hawkeye427 csmith9474 I am interested in the interior color information you mentioned in your March 7 post.
csmith9474 I am interested in the interior color information you mentioned in your March 7 post.
There is some good info in this thread (somehow we got from nurses to interiors):
http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/t/205365.aspx
I am sort of in a hurry this morning, but it appears that Matt has the same info that I do, so maybe he can fill in the gaps here. If not, I will post the info when I get back home this evening. Welcome to the forums!!!!!
riogrande5761 It seems that east has been king in the model train world for ages, so I'm happy to see western getting caught up personally. That also includes all the PC&F box cars and tunnel motors from Athearn as well BTW. The disappointing thing for me about the hi level cars is that they are doing Amtrack phase I and II, but not phase III. The step down bi level cars used on the Amtrak California Zephyr was phase III paint, and Walthers shouldn't leave out such a major train!
It seems that east has been king in the model train world for ages, so I'm happy to see western getting caught up personally. That also includes all the PC&F box cars and tunnel motors from Athearn as well BTW.
The disappointing thing for me about the hi level cars is that they are doing Amtrack phase I and II, but not phase III. The step down bi level cars used on the Amtrak California Zephyr was phase III paint, and Walthers shouldn't leave out such a major train!
It might be a sales marketing plan to offer all of the cars but hold off of the third phase to build sales.
They might release those later.
CZ
Someone on Atlas forums emailed Walthers and was told that Walthers would not be offering latter phase paint jobs on the El Capitan passenger cars (phase III, IV and IVb etc).
I need phase III, phase I and II are not good to a D&RGW modeler since they were not used or were extremely rare on the Amtrak CZ when it first ran on across the Rockies.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
I can almost guarantee that Walthers will release appropriate Hi-Levels in phase III. As well as a phase IV and IVb Pacific Parlour car.
Just have to wait a little bit as new HEP ends will have to be tooled first.
But the demand is there alone for the Pac Parlours. So you know later era Amtrak Hi-Levels will be made...eventually.
Matt from Anaheim, CA and Bayfield, COClick Here for my model train photo website
And now Walther's delivered all the locomotives(I ordered 5), the 72 seat coach (I ordered 5), the 68 seat step-down coach, and the lounge this month. That really blows my unit per month budget. I was expecting a heavy hit with the coaches, and the locomotives, but both the heavy hitters plus two more at once! What do they expect me to do? Not pay the rent?
I sent Walthers an e-mail a month or so back asking if they were going to do the Pacific Parlor car. The answer was "no". By the way, the "41CDO" truck which Walthers put on these cars and several of their earlier cars like the 46-seat Budd coach are wrong. They have 8'6" wheel base like those used by UP. Those used by Sant Fe were 9' wheel base. Side by side you can tell the difference. The TSP truck is correct at 9" wheel base. It's really difficult to re-fit a Walthers car due to the way they did the bolsters (like nobody else).
hawkeye427 The TSP truck is correct at 9" wheel base. It's really difficult to re-fit a Walthers car due to the way they did the bolsters (like nobody else).
The TSP truck is correct at 9" wheel base. It's really difficult to re-fit a Walthers car due to the way they did the bolsters (like nobody else).
I drill the center hole on the TSP truck with a 13/64" drill bit. Yeah weird bit, but the closest bit I could find to fit the Walthers bolster.
Then to secure it, I used 7/32 washers and the original Walthers truck screw. They work great and the truck mounted coupler allows the Hi-Levels to operate on my tight radius curves.
I find that interesting in that the truck bolster center on the Walthers trucks drops down and when set on a piece of track next to the TSP truck, the top of the truck bolster on the Walthers truck is lower than the same surface on the TSP truck. Using the TSP truck should then result in the car setting too high. The only way I was able to use the TSP truck on earlier Walthers cars was to completely reconstruct the TSP bolster to give it the drop center to match the Walthers truck. Am I missing something?
hawkeye427 Am I missing something?
Am I missing something?
Nope, with a TSP truck as is, the car does sit too high. But a compromise I have to live with
I received my Proto2000 #41L F7A. Loco runs smoothly and Tsunami sound is outstanding. That said, the red warbonnet paint color is a dark red, almost maroon, and not the bright ATSF red. Unit does not match any red warbonnet paint from any other loco manufacturer or the official ATSF red swatch. Lettering is sharp and stainless panels look good. Hope your 5 on order have the correct red color.
mjmuncie I received my Proto2000 #41L F7A. Loco runs smoothly and Tsunami sound is outstanding. That said, the red warbonnet paint color is a dark red, almost maroon, and not the bright ATSF red. Unit does not match any red warbonnet paint from any other loco manufacturer or the official ATSF red swatch. Lettering is sharp and stainless panels look good. Hope your 5 on order have the correct red color.
Disappointing to hear about the color. Why I use Athearn Genesis (F3 ABBA). Their warbonnet red is really nice.
Is the red similar to the dark red used by Kato years ago on the Kato/Stewart F units?
I'd like to see photos of these new Walthers/Proto F7s. Curious to see if they really are accurate for the late 1950s Walthers billed these as. Several key details to look for, and I'd be interested if Walthers got them right.
I try to avoid buying anything from walrhers , direct or indirect . I have always been disappointed when I did .I also refuse to pay 20+ dollars for a catalog . Never made sense to me me to have to buy a catalog from someone who you plan to do business with . RON
Proto 2000 ATSF F7A is not as accurate as Athearn Genesis F7A. There are no MU hoses or air lines on front pilot. I will add lines based on photos, but color is real negative. I will not buy another Walthers loco again but will stick with Athearn. Genesis are best F7s, especially since they went to Tsunami sound decoders.
In regards to the red on the Proto F7s, then it isn't just me. I saw an ABBA set at the LTS the other day and thought the same thing. It reminded me of the red on the BLI Santa Fe Fs. Way too dark. As mentioned Athearn nailed it. The only problem with the newer Genesis F7 release is that they are deskirted. I am in the late '50s, so I need the skirting. That is where P2K got it right.
csmith9474 The only problem with the newer Genesis F7 release is that they are deskirted. I am in the late '50s, so I need the skirting. That is where P2K got it right.
The only problem with the newer Genesis F7 release is that they are deskirted. I am in the late '50s, so I need the skirting. That is where P2K got it right.
Same with me, I'm late 50s too.
I've been bugging Athearn to release a Genesis F7 or F3 ABBA (Santa Fe Passenger) set that is appropriate for the late 1950s. One with all the nice new MU and Air hoses that the latest Genesis F units have...but not too many. Remember mid to late 50s did not have as much clutter as the later era Fs on the Santa Fe.
I have the older Genesis F3 #32 LABC. Nice, but it needs a few more era specific details. I'd be super happy if Athearn released something like this:
Athearn Genesis has done earlier version, but that will be a treasure hunt I guess.
The first and second run of the Genesis F3's and F7's had the skirts as delievered and they will probably offer those again in the future. I like the Athearn Genesis color and details. The early runs did not have the cut bars or MU hoses, but that is a minor set of details and they can be added.
I agree with all the comments about the Genesis models being superior. I have a set of late warbonnet F-7's sans skirts from last year with Tsunami's. They are great. My only problem with them is that the paint is a bit heavy. It softens the details under the red. The roofs are gloss silver and should be more of a matt aluminum.
It is not red- maroon really. Every time I look at them I makes me sick. What a waste of a grand.