How many F-units? I have 5 NH FL9’s, and they are simply the finest F-units ever made (disclaimer: I helped to design them as a member of the NHRHTA).
If you want to consider non-EMD F-units, I also have a dozen Alco FA/FB’s, all in NH.
Let me be the lame guy here and say, zero. Nada
Nilch
Zip
Squat!Not that I don't love me some F-Units, its just I have not yet had time to plop down cash for some. $200+ for some Athearn or Intermountain unit with the full DCC and Sound? Yeah, I ain't going to build a fleet of those overnight, at least not until I finish college.
SeeYou190That is only 9, I thought I had 11. I might have missed a set of them.
.
Back at home and double checked the roster.
It turns out the missing two units are an A/A set of Alco FAs. These are Walthers low end models.
So... 9 EMD F units, 2 Alco F units.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I have 3 Kato CB&Q F3A units in N scale and 1 B&O F7A early Athearn Genesis HO unit kept over from my HO modeling days. I am seriously considering one (or two) of the upcoming Kato Santa Fe red warbonet F7A locos just for fun. In N (normal) scale of course!
Ralph
Since we are shoe horning in other F units, Ill add in 4 F40PHs.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
The STRATTON & GILLETTE FAs are in the paint shop right now.
These are going to be the most colorful diesels on the SGRR roster when they are completed.
Bigjim7I have to admit I have 0 F units. I just have modern diesels from 1960 to now . Maybe one day.
D&RGW was running F units well past 1960, as was other roads. In fact FT's were still running through about 1964. F7's lasted until about 1972 and the F9's ran until 1984.
Like many I had grandios plans to run trains from several time periods hence all those F units. I expect a some
xboxtravis, college years are difficult to have a train hobby, I know. And possibly wife and kids to distract you and spend your mondey too.
But, if you want to join the F unit crowd, you can find Stewart F units at train shows for a fraction of the cost of Intermountain and Genesis, and best of all, Stewart have the best silky smooth KATO chassis and they look pretty good too. You can add details to taste. I see them in the $50 to $80 price range - on Ebay some have them listed at nutty prices but pay no attention to those trolls. Heck, I've been trying to sell my NIB WP F3's for about $55 ea and no nibbles. The mechanisms are so nice, I'll probably save them in case I need them to replace Genesis chassis.
riogrande5761 Stewart have the best silky smooth KATO chassis and they look pretty good too. You can add details to taste.
Also, the Kato bodies are pre-dimpled at the drill locations for the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. That kit can be had for 5-10 dollars. The kit does an A/B set of locomotives.
So, you can get a decent looking fine running A/B set for around $100.00 if you shop a bit.
I've got 3 A units and 1 B unit, all Milwaukee and all old Athearn blue box models. The B and one of the As are sound dummies. My collection started around 1960.
I've got a UP shell with no chassis, which ended up inside one of the Milwaukee's. All of them have been fixed up with new headlight lenses and window glass, plus grabs.
It takes an iron man to play with a toy iron horse.
My four Globe F-units are long gone...
...and while I'm now modelling an earlier era, I still much prefer (over F-units) the 8 or 9 FAs and FBs that I still have.I do kinda wish that I still had these two, though, even though they're also too modern for my layout...
Wayne
Now, we're talking my favorite type of "F" units--after my FL-9s. Two A-B-B-A consists of FA/FB-1s in a mix of New Haven's green and "gold", McGinnis and trustee paint schemes. Some of you made passing mention of E units, F-45s, F40PHs, etc. I proudly own four "honorary steam locomotives". Three Erie-Lackawanna and one New Haven Alco PA-1s. That NH number will increase when Walthers new release arrives.
I have accumulated a lot of EMD first generation F-units. Most of them are Burlington (CB&Q). I have a total of 62 with 34 A units and 28 B units. 45 of the units are currently operated on my layout.
EMD models are FT, F2, F3 phase 1, F3 phase 2, F3 phase 4, F7, F9, and FP7.
CB&Q ... 13 A units. 11 B units.
ATSF .... 6 A units. 5 B units.
GN .... 4 A units. 5 B units.
NP .... 5 A units. 4 B units.
UP ..... 4 A units. 1 B unit.
NYC ..... 2 A units. 2 B units.
GARRY
HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR
EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU
F units, 22 on the books, maybe 2 or 3 hidden in boxs. If I had to guess it would have been lower, totaling like maybe 15.
OK. I'll play. I model 1954, so we have some F units.....
ATLANTIC CENTRAL
ABA set - Athearn "blue box" EMD F7 units, super detailed, can motors, cab interiors, American Limited diaphragms/close coupling
ABBA set - Genesis EMD F3's - buit from highliner kits, steam heat equiped for dual service
2 - ABB sets - Intermountain FP7 with F7B units - for passenger or freight service, built from kits
2 - ABBA sets - Proto2000 ALCO FA1/FB1
WESTERN MARYLAND
ABA set - Genesis EMD F7 - fireball paint scheme
B&O
ABBA set - Intermountain EMD F3 - blue/grey scheme, steam heat equiped
ABA set - Proto2000 ALCO FA2/FB2 - blue/grey scheme
ABBA set - Proto2000 ALCO FA2/FB2 - first solid blue scheme with black/gold stripe (this paint scheme existed only briefly around 1957? - but its my railroad)
C&O
ABA set - Proto2000 F7 - as built "wave" paint scheme.
totals:
ATLANTIC CENTRAL - 21 powered units
WESTERN MARYLAND - 3 powered units
B&O - 11 powered units
C&O - 3 powered units
38 units total
Then there are the ALCO PA's and the EMD E units.........
Sheldon
PS - as most of you know, we are all DC here, no DCC or sound.....
"average" purchase price, well under $100 each, most purchased "new"
I have 15. Mostly Athearn BB kits. All with DCC and in sets A/B, A/B/A and A/A. Each set has at least one sound decoder.
New York Central predominates but there is a Union Pacific, Santa Fe A/B/A, and Pennsylvania set.
These are in addition to multiple sets a E7s and E8s for Pennsy, NYC and Santa Fe.
Remember its your railroad
Allan
Track to the BRVRR Website: http://www.brvrr.com/
Exactly 1 (not counting my Lionel O set on display) The Bachmann NS Executive A unit for my business train.
Joe Staten Island West
I've always be ambivalent on the traditional first generation F-Units, so I have none of those, and the Penn & Delaware tourist train on my PDT uses an ALCO RS-3 as the vintage power.I did have an F40 at one point, but sold it off years ago (back when eBay was still a going concern) in favor of AEM-7 Meatballs & P40s Genesis.
chutton01 I've always be ambivalent on the traditional first generation F-Units, so I have none of those, and the Penn & Delaware tourist train on my PDT uses an ALCO RS-3 as the vintage power.I did have an F40 at one point, but sold it off years ago (back when eBay was still a going concern) in favor of AEM-7 Meatballs & P40s Genesis.
I guess it has a lot to do with the era you model.
I don't own any models of any locomotives built after 1954.
ATLANTIC CENTRALI guess it has a lot to do with the era you model. I don't own any models of any locomotives built after 1954.
As I model the 70's, I ony have a few:
1 F7A used for passenger service, custom protolanced scheme. (Athearn BB with some some added and replaced details. Scheme inspired by the NP Pine Tree scheme.) This one is the only one that is actually used for a layout.
I also have: an F7A-B set of the newer RTR Athearn in the NP Pine Tree scheme (I'm a big NP fan.) and an older Athearn (round gray motor that I replaced with a gold flat side) F7B that is sitting in a tote in a storage unit. (Custom maintainance scheme for snow plow pusher service.)
Modeling SP, UP, ATSF in the 50's - 60's, hence:
30 F-3 A&B62 F-7 A&B 2 F-9 A
plus FP-45s and F-45s.
Not sure if it's a virus, but definitely some kind of disease
SeeYou190 riogrande5761 Stewart have the best silky smooth KATO chassis and they look pretty good too. You can add details to taste. . Also, the Kato bodies are pre-dimpled at the drill locations for the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. That kit can be had for 5-10 dollars. The kit does an A/B set of locomotives. . So, you can get a decent looking fine running A/B set for around $100.00 if you shop a bit. . -Kevin .
I would get the Detail Associates kit, much finer wire than the Walther's.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Only about 16. One F2A, 3 FTA, 1 FTB,2 F3A, 3 F7A, 3 F7B, 1 F-10 from Athearn blue box F-7, MR Article, 1 FL9A, from a couple Athearn Blue Box, and an FP7A, also Athearn BB. I USED to have a couple unpowered Globe F7s, but they became the body for a planned electric in my high school days, and a Varney F-3 that jumped the track from a layout edged trestle about 5 feet off the floor. Noisy, but outpulled the Pre-super power athearns. Anybody for Geeps?
dti406 SeeYou190 riogrande5761 Stewart have the best silky smooth KATO chassis and they look pretty good too. You can add details to taste. Also, the Kato bodies are pre-dimpled at the drill locations for the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. That kit can be had for 5-10 dollars. The kit does an A/B set of locomotives.. -Kevin I would get the Detail Associates kit, much finer wire than the Walther's. Rick Jesionowski
SeeYou190 riogrande5761 Stewart have the best silky smooth KATO chassis and they look pretty good too. You can add details to taste. Also, the Kato bodies are pre-dimpled at the drill locations for the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. That kit can be had for 5-10 dollars. The kit does an A/B set of locomotives.. -Kevin
Also, the Kato bodies are pre-dimpled at the drill locations for the Walthers F Unit dress up kit. That kit can be had for 5-10 dollars. The kit does an A/B set of locomotives..
The only Walthers dress-up kit I've ever seen was for the Athearn (Globe) F7; It had a wire grabs and window parts for the side portals, side cab and windshield. The glazing was sized to fit the Athearn F7 shell.
The Stewart F's come with all the window glass so the only thing you need to add are the grab irons. I'm with Rick on this one, even the Walthers grabs are rather thick. It would yield better results to buy thin wire and bend it to length and install. IIRC, close to scale would be 0.010 wire.
19 Fs in operation, with another 3 deadlined for various reasons. All Rio Grande. Mostly Genesis, with 6 Walthers/P2K sound units thrown in, along with 2 Stewart FT A-B sets. Used to have quite a few Stewart Fs, but sold them off to standardize a little. Needed to thin the herd. The only Fs I still need (beyond adding sound to a few) would be a nice set of Monon Fs, in black and gold even though I'm from the south end of the system. A cousin is married to the daughter of a Monon engineer.
Mike Lehman
Urbana, IL
xboxtravis7992 Let me be the lame guy here and say, zero. Nada Nilch Zip Squat!Not that I don't love me some F-Units, its just I have not yet had time to plop down cash for some. $200+ for some Athearn or Intermountain unit with the full DCC and Sound? Yeah, I ain't going to build a fleet of those overnight, at least not until I finish college.
Suddenly, I fear I have lost my mind. Its been over a week since the first post, but while walking through the store today I suddenly remembered; "Wait, don't I own a Bachmann FT ATSF unit from their DCC Commander starter set?"Yep. One.Uno.A single unit. So suddenly my claim about not owning any F units ever has been flushed out the door! So how did I forget this engine? Its been in my 'deadline' for a while (IE sitting on a shelf gathering dust). Its always been an awful runner, and just doesn't work since I tried a weathering experiment on it a while back. It and the ATSF GP40 that also came in the set though are my least favorite engines in my collection, but at least the GP40 still works so I haven't forgotten about it. So yes... I own one F unit so awful I might as well own zero!
I have 3 FT units
-ATSF Bachmann Ho scale
-CB&Q Bachmann Ho 123
-CN Mantua Tyco 6536 Ho scale
Planning on getting more, though.
yes funny i a huge articulated steam guy & i looked at my diesels & i only have a proto union pacific f3 & a pair of A/B rio grande , thats all
My F units.
An AB pair painted in the Mcginnis scheme. Athearn Bluebox.
And the old B&M maroon and gold scheme. Also Athearn blue box.
Future projects. Paint all the truck sideframes grimey black. Couple them together more closely. Weather the roof fans lightly.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com