Model Railroading > Athearn Flexicoil Trucks for SD50

Hi all,
I have a couple Athearn Conrail SD50's that need the stock HTC trucks replaced with Flexicoil.  Does the existing Athearn Flexicoil just snap into place? Anyone have an Athearn part # for those handy?

Thanks,
-Alex

I haven't actually done the conversion but I looked into it a while back. The trucks do mount a little bit different, I think you have to drill a couple holes in the frame to accomodate pins on the trucks, Don't have the part numbers handy.

Andrew C

Conrail had 105 SD50's with flexicoils and 30 with HTC's. Athearn produced both. I would find a model the is already equipped with flexicoils.

Posted from Android

Depending on what era of Athearn SD50, you can replace the entire truck, or modify the HTC to represent a Flexicoil.

The axle spacing is different so switching just the sideframes is really difficult and not sustainable for operations.  

By filling the middle hole in the three-hole casting on the HTC truck, and snipping off the long horseshoe shaped end of the HTC and then filing to shape, you get a reasonable approximation without having to buy new trucks.  Some detail changes and weathering and it's nearly impossible to tell the difference without a ruler.  

~RGDave

Thank you, guys. I have a few of these, and when I bought them didn’t realize that some had Flexicoils and others HTC. So I renumbered 6745 to 6795 which needs to go HTC. I’ll reach out to Athearn parts.

Posted from iPhone