Clear F3 article lacking

[BigJim]

After extolling the fact that Lionel public relations' "brilliant idea of fitting a clear plastic shell on top of an F3 chassis. That way, distributors and their clients could glimpse the motors, reverse unit, and other elements responsible for all the power", why did Mr. Carp not say anything about why Mr.Kohn's vintage F3 has no guts at all? Without delving more into Mr. Kohn's F3 collection, a potentially interesting article falls short and into the realm of just a bunch of fluff.

Also, since the article was based on Lionel, why was MTH models included? Lionel has made more clear rolling stock than F3's.

[Penny Trains]

I found that more than a bit curious myself.

Becky

[Roger Carp]

I appreciate the comments on my recent article on Michael Kohn and his collection. Perhaps I didn't make clear enough that the main subject of the article was Mr. Kohn and what he collects. Therefore, when selecting pictures to show, I decided to use the clear shells that looked best, even if they were mounted on a chassis without the motor inside. He does indeed own examples with the motors, reverse units, and so forth in place, but those shells do not look as nice or have as much of the decals on them.

Second, because Mr. Kohn collects other models manufactured with clear plastic shells, including modern items from Lionel and MTH, I thought it made sense to show examples of them. That is why the photograph of an MTH item was included.

I apologize for any confusion and hope this will clear up the matters raised by BigJim and Becky.

Roger Carp

Senior Editor

Classic Toy Trains

[jwse30]

Roger Carp

 Perhaps I didn't make clear enough that ...

I apologize for any confusion and hope this will clear up the matters raised ...

Roger Carp

Senior Editor

Classic Toy Trains

Very punny! I liked the article as it was, and didn't notice the shell was a dummy until this thread came to be.

J White

[BigJim]

The following is from a short mention of the 1939 World's Fair in NYC on another TRAINS forum:

Well, the GM exhibit had a model world of tomorrow that was pretty impressive, with of course superhighways going everywhere, but with a minor model railroad built in as well.   They also had an E3 A unit with the side panels replaced by glass so you could see the diesel and generator and other equipment.  Spottlessly clean and painted to differentiate the equipment.  And cars of the future, of course.

Could this have been the inspiration for the clear bodied F3? 

[Firelock76]

BigJim

The following is from a short mention of the 1939 World's Fair in NYC on another TRAINS forum:

Well, the GM exhibit had a model world of tomorrow that was pretty impressive, with of course superhighways going everywhere, but with a minor model railroad built in as well.   They also had an E3 A unit with the side panels replaced by glass so you could see the diesel and generator and other equipment.  Spottlessly clean and painted to differentiate the equipment.  And cars of the future, of course.

Could this have been the inspiration for the clear bodied F3? 

It may very well have been.  There's no way for us to know now, but it's probably a certainty that 'ol Joshua Lionel Cowan took his family to the '39 Worlds Fair, and possibly several times.  It wouldn't surprise me if he remembered that  "see-thru" E3 and said to his staff  "Hey boys, you know what?  I've got an idea!"

[sir james I]

Ok I received the mag but due to other matters I had not read it yet. After reading I asked the same question. It was suppose to be a Lionel article. And they have reissued enough clear bodied engines to fill the MTH space that was used.