# athearn blue box



## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

I am learning about this Hobby and I just picked up my first blue box. The question I have is...are there new style motors that will fit in the frame? Would I have to change the trucks if I can replace the motor. Any info would help. Thanks


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I have never re-motored any of mine. I drought you will have to change the trucks. If you are just up grading and the old motor work, DO NOT discard them. keep them and all other part that you change.


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## shaygetz (Sep 23, 2007)

Athearn are probably the easiest to remotor as there are several manufacturers who provide products for that purpose. There are even regearing kits available for the trucks. http://www.alliancelocomotiveproducts.com/photos.htm


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

I know what Blue Box is. What is a Athern Yellow box?


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## sawgunner (Mar 3, 2012)

Athearn yellow box came before the blue box and after the orange and white box


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## trainguru (Jun 28, 2011)

I had an Athearn remotored, it was a 4-6-2 from the 1960's, and I'll just say she's a dream. I still can't believe Irv, made such a cool Pacific! -


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## Southern (Nov 17, 2008)

What years are the different color boxes from?


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

Thanks for the input. Is it normal for ten to be so loud and jerky? That was why I would like to upgrade. It is not as smooth as the protos we have. Just curious.


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

Also is that alliance motor smoother than the original blue box. Could I use like a Kato or proto or Genesis motor?


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Most Athearn stuff is loud, but should not be jerky (unless its a rubber band drive). I'd guess you've got some dirty wheels to start with, and maybe some dirty brush/commutator issues. 

Here's a wonderful guide on how to tune these old blue box locomotives and improve their performance to boot. I do this to every BB loco I have and it works great!

http://www.mcor-nmra.org/publications/articles/athearn_tuneup.html


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## brylerjunction (Aug 8, 2011)

if I am not mistaken the colors were as follows

red/orange early to mid fifties and labeled Globe/Athearn
yellow box was late fifties until early 70's
blue box era was 70's until early 90's


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

I cleaned the wheels commutator and gears. This thing is still jerky. I have looked around I don't want to drop 60 bucks on a motor and flywheels. Is there a cheeper rout to go. Its a gp60. I really don't know what size motors (like kato) will fit. Is the stock blue box motor not going to be as jerky? They are only 20 bucks. When I run it I can here the motorand it takes a little bit then it jerks and starts moving.(very noisily) any help would be great here. Thanks for all the input so far.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Did you go through the Athearn tune up guide I posted earlier?

Sometimes Athearn BB can be hit and miss. My GP 60 runs as smooth and nearly as quiet as my Stewart Alco C628, and that thing is SILENT.


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

@smokinapnkake I did. Do you have the dog bone Drive shafts? It seems the only problems I'm having Is when I'm at a low speed. I checked all my connections and wires just to be sure but it still does it. this being my firs athearn really not too sure how they run.


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

Odd. My GP-60 has the older style driveshafts, the sliding shaft kind. 
Maybe look at the dogbones for any flash or untoward conditions. Be absolutely meticulous in your inspection; sometimes even the tiniest bit will foul you up. Are the dogbones straight? Warped or bent driveshafts could cause jerky / surging problems, too. If that's the case you can replace them with silicone fuel tubing like you would find on an RC airplane or boat. 

Are the flywheels pressed on straight? Spin the motor by hand and watch for any wobble on the flywheel. They can be pulled off by hand, but if they aren't on straight, it can be difficult to put it back and have it run true without the aid of more complicated assistance (drill press, arbor press, lathe, etc...). 

Also check to be sure the commutator and brushes are clean and that the armature spins freely. I had a GE U28B with a stiff armature that would kind of jerk around. I pulled it (armature out) and ever so lightly reamed the oil-lite bearings in the end bells with a drill bit of appropriate diameter. I think it was 3/16". If it requires any real effort the drill bit is too big. You should be able to spin it with your index finger and thumb. You don't want to open up the bearing surface, just polish out any burrs that may be there. 

With a little tuning, these old BBs can be very pleasant to run and supremely reliable to boot. I like the big ol' headlight in the cab, personally. 

Good luck!

Oh, I see you did do the comm.


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

Everything looks straight no flash. I spin the flywheels and it looks good. I will try to get more into it this week if I can't find anything wrong I guess I will try a new motor first. What is the sliding shaft kind of driveshafts? I'm not familiar with athearn.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

Smokinapankake said:


> Most Athearn stuff is loud, but should not be jerky (unless its a rubber band drive). I'd guess you've got some dirty wheels to start with, and maybe some dirty brush/commutator issues.
> 
> Here's a wonderful guide on how to tune these old blue box locomotives and improve their performance to boot. I do this to every BB loco I have and it works great!
> 
> http://www.mcor-nmra.org/publications/articles/athearn_tuneup.html


not entirely true, my little hustler (athearn) has a rubber band drive and its not jerky at all, only time it "jerks" is if im doing a really slow start with a couple cars attached and I throttle it too fast...and thats still hard to do, however I do redo the rubber bands with different ones when i get trains like that...


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## Smokinapankake (Sep 8, 2011)

fundio said:


> Everything looks straight no flash. I spin the flywheels and it looks good. I will try to get more into it this week if I can't find anything wrong I guess I will try a new motor first. What is the sliding shaft kind of driveshafts? I'm not familiar with athearn.


Looks kind of like a tube with a notch running the length inside. The part that fits inside is a shaft with a square portion (kind of like a woodruff key) that fits inside the notch. Sometimes they can have flash and cause probs. 

Beyond what I've mentioned I wouldn't know.... 

But Proto Power West used to sell some nice remotoring kits if you can find them....


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

Thank you for the advice. I took it apart again and used lithium grease instead of oil and helped a little with noise but its still jerky. I tried DC and dcc still jerky. I'm looking for the right motor now.I was told the athearn ho motor is a good motor and should be an easy swap but I was wondering if a Katie or proto is less maintenance since it is all sealed?


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## NIMT (Jan 6, 2011)

fundio,
You added a piece to the puzzle of your engine not running smoothly, Is it a DC engine or a DCC engine?


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## fundio (Mar 22, 2012)

It is dcc but I tried it on both and it is still rough I purchased a loco pro motor from eBay I don't know anything about these motors but it says that it is an athearn type motor does anybody know about these motors and do I need a cradle for the motor?


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## gofisher2 (Jul 19, 2012)

I have repowered a number of Athearn engines. A-Line makes a complete re-power kit available from Walthers. I re-powered a trio of Santa Fe F7s, carefully cleaned, trimed the running gear of flash, and now they run quiet and smooth. As good as an engine that cost 4 times as much. I run nothing but older plastic side frame Athearn and I've been re-powering them as I go along.


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