C630's

[NW Modeling List]

I put Atlas Trainmaster sideframes on my Stewart C630 about a year ago.  It wasn't that difficult, the biggest issue being that the Atlas trucks are slightly longer than the Stewart.  They both attach the same way, with two pins on the sideframes plugging into the trucks.  However, the Atlas pins don't match up to the Stewart holes.  It looks like what I did was either cut off or thin down the Atlas sideframe pins, and then used Walthers Goo to secure them, with one pin fitting in like normal and the other being trimmed to fit and glued in place.  Because of the different truck lengths, if you look closely, you can tell that the sideframe journals do not match up perfectly with the center of the wheels, but it looks fine at a normal operating distance.  Depending on your curves and turnouts, you may need to trim/sand the ends of the sideframes that are closest to the fuel tank to prevent rubbing and derailments.  

I spent more time researching this project than I actually did working on it.  I considered swapping the entire truck assembly, but decided against it because the Stewart frame does not sit down properly on the Atlas truck.  Similarly, modifying the Atlas frame to accept the Stewart shell would be a lot of work, as you would have to stretch out the frame, or at least the driveshafts, to make up for the longer length of the Alco, plus change the fuel tank.

If you have not done so already, acquiring the Atlas Trainmaster sideframes may be the most difficult part, as Atlas has not had those parts available separately.  

Also, I think I noticed where someone on the list asked why this project was being discussed.  N&W traded in some of their Trainmasters on a later order of Alco C630s.  Alco built the new C630s on the trucks of the Trainmasters.

Marty Flick

  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: NW Modeling List 
  To: nw-modeling-list at nwhs.org 
  Sent: Saturday, July 14, 2012 7:45 PM
  Subject: C630's


  Has anyone tried to change the side frames on a Bowser C630 for either Atlas or Athearn Trainmaster side frames?  


  Thanks in advance,
  JWall
  Winston Salem, NC


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  ________________________________________
  NW-Modeling-List at nwhs.org
  To change your subscription go to
  http://list.nwhs.org/mailman/options/nw-modeling-list
  Browse the NW-Modeling-List archives at
  http://list.nwhs.org/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  No virus found in this message.
  Checked by AVG - www.avg.com
  Version: 2012.0.2178 / Virus Database: 2437/5133 - Release Date: 07/15/12
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://six.pairlist.net/pipermail/nw-modeling-list/attachments/20120716/064e9bf0/attachment.html>