You only have four choices:1) Bachmann - A "trainset" model, with pancake motor and all the other troubles of it's ilk.
2) Brass - Do you really want to spend $500+ for an regular F-unit?
3) Athearn Genesis/Highliner - The best shell out there, with a good if not great drive. And can be had for reasonable money. If you get the Highliner shell (which is the undec. version of the Athearn Genesis model), you get all the parts to make an F9 (or any other F-unit from the F2 to the F9 for that matter). If you buy an Athearn F9, you have to get a painted version, and you'd have to strip it. But I think you can get the drive from them as a seperate part. Or you can get the Stewart/Bowser drive (probably the best of both worlds...Highliner shell on Stewart drive).
EDIT:4) Stewart - A great drive, never heard of a problem with it. The shell, however, while very good, is still not as good as the Highliner tooling. It certainly doesn't have the see through grills and the add on detail parts of the Highliner.
David, in a word...Huh? Athearn RTR is an F7, not an F9. And Intermountain doesn't make F9's.
And how you could not mention the Athearn Genesis/Highliner F9?
Oh, and grayfox1119, I would not try to modify an F7 to an F9 when the Highliner shell is out there. You'd have to change body panels, roof lines, fan sizes, etc. to get an F9 out of an F7. It wouldn't be worth it when the Highliner shell does all that for you.
Paul A. Cutler III*************Weather Or No Go New Haven*************
Paul covered it well. Much easier to use the Highliner shells. I've seen them and the detailing is eye catching.
Tyco made an HO F9 way back when in the 70s. Also a cheap trainset unit with a single truck, 3 pole motor. Sure was comical watching those lurching on the tracks, even with the rubber traction tires.
Still plenty of these floating around at flea markets and swap meets I had one and used it as an airbrush paint tester for years before scrapping it.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
Paul3 wrote:You only have four choices:1) Bachmann - A "trainset" model, with pancake motor and all the other troubles of it's ilk.
grayfox1119 wrote:who makes the best quality, best running , FP9? Or, should I buy an F7, and then purchase the add-ons to mount on the F7 to make it look like an FP9?
grayfox1119 wrote:PATHFINDER: I "did" do an edit after I realized that the F9 should have been and FP9, as it "is" used in passenger service in North Conway, NH, as well as an F7. Seeing that the FP9 is 4 feet longer than the F9, modifying an F9 is out, as I don't feel that adding the scaled 4 feet is a resonable solution. I am going to talk with Central Hobbies as you have recommended. Thank you Pathfinder,
Dr. Frankendiesel aka Scott Running BearSpace Mouse for president!15 year veteran fire fighterCollector of Apple //e'sRunning Bear EnterprisesHistory Channel Club life member.beatus homo qui invenit sapientiam
The Atlas FP7 is a late mode Phase !! FP7 and should be quite close to the CN FP9. Not having a picture of the ex-CN unit, I can not tell. The Canadian FP's were a little different than the US units.The upper grills had a 'Canada only' 3rd variation, and they did not like the F9 style vertical slit grills between the port hole windows(kept using the F7 style in Canadial production). I am sure tha Central Hobbies conversin kit is accurate, but you do need a power chassis as this is just the shell kit. Most folks use old Atlas chassis, or maybe you can get the IM chassis as a seperate part. The IM FP7 comes in two variations(early/late UDS car bodies).
Jim
Modeling BNSF and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin
grayfox1119 wrote:Thanks for the good info guys. I am now researching Intermountain (IM) and Atlas FP7 power chassis. I am wondering if ANYONE out there in MRR land has actually kitbashed an FP9 using the Central Hobbies FP9 shell, and which power chassis they used, and what tips they may have for construction?
grayfox1119 wrote:Pathfinder: Good point....I will email Hal with my questions. Thanks Pathfinder !!
grayfox1119 wrote:Pathfinder: Here are the links to the FP9 that I am trying to build: http://www.divisionpoint.com/photos/EMD_Fs/CNR_6516.jpg http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=117426 You may have to copy these to your browser to open because I am Beta testing the new Vista OS for Microsoft, RC1 version, and things may not agree with this forums new software.
Well, I can't help much on the detailing of the shells, but I have both the Atlas and Intermountain versions of the FP7, and I would say the drives are both of nearly equal quality. The Atlas, as mentioned, has body mount couplers, with a friction mount steel pin, if I remember correctly, where the I/M's are a frame mount. However, the I/M's are available with factory installed decoders and sound, and assuming you want that, then that would definately be a plus. I also believe the Atlas shells aren't quite as detailed as the I/M's. The only other issue would be actually finding and Atlas unit or 2, since they've been out of production for a number of years. Sure, you could always try eBay or shows, swapmeets, or whatever, but you may end up spending just as much as you would the I/M units.
You may end up having to buy whichever unit you can find for the drive. MR had an article in the October issue, and the article states the no FP9 models are commercially available. I don't think the Highliners shell is available in the proper FP length, but I would think that since there are only a few detail differences you may need to use the I/M shell and apply the proper Highliners details for a proper conversion or use a Highliners kit or 2 and splice them together for a proper length FP shell. Sounds to me like this is more work than you care to do, and I can't say I blame you, but if it were me, I'd be inclined to start with the I/M shell and add the neccessary details.
Brad
EMD - Every Model Different
ALCO - Always Leaking Coolant and Oil
CSX - Coal Spilling eXperts
F-9s or FP-9's. The original inquiry got changed?
(1) FP's were 4' longer than 'F's. (2) All had steam boilers, and (3) only A units were made. Western roads such as WP ran them with existing F-7B's.
Late 7's & 9's also had the large Dynamic fan. Paint one up for the RR of your choice.
Highliner does NOT make an FP shell. Athearn is also not likely to put out an 'FP' shell when they can offer a 'F' shells painted in FP colors. It's not like they haven't done this before. Highliner never delivered their looong awaited 'A' shell.
The InterMountain unit is preferred to the Atlas Roco. It has See-thru grills, Dual headlamps, and correct height for KD's. The drive also is better, and pulls more using less current. Sound is an available option. Extra grills can be purchased from Detail Associates.
http://www.imrcmodels.com/ho/loco/holocpow.htm
Pathfinder wrote: grayfox1119 wrote:Pathfinder: Here are the links to the FP9 that I am trying to build: http://www.divisionpoint.com/photos/EMD_Fs/CNR_6516.jpg http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=117426 You may have to copy these to your browser to open because I am Beta testing the new Vista OS for Microsoft, RC1 version, and things may not agree with this forums new software.I am not a CN guy but those look very nice.Your links:
I notice that the trailing cab unit in the CN photo (in the quoted post above) has a huge winterisation hatch. I recall seeing one of these (6531) in Toronto in 1977, but I've only been able to find a ground level photo I took at the time. I may have (but haven't found) a B&W negative taken from the bridge across Spadina yard showing the roof of this unit, but my recollection is that the big hatch covered one of the two 48" radiator cooling fans.
The recent MR F-unit article did not mention 48" radiator cooling fans, but that would be an important modelling feature for later CN FP9s if all of them were like that.
Does anybody know if 6531 was an oddity or were all the later FP9s fitted with 48" radiator cooling fans?
I sent an e-mail to Kalmbach asking about this, but have had no reply.
Anyone out there familiar with late CN FP9 units, can you confirm how many there were like this?
M636C
I don't think CN used dynamic brakes on their FP9's. If they did, they were removed at some point as these photos show.
Only Canada had 10 "Phase II" FP9's. (CNR 6533-6542, GMD blt May-July 1958) These late production CNR units used two large 48" radiator cooling fans intstead of four 4 smaller 36" radiator cooling fans.
6634 was a "B" Unit but also shared the same fan arrangement.
Don Gibson,Cut Athearn a little slack...they haven't (to my knowledge) pulled any shenanigans with their Genesis line of locos, such as painting a F9 like an FP9.
And Highliner did finally deliver their long awaited A shell. You can order one today from Walthers:
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/328-1001
Sure, they needed Athearn's deep pockets to finally get it on the market, but it's out there. And note that while Horizon won't allow Walthers to carry Athearn products, Walthers is still selling Highliner shells...which means that Highliners is not owned by Horizon.