3rd Rail E8s Arrive!

GG1 4877 posted:

 

One of the nicest features in the Amtrak Unit is that it comes with a roof plate to remove the dynamic brakes and the air foils are a removable part as well.  That helps make these accurate for numerous donor roads.  That was a surprise.

Jonathan,

Those "air foils", or "snow shields" as they were called on the Union Pacific, are actually mounted over the winterization hatch (the dynamic brake housing with its big cooling fan, is in the center of the unit). To my knowledge, ONLY the UP E Units had those "snow shields", so obviously your Amtrak unit is a former UP E Unit.

The Amtrak units were designed around the UP E units, but the snow shields actually arrived as separate parts in the box so they don't have to be installed. 

I'll likely leave the details off of Amtrak 328 as here is a prototype photo.  I haven't checked the number of my second one yet, but if it is 367 which was one of the numbers, I'll add the details.

Amtrak 328 - no snow shields and no dynamic brake.

Amtrak 367 - former UP unit

Jonathan very nice engines. SCL scheduled to arrive here Monday.

Thanks for posting.

WHEW... so the Amtrak units did arrive ready to be converted.  I was worried the builder might not be able to keep that straight.  I think Scott will have some extra various pilots and steam generator hatches in black and some extra grills of both styles for folks who want to change theirs from the UP prototype (don't remember if it the UP E8 or UP E9).   If there are any extra parts they are few and they are intended for Amtrak and undecorated purchasers and not available generally.

No, we could not make the portholes go away. 

And, if you want a snowplow pilot like the one pictured above you can get that from the Irish Tracklayer but it will take some cutting and grinding and soldering to get it to fit.

Amtrak Snow Shields are separate parts, the UP are pre-attached. This was a Richard Dunn command for Amtrak.

Scott

Richard - it's a nice touch!  Thanks for getting that into the project.  I'm SO happy about the ability to change these around.

Got my UPS shipping email yesterday afternoon at 2:30PM-ish (EDT) for 2 Canadian Pacific E8's.  Then when I checked around 11PM EDT yesterday, it was already "in transit" with a San Ramon departure scan, and now is showing a San Pablo departure scan... which is usually the last detail tracking info update until that UPS container arrives here on the East Coast in about a week's time.  ETA to my doorstep is next Wednesday, 6/14.

I never received a shipping email, so I emailed Scott this morning just to check on my order. He quickly sent me my 4 tracking numbers and when I checked via UPS, they will be delivered tomorrow. (2 Texas & Pacific and 2 Missouri Pacific). Can't wait.

Wow, those look amazing!!

David - Please post your CP photos as soon as you can.  These appear to be outstanding!

As promised some more photos ....  Looking forward to seeing other roads!

Next to a Weaver Model

Next to a K-Line version.

Next to the 2012 Sunset E7

c.sam posted:

David - Please post your CP photos as soon as you can.  These appear to be outstanding!

Will do, Sam.  I'm excited to get these, because I encouraged 3rd Rail to go with the "early" CP paint scheme -- one that isn't produced as often by today's importers -- and they did!   I sold my Lionel Legacy Canadian Pacific F3 ABBA set a couple of years ago, because I really prefer the earlier paint scheme.  But I kept my set of beautiful CP 18" aluminum cars.  Won't be too much longer before they're paired with these new E8 AA units!!!

David

Originally posted by GG1 4877:

As promised some more photos ....  Looking forward to seeing other roads!

Next to a Weaver Model: 

Not a bad comparison! What looks detracting are those oversized air lines on the pilot.

Please check your boxes when you get them. A couple have been found to have a different model in the outer box i.e outer box says SAL, inside is Southern. PHEW!!! found the missing Southern.  Now looking for the missing Erie. 

4 of us worked together on shipping. 2 were picking and 2 were checking tags, invoices and backup paperwork. It's amazing what tricks your eyes play on you when you are looking at label after label. 

So if you got the wrong model, don't fret. Just email me.

Scott

So I just had time tonight to open up one of the T&P units. Excellent....Love them.

Not the best light will shoot some more pictures when i have more light. Is there a way to get a scale coupler on the front of my lead units and chop the claw? Anyway finally some T&P units. Thanks Scott!!!

Still need to look at my Mopac's and open up the remaining boxes.

Like other Sunset diesels, get a 2 rail pilot with Kadee mounts and swap the pilots. The claw bracket unscrews from the truck.

Blue Streak posted:

So I just had time tonight to open up one of the T&P units. Excellent....Love them.

Not the best light will shoot some more pictures when i have more light. Is there a way to get a scale coupler on the front of my lead units and chop the claw? Anyway finally some T&P units. Thanks Scott!!!

Still need to look at my Mopac's and open up the remaining boxes.

 Absolutely stunning!!! Can we get a pic of the Mopac E8s? (I realize they are almost the same as the TP's)

Blue Streak posted:

Is there a way to get a scale coupler on the front of my lead units and chop the claw?

I asked Scott about this a while back. My understanding is the 2 rail pilots will not be available for separate sale to 3 railers until a later date. I'll be needing 3 of them.

Scott you NEED to do like Atlas does and include the extra pilots in the box from the start!

Atlas pilots are plastic and cheap to produce, ours are solid brass castings with add on brass detail, very expensive to produce. 300 extra pilots for the minority that want them add costs for everyone instead of just the folks that really want them and will use them. Best to offer them for sale and make only as needed in this case.

There is also a tipping point that can affect the overall cost of the project by adding requests to the project as a whole that can cost a lot more than the extra parts that your trying to get. And this added unit cost becomes the base of negotiation of all future projects. So you end up paying for it over and over again.

But in the case of the F7 rerun, we were able to negotiate this to be included in production and not an add on. And it should be a feature we can supply going forward. Too late for the E8s.

Scott

Blue Streak posted:

So I just had time tonight to open up one of the T&P units. Excellent....Love them.

 

It's always nice to see T&P models.  It was a really good railroad.  thanks for posting.

I do believe that is the most realistic rendering of MP/T&P blue that I have ever seen.

sdmann posted:

Atlas pilots are plastic and cheap to produce, ours are solid brass castings with add on brass detail, very expensive to produce.

Scott

My Atlas pilots are definitely NOT plastic. Maybe not brass, but definitely not plastic. I have pilots for the F7s, GP60's, GP60M & B's, and the GP7/9 and none of the pilots are plastic. Only in the F7s were the pilots included recently.

I would order my 3R Sunset diesels with 2R pilots if that were an option. I don't need the 3R pilots anyway, and I always send them back to you because I have absolutely no use for them. There just has to be a win win here for both sides some how. No one wants to throw a $40 pilot in the trash or parts bin, never to be used.

I have an older Atlas F2/3 in GM&O and it came with a scale pilot and coupler that I was able to swap out for the installed 3 rail 'claw'.  Also one of my later K-Line F3's came with an extra pilot and dummy coupler for the lead A unit. Both look great too.

Those Amtrak units look live the engines which pulled many non SDP40F powered trains in the mid 1970's.  Brings back memories.

Finally had an opportunity to run mine yesterday on what is passing for a layout at the moment.  The modules are back together and running, but need some work.  The E8s are pulling a Weaver non powered B unit followed by a K-Line baggage car.  The rest of the train with the exception of the K-Line diner running right behind the last El Cap Coach are GGD.  A combination of the EL Cap set, a Slumbercoach, a PS 10-6, and two PS 4-4-2 sleeper.  I've got some squeaky journals that definitely need work on the PS cars.

Notice the ride height of the Weaver model on the left compared the the 3rd Rail model. 

Blue Streak posted:

That really is quite a beautiful paint scheme.  One of the harder ones to find information on.  Glad the factory made all the corrections that were noted during the design process!

Here comes the Eagles. Finally had time to go outside today and take a few pictures in the sunlight.

I think they turned out great! Yes I wish I could get a scale coupler for the front A units. Sure wish the Cotton Belt PA's had not been canceled. Jonathan I think you would have received plenty of orders (mine included) if the art work would have been correct. Would also like to order some T&NO Alco PA's to pull the Sunset limited (All I need is a number change to 200-209 and I can live without the small T&NO markings on the flank). Otherwise the same as SP Daylight.

Anyway enjoy the Eagles. How about some cars to go with these. I ordered the Mopac PA's and E6 A-B already.

The T&NO Alcos did not have dynamics on them so they weren't the same as the Daylights. I want a set of T&NO locos in later SP Daylight but I'll settle for Daylight in the road number of the Alco builders plates I have.

Just curious what was the breakdown of this E8 run from Sunset 2 rail vs 3 rail, as I recall the FT diesels were mostly a 2 rail run.

E8s were 1/2 2R  1/2 3R

Thanks Scott when you get in to modern GE power I will be in.

Went over and talked to Scott today and it appears the winner of this project were the MOPAC T&P units and the loser were the B&O.  All the former are sold and people are contacting him regarding 2nd run units and of the 24 unclaimed units Scott has remaining 4 are B&O and there weren't much more than the 20 minimum in the first place.  All the others are singles except the 2 UP B units.  I think the nicest livery is the RI and there is one left over.

In a blatant attempt to increase 2nd run sales I suggested 2nd run CB&Q units reverse the red and black nose stripes so the plated have the black stripes and the painted ones have the red stripes.  It would require Jonathan do new drawings to keep the builder straight so he didn't seem to keen on the idea.

He is also going to add finished pictures of everything he can to the website and I suggested a video of the 2-rail units demonstrating the Q3 sound and motion control.  I have to admit it is MUCH improved over the Q2 and having the dual prime movers each using a separate speaker did, to me, a great job of mimicking the slight differences between the two.

I received my Erie Lackawanna versions today they are excellent.A few weeks ago there was some talk on the handrail situation well3rd Rail did them great for the EL. A big thumbs up on these locomotives and to Scott for not making cookie cutter locomotives like the other manufacturers 

MR-150 posted:

I received my Erie Lackawanna versions today they are excellent.A few weeks ago there was some talk on the handrail situation well3rd Rail did them great for the EL. A big thumbs up on these locomotives and to Scott for not making cookie cutter locomotives like the other manufacturers 

What road numbers were produced?  Can you post some images of them?

I have road numbers 808 and 813

MR-150 posted:

I have road numbers 808 and 813

The paint work looks very nice, but 808?  Why are accurate road numbers always so difficult???  For the dual headlight version, ex-DL&W, they had a choice of 809 - 819.  808???  I don't get it.

Thanks for posting the Mopac and T&P E-8 photo's.  Over all they look great. they absolutly naile it right on the proper horn on the T&P . But one thing I am curious about is the darker roof color.  I assume there was evidence to support this, but as delivered they had the same color as the sides and ran like that for a very long time. I never have ever seen it darker.  I may in time repaint the roof like the car body. Looks like the used the true color brand of paint.

But they did a very good job over all.

Bob

ecd15 posted:

MR-150 posted:

I have road numbers 808 and 813

The paint work looks very nice, but 808?  Why are accurate road numbers always so difficult???  For the dual headlight version, ex-DL&W, they had a choice of 809 - 819.  808???  I don't get it.

Crap .... I'll take responsibility for that.  Typo on my spreadsheet. You are correct.  They should have been 809 and up for the ex D&LW version. 

Bob Harris posted:

Thanks for posting the Mopac and T&P E-8 photo's.  Over all they look great. they absolutly naile it right on the proper horn on the T&P . But one thing I am curious about is the darker roof color.  I assume there was evidence to support this, but as delivered they had the same color as the sides and ran like that for a very long time. I never have ever seen it darker.  I may in time repaint the roof like the car body. Looks like the used the true color brand of paint.

But they did a very good job over all.

Bob

 

 

Bob - Yes the color is based on Tru-color paints.  They seem to be the best reference when drift cards aren't readily available.  The darker roof was based on photo evidence. As shown on the T&P E8 and the trailing units of the Mopac E7.  Granted color photographs aren't always the best reference.  Another brass importer also showed the darker roof, but we don't typically rely on other models for accuracy.