USA Trains F3 units

[ondrek]

My Son has show that he really loves the F7 or F3 Diesels. He has also grown to really love the Red and Silver Santa Fe version. He really doesnt care that its a Santa Fe, he just loves the Red and silver paint job, he's only 5.

He has been bugging me for 5 months now that he really wants this train in the G scale as he already has one in HO scale.

I have found a seller of USA trains that has the A unit for a decent price, (i suppose). $200 for just the A unit new.

So what i am looking to do is to find a review of the USA trains F3 units. anyone know where i can find one? I see that LGB makes an F7, to me and my son, there isnt any real difference between a F3 and a F7 so it all boils down to quality between the two makes, which one is better? The Aristo is out because its a FA unit, and there is a large nose cowling on that engine that nicholas just doesnt like.

So anyone point me in the direction of a good review on the two? the LGB F7 and the USA trains F3

looks like the LGB is out of production, so that one might be harder to find too boot.

Thanks in advance for your help.

Kevin

[Anonymous]

I have the USA F-3's in a A-B-A set .They are very reliable running locomotives and are really nice looking too. I do not own the ones made by LGB . I have seen them and they look nice too .I'm sure they run great too. The LGB loco is 1/20th scale and the USA is 1/29th meaning the LGB is larger. The LGB brand will more than likely be more expensive than the USA . If you want my opinion I would choose the USA brand . I just happen to like its look a little better but thats a my personial opinion . My loco's are the Santa Fe red and silver "warbonnets" paint job .

[ondrek]

Blue,

That is exactly the one nicholas wants. He doesnt care for the B unit or doubling up of A units though, I offered with his HO scale F7 but he said no, so I just went with it.

Those cars are a nice match, is that a 8' Dia curve? or more? I was told that the F3 unit will navigate a 5' curve but if i wanted to run the heavy weight pass cars I would need 8' dia curve.

I understand that the USA F3 is 1:29 and that it would be smaller than the LGB F7, but how does the USAT F3 compare to say a Bachmann Anni? I am looking for size comparasons of the models not scale, are they both the same height in inches? is the F3 smaller or larger than an Anni? I am hoping its the same or larger as the prototype F3 i larger than the Baldwin 4-6-0 that the Anni is modeled after. At least i believe it is, I could be wrong.

Thanks

Kevin

[Anonymous]

Hi Kevin , those are 20 dia. curves and the passenger cars are also from USA trains . I do not have a Bachman "Annie" so I couldn't tell you how it wold compare the the F-3 . I think the F-3 would go around 4' curves but then you could run into the problem of it pulling cars off the track because of the overhang of the couplers . I'm not sure of that cuz I never tried a small diameter. I am sure it will go around 8' curves with no problem. Hope this helps alitle.

[devils]

I'd recommend the USA version for scale and value
the LGB F7 is 1:26 (roughly ) and is actually a bit of a cross between a F7 and F9 according to someone who reckons to know.
The USA F3 is 1:29 and apart from the slight gauge narrowing a good scale model. I've two F3A's and they run fine on 4 foot radius / 8 foot diameter curves (LGB R3) The USA coaches are superb as well and cope with these curves but nothing smaller! The F3 will grind round 2 ft radius (LGB R1) but wouldn't like to do it long term.

[ondrek]

So it will grind around a 4' Dia curve, thats not a great thing.

I have an unbuilt layout that uses 5' Dia curves, I have all the track i need already, so even though the layout isnt yet built, I dont really want to have to get all new curves and re-design the layout plan.

plus 8' Dia curves just wont make it in the living room where we run trains until the layout is built.

So if the F3 can navigate a 5' Dia curve without grinding and without donig damage to it, thats great. So....will it like 5' dia curves?

Kevin

[mgilger]

My curves are 6 foot, but I do have some turn outs that are 4 feet and the USA F3’s handles them just fine. I would suggest that you think ahead to the future and go with as wide a radius curve as your space can handle. I wish I had gone with a minimum of 10 feet, but it's too late now.
Mark

[devils]

The F3 will be fine on 5 foot diameter but the USA trains coaches won't you'll have to go with something like the Aristocraft ones which are shorter and have the couplers mounted on the trucks.
F3 will be ok on 4 ft diameter on the floor for now while you build up the layout.
Enjoy

[ondrek]

mgilger -
Hind sight, I should have purchased 6.5' Dia curves, but after purchasing all the track i need to have to build my plan, I am rather stuck. Funds are not there to allow me to just run out and get 2 boxes of new track, even if i were to sell the track i have say on ebay, I wounldnt have enough to cover it. plus my layout design is a 10'x19' using 5' dia curves, so if i was to use larger dia, my plan wont fit in the area i have designated.

devils -
I dont have any plans of getting the heavyweight pass cars. they are just way too large. 40' cars are the longest we will run. we do have some Bachmann passenger cars, that i fear are longer than 40', but maybe not, they are the standard Big haulers passenger cars they have. I know they navigate the 5' dia curves we have. I like the aristo-craft passenger cars, pricey though. still looking for deals on those.

what will happen if i get this F3 is that nicholas will mostlikely just have it pull the 20' box cars and flat cars that we have, he might hook the passenger cars up to it along with them too.

The two pics here are the planned layout. first the design and then the test run out on the lawn last summer. nicholas is sitting in the chair running his big hauler 4-6-0 with just a few of the freight cars we have. I use the 5' Dia curves, but I tried not to have too many in a row, hoping that having it like that, it wont be so hard on the engines to go around. probably didnt make any difference though.

the layout design:


the test run:

[devils]

looking good, I still set out circuits using my R1 stuff from start sets on the grass at friends when we have a BBQ in the summer. The kids love it!
The plan looks good, plenty of room to play switching as he grows up.
Enjoy!

[Anonymous]

Looks really nice Kevin . Thats gonna be alot of fun to build and operate . Its good that you have some sidings to play with . I am gonna add a couple this year as soon as it stays constantly warm. Right now I have a loop going around the yard with one long passing siding . Post pics of your progress .

[ondrek]

Thanks for the info guys. I will get nicholas an F3 when things get a bit better here. The layout will get started sometime this summer after I finish up the addition on the house.

I am happy to hear that it will do the 5' Dia curves.

Thanks guys

Kevin