2014 N Scale Locomotive of the Year

[TiVoPrince]

TEBU
From Cutting Edge Models, just because its not a FEF or SW1500...

[wcfn100]

No F3's with dual headlights so far?

No Phase I F3 (AKA F2) has had dual headlights AFAIK.  But those first releases go back 20+ years so I could be wrong.

Jason

[Bob Bufkin]

Don't own any or these but I'd have to vote for the 1500.  The FEF might be nice but it's a one owner.  People been waiting for years (ask Ed) for the 1500.

[jereising]

Got to be the FEF.  Not just a rehash, superb new engineering.  A trailblazer.  (And the packaging doesn't really bother me....)

[Catt]

SW 1500.I don't own one yet,but when they do CSX I will (depending on the paint scheme).

[sundowner]

FEF-3

[CBQ Fan]

I'd think that actually owning the loco that one votes for should be a minimum requirement, but I did say "no rules". So, OK, Thunderdome! 

Cheers,
-Mark

So I get three votes than!   

[Spikre]

 
   wasn't the Kato F2/PHS1 F3 their first F Unit with the
  small original style number boards ?
   so that should be sort of new.
       Spikre
         

[SSW7771]

I would vote for the TEBU but I have not seen it in person yet.

So I vote for the SW1500

[wcfn100]

   wasn't the Kato F2/PHS1 F3 their first F Unit with the
  small original style number boards ?
   so that should be sort of new.
       Spikre
         

When Kato first released the F3 a couple lifetimes ago they had what they called a Phase I which is the same shell as this newer F2 release (including small number boards).

Jason

[ai5629]

MTL SW1500. 

[bbussey]

I don't have an FEF, nor will I be acquiring one.  So I'll have to go with the U25C.  Some of the mechanism design may be old-school.  But it runs great and the coupler design is next-gen MTL.  Plus, I love that the four numberboards stay illuminated at all times regardless of which direction the unit is traveling (and yes, it has directional headlights).
 

[learmoia]

I'd have to throw my hat in the ring for the SW1500..

A: Because it's an SW1500 in N scale.
B: Because it led to the development of an (almost drop in) DCC solution to the LL Walthers SW8/9/1200

A tie between the Kato FEF and FVM SD70ACE would be a close runner up...


~Ian

[sirenwerks]

No Phase I F3 (AKA F2) has had dual headlights AFAIK.  But those first releases go back 20+ years so I could be wrong.

I believe the main spotting features between the Kato F2 and F3 are the numberboards, with the F2 having the small, side of the nose mounted option.  Please not the big ole "F2" plaque on 'dis loco:

Oh yea, and the dual headlights. 

[wcfn100]

I believe the main spotting features between the Kato F2 and F3 are the numberboards, with the F2 having the small, side of the nose mounted option.

The Kato Phase 1 F3s have the small number boards because it's the same shell as the F2.  The later and vast majority (basically everything release in the last 20 years) of F3s Kato made they called 'Phase II's.  The number boards are maybe the easiest spotting difference between the Kato F2 and Phase II F3s, but the side panels are the biggest difference e.g no chicken wire on the center panels (A units) and not full chicken wire on the top panels (As and Bs).  There's at least one other spotting difference that I know of as well.

Jason