Model Railroading > Walthers Mainline locomotives with fine wire connections

I started working on a friend's Mainline F7A and F7B diesels which have a couple of broken power wires. The plan was to replace all power wires with heavier wires.  While working on wire replacement I find these wires may be #40 maybe even finer. Getting the factory trucks off the carbody may be challenging account getting to the worm drive clip  from the bottom may not be possible due to the gear box width.

Are Walthers PROTO models better built models?

Thanks.

Alan
Missoula

I decided to put the long hood back on the frame of the GP9 phII and  reinstall the couplers to use the model for local service. About an hour after that project got under way the long hood and walkways have not yet snapped back together yet.  It looks like I will need to do some additional disassembly to file some mating pieces.

Walthers gives some specific instructions about maintenance and routine oiling, be warned those instructions are absolutely useless to the model.

There is no way to remove the trucks account the gear box covers are too wide to allow screw driver access to the worm gear clip to gain access to the removal of the trucks.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/22 21:07 by fbe.

From what I understand, Mainline and Proto locomotives of the same class have the same chassis and internal infrastructure.  It's the enhanced external detail that commands the premium price.  If this is not correct, someone should speak up because this is what I have heard!

Walthers Assistance toll free number is:

1.866.833.1468

I removed the MILW GP9 phII body from a Mainline chassis to put it on a Walthers PROTO chassis. It is a close fit as is mounting the GP9 from the Proto body getting mounted on the Mainline chassis.  This was supposed to be easier then stripping, masking and painting two GP9s. 

 

BlackWidow Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> From what I understand, Mainline and Proto
> locomotives of the same class have the same
> chassis and internal infrastructure.  It's the
> enhanced external detail that commands the premium
> price.  If this is not correct, someone should
> speak up because this is what I have heard!

I have both early and late E units.The frame (weight)
are not the same.
Uncle Joe
Seffner,Fl.

I have settled on the GP9/GP20 on it's aupplied Walthers Mainline chassis and the BN GP9 on the supplied Walthers PROTO chassis.  It is physically possible to make a swap but after doing that it is not worth the effort.