Building old Roundhouse & Athearn 'Blue Box' type kits

[John M Upton]

Chassis Assembly:

 

I decided to start with the chassis, this involves the fitment of the brake cylinders and couplings.  The cylinders fit into pre-drilled holes on the bogie side frames, two each side, eight in total.  The thin part slots into the inner part as shown.

 

The couplings were replaced at this stage with Kadee’s which are held in place with their spring using the standard coupler pocket clip.

 

Body Assembly:

 

Hand rails aside, there are just three main parts to fit, the first is the bell located on the hood, this required a little filing to the bell moulding and some glue applied from beneath:

 

The horn fits in a hole on the hood face of the cab just below the roof line:

 

The light lenses can be taken off the clear sprue but will need a little cleaning up as some flash is usually present.  Two standard round lenses fit each end whilst the number board lenses fit either side but ensure you put them the correct way around as their face is angled.

 

You will have a few spare round lenses left over, the SP version of this model has more lights!!

 

The Hand Rails:

 

One common feature of Athearn’s Blue Box locos has always been the metal hand rail parts and this example is no exception. You will need a decent pair of pointy pliers and some patience…

 

Sort your hand rail parts out into piles of different types, it will make things easier:

 

The hand rail parts in this instance consists of:

• 2 x End hand hail Sections
• 2 x Lower cab step handrails (handed)
• 2 x Upper cab step handrails (handed)
• 2 x hood side handrails (handed)
• 23 x Stanchions (one spare)

Many Athearn Blue Box kits came with different length stanchions so sorting them is essential as is paying close attention to the exploded diagram to ensure you use the correct one.  In this instance, they are all the same length which makes things a little easier.

 

I opted to fit the nose end hand rails first, threading four stanchions onto the main part (Make sure you thread them on the right way around!)

 

Fit the stanchions on BEFORE fitting the section to the body shell.  The ends should push fit with a little care into the predrilled holes but make sure you put them in the right ones.

 

A pair of handrails fit either side of the upper cab steps:

 

A second pair fits to the cab side of the lower foot steps:

 

Be aware both cab steps handrails are handed. Finally add the end handrail set which is identical to the set fitted earlier to the long hood end:

 

The long hood side handrails have to be fitted with seven stanchions each, threaded on the right way around before fitting them to the body.

 

Be aware that these long handrails are handed as well.  The radiator/long hood end secures into the hole located about halfway down the side of the lower steps, the other end secures into the hole in the cab side, long hood end below the side window.

 

The stanchions locate into the seven matching holes in the sole bar.

 

Repeat the process on the other side.  It is worth then ensuring the vertical stanchions are correctly upright and then pinching with a pair of pliers at the top to squeeze the loops closed, that means you can hopefully avoid the classic Blue Box wonky handrail syndrome.  Painting the handrails (a part of the improvement plan for this model later on) also helps stop the handrail stanchions from shifting out of true.

 

The Completed Model:

 

Whilst the old Blue Box models don’t possess the bells and whistles of more modern output, they are still a cheap option for those who want to improve, detail, customise, practice and even do some proper modelling.

 

Some of the range is generic, some actually rather awful but there are gems in the range and this SW1500 is definitely one of them with some really nice crisp moulding.

 

Next job is to improve it…

 

Edited April 4, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[F-UnitMad]

1 hour ago, John M Upton said:

It is worth then ensuring the vertical stanchions are correctly upright and then pinching with a pair of pliers at the top to squeeze the loops closed,

Happy memories, & I used to do exactly that with the stanchions.

The only down side of the 'dummy' locos (apart from a non-existant haulage capability) was the wheels being plastic.

[BR60103]

This is one of the newer locos. In the 60s, the handrail stanchions had a flat bit pressed into the top and a hole drilled through it.  

 

If you are going to weather it, consider a "rubbed clean" streak a shoulder height above the walkway on the fireman's side.

 

[cnw6847]

Good to see, the Blue Box locos run very well and personally I prefer the metal handrails to todays flimsy plastic offerings that usually don't match the loco in colour and misshapen over time.  

[Graham Heather]

Brings back a few memories. Building a Athearn model and then adding some detail parts

and paint to bring it to life.

Painting the handrails and usually  white on the vertical rails and the step edges always helped.

Look forward to seeing more progress.

PS. Not as much work required these days on a new model. 

Sometimes, it was the extra effort that made the model.

Graham.

[John M Upton]

Indeed, I painted the handrails just last night:

The pot of Humbrol I use as SP grey was a perfect match fortunately. 

Edited April 4, 2022 by John M Upton
Restoring Pictures

[Allegheny1600]

On 10/12/2021 at 18:54, John M Upton said:

Chassis Assembly:

 

I decided to start with the chassis, this involves the fitment of the brake cylinders and couplings.  The cylinders fit into pre-drilled holes on the bogie side frames, two each side, eight in total.  The thin part slots into the inner part as shown.

 

The couplings were replaced at this stage with Kadee’s which are held in place with their spring using the standard coupler pocket clip.

 

Body Assembly:

 

Hand rails aside, there are just three main parts to fit, the first is the bell located on the hood, this required a little filing to the bell moulding and some glue applied from beneath:

 

The horn fits in a hole on the hood face of the cab just below the roof line:

 

The light lenses can be taken off the clear sprue but will need a little cleaning up as some flash is usually present.  Two standard round lenses fit each end whilst the number board lenses fit either side but ensure you put them the correct way around as their face is angled.

 

You will have a few spare round lenses left over, the SP version of this model has more lights!!

 

The Hand Rails:

 

One common feature of Athearn’s Blue Box locos has always been the metal hand rail parts and this example is no exception. You will need a decent pair of pointy pliers and some patience…

 

Sort your hand rail parts out into piles of different types, it will make things easier:

 

The hand rail parts in this instance consists of:

• 2 x End hand hail Sections
• 2 x Lower cab step handrails (handed)
• 2 x Upper cab step handrails (handed)
• 2 x hood side handrails (handed)
• 23 x Stanchions (one spare)

Many Athearn Blue Box kits came with different length stanchions so sorting them is essential as is paying close attention to the exploded diagram to ensure you use the correct one.  In this instance, they are all the same length which makes things a little easier.

 

I opted to fit the nose end hand rails first, threading four stanchions onto the main part (Make sure you thread them on the right way around!)

 

Fit the stanchions on BEFORE fitting the section to the body shell.  The ends should push fit with a little care into the predrilled holes but make sure you put them in the right ones.

 

A pair of handrails fit either side of the upper cab steps:

 

A second pair fits to the cab side of the lower foot steps:

 

Be aware both cab steps handrails are handed. Finally add the end handrail set which is identical to the set fitted earlier to the long hood end:

 

The long hood side handrails have to be fitted with seven stanchions each, threaded on the right way around before fitting them to the body.

 

Be aware that these long handrails are handed as well.  The radiator/long hood end secures into the hole located about halfway down the side of the lower steps, the other end secures into the hole in the cab side, long hood end below the side window.

 

The stanchions locate into the seven matching holes in the sole bar.

 

Repeat the process on the other side.  It is worth then ensuring the vertical stanchions are correctly upright and then pinching with a pair of pliers at the top to squeeze the loops closed, that means you can hopefully avoid the classic Blue Box wonky handrail syndrome.  Painting the handrails (a part of the improvement plan for this model later on) also helps stop the handrail stanchions from shifting out of true.

 

The Completed Model:

 

Whilst the old Blue Box models don’t possess the bells and whistles of more modern output, they are still a cheap option for those who want to improve, detail, customise, practice and even do some proper modelling.

 

Some of the range is generic, some actually rather awful but there are gems in the range and this SW1500 is definitely one of them with some really nice crisp moulding.

 

Next job is to improve it…

Hi John,

That’s a lovely build there.

One of these in SP livery was my first new American outline purchase back in around 1990/91 for the princely sum of £26. When I saw the moulded details on the truck as in your first picture, above - I was blown away.

 I had had some European models prior to this and they were good but this level of detail at so much less than the cost of Hornby or Lima? I was hooked.

Not to mention the running qualities, especially once I’d learned how to tune up the mechanism.

What a pity I let mine go!

Cheers,

John

[doctor quinn]

I do like the later blue box Athearn locos -scale width hoods and  no moulded grab irons (except the SD40-2). I solder the handrails using power flow flux, clear up is a chore but they are robust.  

 

[F-UnitMad]

5 hours ago, Allegheny1600 said:

One of these in SP livery was my first new American outline purchase back in around 1990/91 for the princely sum of £26. When I saw the moulded details on the truck as in your first picture, above - I was blown away.

Mine was Santa Fe blue, but ditto the sentiments, & the contrast with UK OO diesels at the time!!

 

I think I gave Bernie Victor a heart attack at Warley/NEC when I bought my first Athearn Blue Box switcher - I found one on his stand that was £30. I held it up and asked, maybe slightly too loudly, if he had anything cheaper?

After he did a classic double-take, he did indeed find me the above mentioned Santa Fe switcher, coincidentally also for £25, IIRC  

[Allegheny1600]

I’m glad my story resonated with Jordan, thanks mate! I had a bad feeling of deja vu when I’d hit “post”, sorry if I’ve told that before.

Here’s a nice video I found a while back, about tuning up the good old Athearn BB mechanism;