Looking for a little help re shell swapping

[spookshow]

As the host of an N scale reference website I get lots and lots of email queries from modelers, and one of the most popular questions is "will locomotive shell X fit on chassis Y?" Unfortunately, I don't keep all of the locomotives I review, so I don't really have any way to answer such questions. However, it does seem like handy info to keep track of (particularly for swaps that don't require a lot of work). So, here's the "little help" part - if you've ever performed a locomotive shell swap and it worked out well, maybe you could post the info here (or PM me) so I can then add said info to the relevant page on my website.

Thanks!
-Mark

[daniel_leavitt2000]

1. Atlas GP7/9 shells are interchangeable. They also fit on LL split frame GP18/20 with no modifications. High hood GP18 will fit on Atlas shells with small modifications to the hood under the cab. Upshot: the LL GP20 chassis is useful for chop-nose rebuilt GP projects.

2. Atlas GP38/40/38-2/40-2 share a chassis. They also fit GP39-2 chassis with little to no modifications. The LL GP38-2 shell will fit on the Atlas chassis, but not vice versa. Upshot: newer versions of the Atlas chassis can convert older models to DCC sound.

3. Atlas B23-7, B30/36-7 use the same chassis and share shell components.

4. Atlas B32-8, B40-8 and B40-8W share a chassis and shell components.

5. IM SD40-2W and SD45-2 share similar chassis. They are interchangeable with minor grounding to the chassis ends. The IM SD40-2 chassis will fit both. Upshot: easy way to add sound/dcc

6. The KATO SD80MAC and SD90MAC share a chassis and shell components. They are interchangeable.

7. The LL SW8/1200 share a chassis and shell components. The MTL uses the same chassis with little to no modifications. Upshot: easy to power  MTL shell kits from second hand or old stock SWs. Use of the newer Walthers/MTL makes DCC an easy swap.

8. Atlas C40-8 and C40-8W share the same chassis with no modifications.

9. Atlas SD50/60/60M share the same chassis they are interchangeable with no modifications.

10. Athearn SD70/70i/70M/75i/75M share the same chassis they are interchangeable. Upshot: newer versions of the chassis are DCC ready where older versions had a 3 poke motor or were not. An easy upgrade.

Notes on trucks:
Atlas HT-C trucks are used in: Atlas SD50/60/60M, IM SD40-2/40-2W/40T-2/45-2/45T-2. They do not share a common side frame with others.

Atlas ARR-B, Blomberg B, Blomberg M, GE Bolsterless and FM trucks share the same gear case and are swappable. They may also be compatible with IM and MTL early Blomberg B. Kato has a similar truck used in their F units with minor changes to the electrical contacts.

Atlas Flexcoil trucks share a gear case with the Kato equivalent. The side frames can be swapped.

LL SW AAR-A trucks share a gear case with MTL RB AAR-A and flexcoil side frames.

[johnb]

Not that anyone other than you cares, but the Botchmann 1980's GP40, GP50 ans U36B were interchangeable

[nickelplate759]

2nd generation LifeLike e8 shells fit on 1st generation (plastic) chassis, but 1st generation shells don't mount properly on 2nd generation (split frame) chassis (they fit but don't attach to the chassis).

All first generation LifeLike E unit (e6, e7, e8) shells and chassis are swappable except you can't put an A shell on a B chassis without cutting the chassis.

[spookshow]

Thanks, guys. I guess should clarify things a little bit - I'm mainly interested in Frankenswaps (EG putting a Life-Like shell on an Atlas chassis). As far as locomotives from the same mfr that share the same chassis, I think I have all of that covered already.

One question I get asked a lot is if a Kato NW2 shell fit on a Bachmann NW2 chassis (and vice versa).

-Mark

[thomasjmdavis]

The one I have found that I thought should work but does not (at least not without more machining than I was willing to attempt) was swapping an Intermountain F unit shell onto a Kato mechanism (this was 8 or 10 years ago, I haven't tried with the most recent releases). The Intermountain shell is a bit thicker than the Kato shell and, therefore, the Kato mechanism is just a bit wider than the Intermountain mechanism. 

The attempt had nothing to do with preference of one over the other, simply that I had several spare Kato frames from a parts lot and several Intermountain shells picked up on eBay.

The Intermountain shell will fit over the pre-DCC Bachmann Spectrum F unit chassis.  OK, I admit, I tried it.  IIRC, there may be a small bit of filing to do to get a good fit.

The Baldwin DT6-6-2000 shell from James Train Parts on Shapeways is a near perfect fit on an Atlas C-628 chassis.

With a bit of reshaping around the nose of the chassis and some sticky stuff to keep it in place, a Life-Like E7 or E8 shell can be coaxed onto an old Con Cor (made by Kato) E unit mechanism.  (That same lot of parts that had the Kato mechanisms, and another box of shells) Again, the only reason I did this was the mix of parts I happened to have lying around.

[randgust]

OK, Mark, well here's some of mine....

Trix U30CG shell on a Kato C30-7  (and I also have the resin full-length tank to fit)
Trix U28 shell on a Kato C30-7  (with some minor cutting)

Lima FP45 on an Atlas SD50 chassis, wore out.
Lima FP45 on a Kato SD40-2 chassis, running
chopped Lima FP45 to F45 to Kato SD45 chassis, made 2

Atlas SD45 on a Trix U28 chassis (lots of milling and grinding)  Truly old-school, just for the record, I made 3.
Chopped Lima FP45 to F45 on Trix U28 chassis (wrong trucks and all) made 2.

Life-Like SW8 on a Kato NW2 chassis (worked rather well)

Intermountain SD45-2 shell on a Kato SD40-2 chassis (worked great)

(If it seems like I have an obvious bias on fitting almost anything to a Kato chassis, you'd be correct.  Easiest way to make a DC-compatible MU fleet is to match motors and gearing wherever possible)

CF7 expiriments:

My CF7 kit on Atlas classic chassis, Atlas current chassis (easy), Atlas GP15 (difficult) and Bachmann GP9 (never again).

Others I know of:

John Sing and others have repowered Model Power RSD15's with Atlas B40 chassis with Atlas C630 trucks fitted.

[jdcolombo]

Ditto on the LL SW8 shell on an NW2 chassis - a bit of modification is required, but nothing major.

LL PA-1 shell on a Kato PA-1 chassis works; will need to body-mount front coupler and might need to alter the height of the coupler a bit.

As previously noted, LL GP18 shell on an Atlas GP7/9 chassis is a no-mod swap.  However, you can't do a LL SD7/9 on an Atlas SD chassis - the LL shell is just a hair too narrow for this.

John C.

[MK]

Mark, you should take all the info in, not just the Frankenswaps and create a database or spreadsheet on your website so people can cross reference.    What may seem obvious to an  may not be for the normal Joe or the infrequent swapper.

[RRRover]

The old Atlas/Kato RS3 will fit on a LL/Walthers RS2, but you'll have to add a pilot and couplers to the old shell. Makes adding DCC easy.

[spookshow]

Wow, this is going to keep me busy until spring. Thanks! 

-Mark

[mmagliaro]

Broadway Limited E7 shell will not drop-fit on a Kato E8 chassis, but it can be made to fit by
milling (or grinding and filing) the to sides of the Kato chassis about 1/16" on each side.  There are just some
protruding areas along the sides.  You don't have to grind down the entire side of the chassis.

The black cab/nose interior light shroud has to be discarded or cut down and filed as well in order for the IM shell to fit.

Finally, a few long styrene shims will be needed along the top of the mechanism to get the shell to sit at the correct height.  Otherwise, it will drop too low over the trucks.

[Mark W]

Wrong click.  Disregard.

[daniel_leavitt2000]

Trix FM on a Kato/Con-Cor SW1200 with minor modifications to the frame.

[mmagliaro]

Why is everything in this thread getting reposted in italics?