjoy modeling and modifying stuff, so these there were a fun little project. I will weather and set up the RTR ones for service on this MRR and compare them, I might send them to Mr. wizard Keith Robinson for some sound and maybe DCC, too.

Here they are coming out of the roundhouse and in service working the trimmer job, 2 of these little guys are just what the job needs, they do good.
I would sure like to see some more pics of your RTR SW1500's would like to get some ideas.
Thanks for looking.

 

Lookin' good Tom! I know the new Athearn RTR SW1500 is well done, but these Blue Box units still look good to me. The SW1500 might be the best "BB" model that Athearn made. I still haven't picked up a RTR one.

I like the two SD38-2's on the hump. Where did you get those, or how did you make them? I really enjoyed watching them do their thing the times I visited Tennessee Yard (twice) and Cherokee Yard (once). I enjoyed hearing the two CY units with their extended range d/b's "whine" as they held the cut of cars back as they went down the "hump" (really just a downgrade). The TY units had no d/b as that yard has a classic hump hill. At TY, the two were brand new looking - that's how long ago that was! They were a bit more weathered at CY.

Ken

 

That's some mighty fine modeling! I highly doubt that anything "right out of the box" would even come close. You have great patience.