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Life Like proto 1000 B units.

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  • Member since
    April 2011
  • From: About 20 minutes from IRM
  • 430 posts
Life Like proto 1000 B units.
Posted by CGW121 on Sunday, November 15, 2015 4:49 PM

I have 3 of the afore mentioned A units but what I want is B units. Does anyone know where I can get them?

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, November 15, 2015 6:00 PM

What type of B unit?  Not all B units are created equal.  What type of A units do you have?  Proto 1000 is a model train brand, not the Model name of a particular locomotive.

The following is a short (incomplete) list of EMD locomotives that had B units:

FT, F2, F3, F7, E7, E8, E9, GP60, etc. 

Other locomotive manufacturers also made "B units" 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Sunday, November 15, 2015 6:09 PM

As Andrew mentioned, there were many varieties of "B" units (cabless booster units) he mentioned the EMD models but Alco, Baldwin and Fairbanks-Morse also made several models of B units.

You can start here...

http://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p3693.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xproto+b+unit.TRS0&_nkw=proto+b+unit&_sacat=0

or look for a train show in your area and browse there.

Life-Like was absorbed by Walthers some years ago and many of the runs have not been produced in a while but there is still plenty of stock available.

You might want to contact some larger hobby shops and ask.

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    February 2010
  • 384 posts
Posted by Redore on Sunday, November 15, 2015 6:13 PM

I assume you are talking the old Proto 1000 F3 units.  You can usually get an old Athearn F7 B shell to fit an A unit chassis without too much work.  I think Life Like also made Proto 1000 F3 B units.  Watch train shows or Ebay.

  • Member since
    April 2011
  • From: About 20 minutes from IRM
  • 430 posts
Posted by CGW121 on Sunday, November 15, 2015 6:36 PM

Suppose I should have mentioned that what I have is F3A units and am looking for F3B unit shells. Oops - Sign I have seen them on ebay but all I am after is really the shell. 

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Fruita, CO
  • 541 posts
Posted by slammin on Monday, November 16, 2015 8:21 AM

I find that many times the shell sells for as much or more than the complete loco. Don't limit your ebay search to just the shells. Good luck.

  • Member since
    July 2006
  • From: Bradford, Ontario
  • 15,797 posts
Posted by hon30critter on Monday, November 16, 2015 9:27 PM

CGW121:

Have you made sure that the 'B' shells will fit on the 'A' chassis?

I'm not familiar with the P2K F units but I did run into a problem with InterMountain 'B' shells not fitting the 'A' frames. I think the problem may have been that the 'A' frames were from FP7s that had the additional length needed for the passenger steam generators. Hopefully you won't encounter that situation.

Dave

I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!

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