Album: Upgrading Athearn Blue Box IAIS GP38-2s

Athearn trucks (modified to lower the frame as described at http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=58609 ) and Kato motor in place, using the stock Athearn driveshafts. The Kato motor simply screws into the Athearn fuel tank, and the mounting holes align perfectly. This also shows the decoder and speaker installation, both of which were very easy.

As a result of the test-fit of the shell, after this photo was taken I unscrewed the decoder, removed about 3/32" off the height of each of the motor mount "towers" that it screws into, and replaced the decoder. Once this was done, the motor, decoder, and speaker fit perfectly inside the Athearn shell with no other modifications.
By: Joe Atkinson

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Athearn trucks (modified to lower the frame as described at http://forum.atlasrr.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=58609 ) and Kato motor in place, using the stock Athearn driveshafts.  The Kato motor simply screws into the Athearn fuel tank, and the mounting holes align perfectly.  This also shows the decoder and speaker installation, both of which were very easy.  

As a result of the test-fit of the shell, after this photo was taken I unscrewed the decoder, removed about 3/32" off the height of each of the motor mount "towers" that it screws into, and replaced the decoder.  Once this was done, the motor, decoder, and speaker fit perfectly inside the Athearn shell with no other modifications.
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  Last modified on April 26, 2010, at 11:40 PM