Here are some quick shots and a vid of my A units all set up for running. My B unit is missing the scale couplers for some reason so it's hanging loose for now. I think the ride height and fuel tanks are fine. The frame and running gear are pretty much the same as the NYC F2s from years ago.
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Some observations:
Obviously missing lift rings on the A unit noses. I don't know what the rear should have but I don't know if I will sweat it.
Dummy A and B both have a full set up of pickup rollers. Adding sound should be easy. Dummy A even has all four switches installed. Two of them are being used for the lighting controls as there is no TMCC board in it for lights and electrocoupler. Dummy B has power leads into the body and they are just clipped off in there.
ERRCo cruise is very smooth. I found that it responds to Legacy speeds when set up as TMCC in the Legacy base. Funny thing is I can run it slower set up in CAB1 mode. The first CAB1 speed step is slower than the Legacy 'roll' RR speed. I haven't tried R100 mode yet. I have the cruise set for small motor and 100 steps.
Great report. Thank you for sharing.
Norm.
Keil Line (now Scale City Designs) offers white metal PRR lift ring sets. The set has fittings for both ends of the A unit car body. It will take two sets to do a B unit.
In addition to not equipping the units with lift rings, Atlas mixed details from different eras on the A units. The ladder resting brackets on the upper sides of the nose, and the grabs over the windows were applied in the mid 1950's, while the PRR replaced number style keystones on the nose with ones with P R R letters starting in 1953. It may be possible to apply a later style keystone decal right over the existing one.
Thanks Ed. I did not see the parts on their site nor in their eBay store. I'm not sure I'm going to sweat the other details. I knew the lift rings might not be on these but I didn't expect the rails over the tops of the windshields judging by the models that were shown at York.
You're right, I think the fuel tanks are dead on.
Looking good.
I think so. Keep in mind the comparison photo above is with the F2 sporting your very nice fuel tank spacers.
I ordered the nose lift rings from P&D today (too lazy to drive across town for them) and contacted Bill at Atlas regarding the missing B unit scale coupler setups. These will go on the backburner until all the parts show up.
Sick looking Norm!!!!
Bessemer643 posted:Sick looking Norm!!!!
"Sick"?????????? What have you been smoking?
^ Miller Lite?
Well Ed, I did find some plain keystones in my decal stash. I'm still not sure I'll get a proper combination of details if I fix that. From the photos I have, it looks like I'll need full ladders too.
At least I can put the lift rings on. Anyone have decent shots of where the rear lift rings are located? BTW, I didn't see lift ring sets listed on the Scale City website nor in their eBay listings.
Norm Charbonneau posted:<snip>At least I can put the lift rings on. Anyone have decent shots of where the rear lift rings are located? BTW, I didn't see lift ring sets listed on the Scale City website nor in their eBay listings.
Rear lift rings were located at the top end of the car body. If you download Keystone Modeler #81 (can find on the PRRTHS site) there is a dandy photo of the rear of an E8 showing the lift rings. The article discusses detailing an HO unit, but you can't have everything 
I wonder if you couldn't get the rings by modifying the front nose lift lugs.
By the way- if you're interested in ultimate detailing of PRR equipment, search through back issues of TKM (free!). These guys are neurotic about accuracy.
Norm The Keil Line part is #4855 – EMD Car body Lifting Lug set (both ends). Scale City Designs bought Keil Line and is reissuing many of the sets under their brand. When I checked their on- line catalog for a different part it wasn’t listed – but had it in stock. Scale City Designs is an OGR Forum sponsor and has been responsive to my queries – worth an email or phone call .
I just got back from vacation and had the opportunity refresh my knowledge of PRR F unit details and lettering. We are fortunate to have two very well researched pubs to guide PRR F unit modeling. The most in-depth document is a two volume 137 page study by Jack Consoli entitled “The PRR F-Units” published in the PRRT&HS’s The Keystone Vol. 37, No. 3, (Autumn 2004), and Vol. 38 No. 1 (Spring 2005). Complimenting The Keystone articles is Paul Wither’s Pennsylvania Railroad Diesel Locomotive Pictorial Volume 6 – EMD and ALco Freight Cab Units. Below is a general outline of changes made to notable appearance elements of PRR F units extracted from the above sources. For far more detailed info about these and other changes made to PRR F’s read The Keystone articles. Note - post delivery modifications, often recorded as “Betterments” for tax purposes, were phased in as units were shopped. Therefore the dates below are offered as a general guide - not an absolute rule.
As delivered 1950-52
Circa 1953-54
Circa 55-58
Circa 1959- many changes
Having consulted on several O scale PRR locomotive projects I understand how easy it is for tooling designers to make mistakes when harmonizing era and railroad specific details. To minimize confusion, my general recommendation to importers is to produce diesels with as delivered details for a specific order lot/phase as there generally are good photos available to guide the effort. If they are going to offer locomotives in a post production configuration, they should provide the designer a set of well annotated photos (taken in the same time frame) to detail how the unit differs from the as-delivered configuration.
For those that don’t want to sweat the details – enjoy the MTH, Sunset 3rd Rail, and AtlasO PRR F’s as they are.
"For those that don’t want to sweat the details – enjoy the MTH, Sunset 3rd Rail, and AtlasO PRR F’s as they are."
Well. One of the things that distinguish the 2-rail fraternity, I thought, is sweating the details. Otherwise the distinguishing difference is the number of rails.
rex desilets posted:"For those that don’t want to sweat the details – enjoy the MTH, Sunset 3rd Rail, and AtlasO PRR F’s as they are."
Well. One of the things that distinguish the 2-rail fraternity, I thought, is sweating the details. Otherwise the distinguishing difference is the number of rails.
I do not believe too many people are sweating the details within the 2 rail "doorstop" collectors group, just saying!
The P&D lift ring sets are cast brass. I know they do the front ones, I don't know about the back ones.
P&D has a quite a selection of detail parts for the F-units which they developed when they held the tooling for the F-s and sold the kits.
Doorstop 2- railer here. Sometimes I worry about little things, but not often. Not one of my Diesels has anywhere near the detail of a stock Sunset or GGD Diesel. A number of my doorstops await even grabirons.
But see, what makes me happy is not what makes you happy. I could not live with 3- rail track, but can live without grabirons. It is a hobby, and everybody does it a bit differently.
I am truly happy and amazed with what is available in O Scale, especially with the vast number of items suitable for conversion to 2- rail. A lot of that is the fault of 3-rail scale hobbyists.
bob2 posted:Doorstop 2- railer here. Sometimes I worry about little things, but not often.
<snip>
Interesting. On your steam locos you're positively neurotic about round boiler bellies. Also about proper contours of boilers. I suppose when you get these things right all the rest is just added jewelry 
The nice thing about the latest offerings in O scale dieseldom from the 3-rail world is that the best offerings provide a canvas for neurotic detailing (raises hand)
Thanks for posting that Ed! Maybe I can go for the 53-54 look. Right now these are on the back burner but I at least mounted the lift rings.
Still waiting on my B unit couplers... 
I routinely leave the brake shoes off my steam models. Others consider that a blasphemy. And you are right - I am neurotic about the major dimensions of a model. That is why I will never be in O-27.
Finally got the B unit couplers so I set them up. I had my airbrush already set up so I got into weathering them tonight. I chucked them on the layout to look them over under my layout lighting and to get them out of the way so I can clean up the workshop. Sorry about the awful taping job. I will do a bit of drybrushing and some minor touchup if needed and then put 'em into service.
Gee Norm, They look like they've been running for many years and many miles!
Simply beautiful sir...
Norm
Nice job on those F units! And Kudos to Atlas for getting the pilot correct. I detailed some MTH F7s, and wrote an article about it. I made extensive use of the references Ed cited above. I added rear lift rings according to the photos in those references. Here they are on the B unit. I used pieces from the jewelery section of AC Moore to fabicate them (The rear markers are from the same place!)
What did you get at AC Moore for the rear markers? They look good!
prrhorseshoecurve posted:What did you get at AC Moore for the rear markers? They look good!
You can get red plastic "Adhesive Backed Rhinestones" in various sizes. I recess them slightly inside a styrene tube. I also have used MV lenses, again inside a styrene tube: (these are modified Lionel Sharks):
Very nice John bu I will most likely run these the way they are. Close enough for my purposes and I am wanting to do some layout scenery next.
Norm Charbonneau posted:I am wanting to do some layout scenery next.
I know exactly what you are talking about!
Ready to roll....
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