MBTA Engine

[Anonymous]

Has a manufacter ever produced an F40ph with the MBTA(Massachussets Bay Transportation Authority) color scheme? Thanks for the time and consideration.

[railroadyoshi]

YAH
YIPPEEE
MBTA!!!! MBTA!!!!
YEEEHAW
CHUCKACHABOOOOOOOO
MBTA all the way!


sorry, im just so happy to hear mention of the MBTA
This is very much like a question I asked a couple months ago, my second topic i believe, and it was, when will the MBTA equipment return? These days, we are limited to Walthers Horizon coaches, which are only similar to the coaches the MBTA really uses, and a host of decals etc that allow you to paint and letter your own f40's.

Now, for your question:
Yes, some manufacturer did make a MBTA F40 some years ago, but it has been discontinued. I dont know the brand, but it may have been Walthers Trainline, as I recall a couple years ago someone at the LHS (Local Hobby Shop-Not sure if you have picked up on the abrieviations here yet[^])purchasing a set including a painted MBTA F40 along with a couple MBTA cars;i wanted that set so badly[:D][:D][:P]
Or it coudlve been another manufacturer, who also produced cars, which would be really sad, losing both the f40 and another brand's cars, leaving us only with walthers' passenger cars.And, im not disregarding the loss of a F40 alone, i was heartbroken when i found out[V]Now, the MBTA has no model locomotive in its name in mass production that I know of. Im hoping Kato will produce one[;)]
Hope you find a way to get one/make one!

[railroadyoshi]

PS., Saturn, are you from the Boston area?
Since you are asking about the MBTA, and from your knowledge of the pats displayed in your other topic, I assume so.

[Anonymous]

Perhaps you could email Walthers and ask them to re-issue. Hopefully they allow you to do that. The Horizon cars were last made in September '04 I believe. And I am so glad that someone else shares my enthusiam of the MBTA besides me. Internet trains still has some MBTA cars priced at 21.95. If I was to paint an engine, I would probably use a gray....I'll have to look into it to see what exact color though.

[railroadyoshi]

Saturn, yes, I love the MBTA, its the only type of rail traffic I see, I live in a town through which one of the MBTA commuter lines passes, where freight traffic ended many years ago, as the beautiful Boston & Maine disappered into the big G

[AntonioFP45]

Saturn,

We had an "almost" back in 2003. ASModels was going to produce the MBTA F40PH, the Amtrak SDP40f, the New Haven FL9, a series of commuter cars, and some other long wanted units all in resin kit form. Resin kits can be amazingly accurate and detailed.

Unfortunately, this small one-owner company ran into some "time consuming" snags including a divorce. Here's his link: http://www.asmodels.com

Hopefully he'll get back on his feet and we'll see some of those goodies.

[Paul3]

The MBTA F40PH has been made by Bachmann Spectrum and Walthers Trainline, IIRC. The Bachmann version is atrocious, with many incorrect details (like dynamics and strobes)...even the paint is wrong. The Walthers Trainline...come to think of it, I don't know for sure that they made one (at least I can't remember seeing one). But before the Kato model, it was the best plastic version available. I used one and used Microscale MBTA decals and MBTA Purple Trim Film to get the right colors. The Kato version, is of course the best one available, but you'll have to strip it (no undec.'s) and add several MBTA details to get it right.

BTW, the MBTA's F40PH and GP40MC gray/silver paint is just like Amtrak's old F40PH paint...also known as Platinum Mist (from Floquil/Polly Scale).

Also, there has been at least one run of Overland (brass) MBTA F40PH's made. A freight of mine has one (I think they only made 25 of them). This version is the as delivered for 1000-1017, with no ditchlights, "bug eye" markers, and 3-chime horn. This was only in the "yellow nose" paint scheme (as compared to the "silver face" or the new "lightning stripe" (on F40PH-2's only) schemes). Good luck finding one of these beauties...

As far as equipment... The Walthers Bombardier cars are the only modern option. Bachmann made tri-levels for Chinese RR's that are quasi-close, but they are at best a substitute for 0700/1700-class cars.

If you want to run in the past (say, pre-1985), ex-New Haven 8600-class coaches are available from Eastern Car Works in a "flat kit" for about $20-$25 ea. The end result is nice, but the journey is not. These can be painted and decaled with Microscale products as well. The MBTA also used a few ex-NH "American Flyer" coaches, but I don't know if any of the 10-window versions that Eastern Car Works makes were ever on the MBTA.

Other than that, one would have to buy RDC's and "de-motor" them. Many of these unpowered RDC's did get the full purple treatment and T logos, and were hauled by F40PH's (along with FP10's and an E-unit or two, plus the D&H PA's).

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[AntonioFP45]

Very informative Paul, thanks!

BTW: Didn't MBTA have some F40s that were "extra long" to accommodate a separate diesel for HEP? They had a special designation but I forgot what it was (F40PH-M?). They looked slick. This was the version that AS Models was going to produce.

[DrummingTrainfan]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

Very informative Paul, thanks!

BTW: Didn't MBTA have some F40s that were "extra long" to accommodate a separate diesel for HEP? They had a special designation but I forgot what it was (F40PH-M?). They looked slick. This was the version that AS Models was going to produce.

Was it the F40C? I've seen some of Metra's and they were longer than they're other F40's. [%-)]

[Paul3]

The "stretch" F40PH's are called F40PH-2C #1050-1075 or F40PHM-2C (the rebuilds by Morrison-Knudsen), #1025-1036.

The F40C was Metra only, and had 6-axles.

If you want a roster for the MBTA's equipment, check out this link:

http://members.aol.com/rtspcc/roster/MBTAroster.html

Paul A. Cutler III
*****************
Weather Or No Go New Haven
*****************

[AntonioFP45]

That's it Paul, thanks!

If I'm not mistaken, the "C" stood for Caterpillar.

The small Caterpillar diesel engines were used to provide electric power to the passenger cars instead of having the main diesel provide electric power.

The smaller diesels were mounted in the back of these special F40s; hence the extra length of the locomotive.

Paul, are these units still running? If or when retired, I hope that other railroads pick them up.

Drumming Train Fan,

As mentioned only Metra had F40Cs. They had cowl noses (like the F45).