General Discussion (Model Railroader)

 I like the Stewart's as much as my Proto 1000 F'3s. OK, I like my PK 1000 just a little better with them being Monon's, after all I am from Indiana and A and B are powered.

 I have been run the Stewart's for around 40 hours now and will say they are getting better with some miles under there belt. The F9 is pulling 22 cars (counting the dummy B) with no real effort. I will guess it will pull 27 or so up my grade, not bad! I will try later and see what the max will be.

 One thing I really like is the wires from the trucks to the PC board is much heaver than other engines I have. It looks like real wire!  All so much easier to install a decoder than the PK 1000's I have.

 Only thing I do not like is the LED headlight is yellow, but that looks to be a easy fix. Looks like the box that the LED plugs cover will flip open for the change.

 Over all I pretty happy with the Stewart's F-9's. Only thing that might stop me from buy another set? I found a pair of PK 1000 Rio Grand F-3's A and B powered (different paint) for $69.99 at K-10 Model Trains.

 Any one that wants a Stewart set for $59.99 PM me, K-10 Model Trains still has around 15 sets.

         Cuda Ken  

Athearn has announced D&RGW F3's in multi stripe:

 Thanks for the up date, the PK 1000 at K-10 is that color schema as well.

                   Cuda Ken

 Plenty of info on Rio Grande diesel paint schemes here:

http://utahrails.net/drgw/rg-diesel-paint-schemes.php

More on Rio Grande motive power, cabooses, and passenger cars in general:

http://utahrails.net/drgw/rg-index.php

cudaken:

Only thing that might stop me from buy another set? I found a pair of PK 1000 Rio Grand F-3's A and B powered (different paint) for $69.99 at K-10 Model Trains.

 Any one that wants a Stewart set for $59.99 PM me, K-10 Model Trains still has around 15 sets.

         Cuda Ken 

 Ken,

 Beware of the Proto1000 Rio Grande F3's.  If they are what I recall, they are a phase version that the Rio Grande never owned.  The Proto1000 have the chicken wire between the portholes on the side like some of the phase II style F3's. But Rio Grandes F3 porthole panels went from phase I (3 portholes with sheet metal between to phase 3/4 (2 portholes with F7 style louvers and sheet metal between).  So Rio Grande never owned any F3's with the side details like Proto1000, if that matters to you.

 Riogrand, being stupid about trains as a whole, that kind of detail would not bother me.

 At this point, I really don't need more pulling power! Darn Stewart is now pulling 25 cars like there nothing behind it?

cudaken:

 Riogrand, being stupid about trains as a whole, that kind of detail would not bother me.

 At this point, I really don't need more pulling power! Darn Stewart is now pulling 25 cars like there nothing behind it?

No problem.  It matters to some, and to others not.  Actually most of the RIo Grande F's produced have been pretty close, the Proto1000 are the only one which are "off".  The Stewarts are among the nicesst chassis ever made - originally made by KATO by the way.

Of course, there are these beasts. These were bought by Penn Central as trade-in fodder towards GP38s. However, they were in better shape than some of PC's own Fs, so were put into service.

 http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/pc721dr.jpg

http://pc.smellycat.com/pics/equip/pc754_712_1648dr.jpg

They ran around like this until they were repainted black. Sure way to drive the D&RGW fans nuts LOL Seriously, the trucks appear to be silver (weathered to gray) in the second photo.

What drives me more nuts is going to Athearn or an online seller and only the PC worm logo Rio Grande units are left in stock.  Maybe Athearn Genesis should have produced a larger number of Rio Grande units and a smaller number of PC worm paint overs.