Model Power FP7A Modeller's Version

[Puddington]

I have three that all run very well and pull like an elephant.... the IM units are clearly better detailed and are quieter but I have a sneaking admiration for those old MP units.

[wcfn100]

Since their molds are modular, they could make an F7 with an F3 dynamic brake hatch.

Well, if what you say is correct, then Pennsy fans have a loco with the wrong fan.

Louvers too.

Jason

[u18b]

The undecorated InterMountain shells are available for both units.  It would be easy enough to chop and assemble the F3A/F7 hybrid shell from them.

Yeah.  That's what the folks at IM usually say.

I could be wrong- I have not followed it that closely--  but I don't think they have ever done one themselves.

[u18b]

Since I was sandblasting the EP-2 boiler room, I went ahead and did this too.

Cleaned and then primed.

The roof, nose door, and intake grills are white plastic.  The number boards are clear/translucent (if you want the numbers to light up- I didn't).

Unfortunately, there are no mounting holes visible for the grills and the roof section.  I was afraid if I pushed/pulled and worked to get them out so that I had bare metal, that I might damage something.  So there they stay.

If I had gotten them out, I could have baked a bare metal shell to cure the primer faster.

But now I'll wait a week or two until all paint smell is gone.

[davefoxx]

Ron,

Thanks for the information on #116.  I'm not surprised that #116 is an upgraded F3.  For example, research the history of ACL/SCL #317¹.  Anyhow, the main thing that I recalled and tried to point out is that the SBD/CSX A-B-B-A set did not consist of two FP7s.  I still would like to have that set in N scale, and, I'll admit, at this point, I could live with the wrong roof details on #116, although, if IM ever wanted to get it right, I'm definitely in!  Sorry, I didn't mean to derail your thread.  Back to the FP7 build!

DFF

¹ ACL #317 was delivered as an FT, which was wrecked.  It was rebuilt (likely with a new carbody) as an F7, which was also wrecked and rebuilt as an F9!

[Wardie]

Yeah.  That's what the folks at IM usually say.

I could be wrong- I have not followed it that closely--  but I don't think they have ever done one themselves.

I am petty sure they haven't done them themselves yet either Ron, though I do send them a yearly request to do the Phase IV F3. The Maine Central rostered 6 F3A's in the phase IV carbody, though I have heard some also say they were F5's as well but were visually the late F3's. And while I could get undec's and do them myself I only have 3 sets of the discontinued Micro-scale decals and two of them are currently earmarked to do maroon E7A's. SO I send the yearly request for IM to do them. My decals would go a long way toward renumbering factory painted units.

[3DTrains]

The reason it is called an F7 is because the railroad often called it an F7-- for no other reason than horsepower.

116 was originally bought by Clinchfield as a late model F3A.  It had slots for the dynamic brake area.
In other words, from the side it LOOKS like an F7, but when looking at the roof only- you can see it is an F3.

The railroad uprated the prime mover to F7 standards.  Thus they started calling it an F7.

Hi Ron,

While the CRR units were technically EMD late model F3s, they were nevertheless marketed and sold as "F5s" and also listed on CRR's roster as such - basically an F3 with heavier D27 traction motors and other parts that eventually shipped with the F7. EMD marketing used F5 to distinguish between a late F3 Ph IV and the eventual delivery of the F7 in February 1949, but EMD never "officially" acknowledged an F5 model.

The F5s on CRR's roster were delivered 12-15-48 (4 As and 2 Bs), but were quickly upgraded to full F7 standards to match the delivered F7s in early 1949, however, the dynamic grids remained until traded and/or retired in the early/mid 1970s. IIRC, there may have been at least one F5B that received a proper fan after a rebuild/wreck, but my memory is a bit fuzzy on this detail.

FWIW.

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[wcfn100]

The reason it is called an F7 is because the railroad often called it an F7-- for no other reason than horsepower.

How's the horsepower different?


Jason

[u18b]

Oops.  You are correct.

Differences were more internal.  Thanks.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_F7

[jmlaboda]

How's the horsepower different?

Differences were more internal.  Thanks.

For a few of the Clinchfield units there was a horsepower difference, with a couple being rebuilt to F9 standards with 1750 h.p., CRR 804 to 806 receiving this upgrade (805 being rebuilt after wreck by EMD to an F9A and EMD F7A 806 also being to a F9A after a wreck as well).  While 805 and 806 received F9 carbodies a number of other units received altered forward center panels which were, in essence a rear center panel without the sand hatch, so as to provide for the forward lover to be in the proper place.  Wish I had a copy of Extra 2200 South's roster because it detailed all of the changes made to the CRR's Fs.  It is a copy I want to buy but haven't as of yet since I have other priorities.

[3DTrains]

Great info, Jerry. Do you happen to recall the issue that featured the CRR units?

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

[Nato]

     I have two of the non Train Set (Delux?) versions in CP and they have worked great right out of the box. Electro Motive (EMD) never recognized the F-5 as a model they sold, it was railfanzees who designated the late model F-3 as a five. Incidentally the famous Lionel F-3 confused things, it had F-7 side pannels,side grilling that was part Chicken Wire, and part Stainless Steel, and of course the F-3 dynamic brake slots,which on early run Lionel Locomotives had black mesh over the openings. Later models had open plastic slots. Nate Goodman (Nato).

[u18b]

Great info, Jerry. Do you happen to recall the issue that featured the CRR units?

Cheers!
Marc - Riverside

I don't remember the issue, but a long time ago, Diesel Era Mag did an article on Clinchfield F units.