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I have F units from Athearn (blue box and some older), Athearn Genesis and Stewart. I enjoy all of them and consider them all to look and run well. The old Athearns captured the F unit look but showed mold lines and many had poor paint jobs. Still, with a little work, they look good, are reliable and run well. I prefer the ones with metal sideframes as the newer ones with the plastic sideframe with add-on details will not take a sharp turn once the details are added. The Stewarts have gone through many drive train changes and I don't know which ones are the best, they all seem to run well and they really look nice. Just have to detail them. I have some from every era, I think, and at least the bodies look to have stayed the same. It was called the most accurate F unit ever made and maybe it is. They were the first plastic F to offer every phase of F unit production from FT through F9's. I applaud their effort. I have a couple of MRC F 7's from their  platinum series and they are nicely detailed, have stainless grills but I suspect the accuracy is not as good as Stewart or Athearn. They just look alittle different. Also, you almost never see them for sale so making up a set is not easy. Then came the Athearn Genesis line. I've bought a few and like their looks. I have yet to run any but I'm sure I'll be satisfied with their performance. Right out of the box, they have as much detail as any and rival brass in outward appearance. I don't have any Broadway Limited F's but given their other products and the price that you have to pay, they are probably as good as brass, maybe better in some ways. I'm sure that I will own some of them at some point in time. Of the ones that I have, it's a toss-up between the Stewarts and the Athearn Genesis as to which is my favorite. The Genesis are more ready to go but it's hard for me to say that I like either one more than the other. How bout the rest of you? If it's sound that you want, I think you're stuck with BLI or the latest from Athearn Genesis. I have not taken that step yet and am more concerned with looks and performance. I'm not even DCC yet so I guess I'm alittle behind the times. Many of my engines are DCC ready but I don't have any of the rest of the requirements. Probably will get into it in time. Bill
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