As admitted in a former thread just before Christmas, I reluctantly purchased Lionel's new Union Pacific F7 ABBA Legacy set. I also have the older TMCC Union Pacific F3 ABBA set. In that older thread, it was suggested that I do a comparison of the two and post it on the forum. It's been years since I've started a new thread on the OGR forum, but here goes:
Above is the 2005 TMCC set, with a powered front F3A, a powered B, an unpowered B, and the unpowered rear-facing A. Notice the chicken wire covering along the tops of all units and the gray trucks.
Here's Lionel's newest, an ABBA Legacy F7 set with a powered A, a powered B, a Super Bass B, and a powered, rear-facing A. So 6 motors in this lash-up. Notice the horizontal grills along the tops of each unit and the silver trucks.
Let's compare noses. Pretty close, only the F3 on the right, has no ladder rungs across the front of the windshield like the F7, yet there are no ladder rungs up to it on either side. The anti-glare, green paint on the F7 is also a little lighter than on the F3. The cab lighting on the F7 appears to be daylight white LEDs, while on the older F3, it's a softer white. On the newer F7, the cab lights remain off while in motion, then turn on when the locomotive stops. Unlike the older F3, where the ca lights remain on all the time. Also, the lit numbers in the number boards are slightly taller on the F3. You can't tell very well in this poorly lit photo, but the pilots are different. Also, when in neutral, the F3's main headlight remains on while the F7's goes off.
Here's a side shot of both powered As where you can see the differences in Union Pacific's F7s and F3s. Some roads with F3s later installed the horizontal grills on them as well. The paint on the F7 looks a little brighter and closer to UP's Armour Yellow. Now if Lionel could just get the Harbor Mist gray right. It still looks too dark. The silver trucks, which are prototypically correct after 1957, better match the silver trucks on my Union Pacific passenger cars.
The diaphragms on the older F3 are the correct prototypical gray.
But on the new F7s, they are unprototypically black.
I already posted videos of my older F3 set in action and others have already posted videos of the new UP Legacy F7 sets in action. So I won't duplicate those again.
But, as with anything newer, the F7 Legacy set runs smoother and the A unit has better sounds than the older F3 set. I haven't programmed and fired up the Super Bass B unit yet. But were talking a difference of 17 years in O scale technology (new Legacy vs. the older TMCC, etc.). I still like both sets, but really only have room for one of them. 🤔
All of the new F7 units arrived undamaged with nothing broken and everything worked right out of the box. IMO, Lionel has done a great job with its new Union Pacific Legacy F7 ABBA set. So, I'm a happy camper. 🤗
