F3s For Fridays

Some repaints and friends....

Here are a few:

There you go, Arnold, coming up with another great Forum topic (with a nod to MELGAR, too)!

i don’t think there’s a more iconic version of the F3 than Lionel’s postwar Santa Fe model.  My 2343 ABA combo has been a treasured part of my collection since 1955.  Not only is it a great looking model, its “growler” motors give it powerful sound without any fancy electronic devices!

Question: what do you guys think about expanding this topic to include EMD’s “E” units?

John

Joe, those Maine Central F3s are drop dead gorgeous.

Jim, love the looks of all your F3s in your post and your layout where they are shown.

Arnold

John, your Santa Fe F3s may be the winner of the F3 beauty pageant, so far.

Correction: in my opinion the winners of that beauty pageant may be Jim’s and John’s Santa Fe F3s.

But wait a second, what about Joe’s Maine Central F3s?

I’m overwhelmed and confused. LOL, Arnold

Arnold,

Thanks for starting this. F3s deserve to be the subject of a weekly thread.

Like most of us, I have my share of EMD F-series diesels. But I haven't been running them very often because there hasn't been a weekly thread on the subject. Now, since Arnold has (graciously?) started this thread, I will have a reason to run and photograph them more frequently.

I think it’s remarkable that the most significant O gauge model of the 1950s still has such a prominent place in the hobby some 70 years later. You can also say that about the New York Central Hudson.

As a youngster, I had a Lionel Santa Fe A-B-A set. So, my first post here will be Santa Fe F3 #20, an Atlas O model (1617-1) delivered in April 2008 at MSRP $479.95. This model has the long warbonnet which extends past the middle porthole. Some engines posted here today have the short warbonnet, and only 2 portholes.

MELGAR

So THAT's where all the Santa Fe's are!

Jim, I well remember 'drooling' over this photo way back in 2009/10 when I first joined the Forum

*

This ought to be a fun topic!

As for Lionel F3's, I liked several, but because of my proximity to the Wabash yard in North KC as a lad, I have always found these attractive:

Question: ONLY O scale F3's?

Andre

I have a pair of scale legacy SF F3's;

#2333 postwar scale AA set is from 2010

#22 AA set with plated finish is from 2017

I have a feeling more will be coming for the 125th!

Here are some F-3’s from the Hoosier State by MTH.

A pair of MPC F3’s…

Great topic, Arnold and Mel!  Lots of great looking F3’s etc already.  I have three sets of F3’s in O Gauge, by far the best represented model in my meager roster.  I am going to save those for another Friday.

Here is my first, an HO F7 I purchased back in 1968 or ‘69.  This is a Mantua/Tyco that came in a set I had saved up for a while.  Yes, it still runs.  I am not fond of Penn Central, growing up near the B&O in Western Pennsylvania, but it was available and the price was right!

I’ll look forward to seeing more F3’s today and in coming weeks!

All wonderful photos and videos of magnificent F series diesels.

Here is my array of Lionel's...210 FA Texas Special, 2344 NYC F-3, 2032 Erie FA, and 2340 Wabash F-3.

And for a close how about 3 Santa Fe's...Marx 45225 lithographed F-3, Lionel 212 Alco FA, and Marx 1095 F-7

Best Wishes everyone, have a good weekend

Don

This next video shows MTH PS3 Baltimore and Ohio F3 A and B units:

IMO MTH did a great job with their F3s; they look, smoke, sound and run great, especially on DCS.

Here's my Lionel F3's.

Only doubles are Southern 2356 and Texas Special 2245.   

Well... seeing as there was an HO F(7) unit posted and the poster didn't get tarred n' feathered... thought I'd toss my hat into the ring with a pic of an F3A.

AND... I might as well spin a yarn in the process!

The Ozarks, October 1964...

Extra 300 South (a caboose hop) is in the clear and tied-down on the Pass Track at the little sleepy mountain town of Piney, Arkansas.

Here in a bit, Extra 300 South will be fixin' to head down Buck Mountain Grade to Ozarka, Arkansas, where waits a tonnage train of norths that it's gonna' hook onto an' wrestle back up Buck Mountain Grade (as Extra 311 North), an' eventually hustle 'em all the way north to the division point yard at Branson, Missouri.

In the meantime, they's waitin' on a'nuther train: Northbound manifest freight #44.  Last they heard, #44's workin' its way to Ozarka... an' then they'll be doin' battle with The Mountain. That is, IF'N they's make it past Tuff Cuss Curve an' several other hard pulls on the way up The Mountain.

That bein' so, the crew had gone into the Piney General Store an' had some of Meemaw B's cookin' an' topped it off with a slice of Meemaw B's renown Coconut Cream Pie.

Comin' out of the General Store, two of 'em, "Hot Dog" Henson an' "Pig Iron" Matthews, got to chewin' the fat with "Ox" Milligin, one of the local loggers that plies them mountains haulin' timber to Possum Creek Lumber Company.

However, way off in the distance, ol' #44's comin' into earshot way down toward Buck Holler as it's workin' its way up to Piney Gap an' the little town of Piney. 'Course, seein' as #44's probably makin' about 8 - 10 MPH... they's still gonna' be a spell before they grind through the cut down by the Piney depot an' make their presence known here at Piney. 'Course, all THAT's supposes that they ain't gonna' lay down on The Mountain an' have to double up to Piney!

Life's slower in the Ozarks, an' so's railroadin' on the Ozark Sub of the Kansas City & Gulf!

About the above picture:

Snapped at the town of Piney on my KC&G Ozark Sub layout, it showcases KC&G F3A #300.

Engine #300 is a Stewart/Kato F3A Phase 1b that I painted, applied decals, then weathered to represent a line that's undergone a bankruptcy and is in the process of reorganization. #300 was built/painted way back in the early 1990s at a previous home and served on the previous KC&G layout!

As for scenery: Pretty much any scenery you see on my layout is simply temporary "place holders" until I get around to putting in the final product. For example, the Piney General Store is a photo structure that I found on the internet that I modified in photo software, printed out, and cut/assembled. The old buildings to the left of the General Store were created from photos I had taken decades ago, manipulated in photo software, then printed, cut out, and assembled. Ditto the tree line: Photo that I manipulated, printed, assembled and tacked into place.

All fer now!

Andre

Andre, another great Ozark Rail Tale!  The #300 looks great!

Oh, no tar and feathers, nor did I get run outta town on a rail either!  Neither will you!!

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

All wonderful photos and videos of magnificent F series diesels.

Wonderful topic, as usual, Arnold. Based on your comment, are you opening the thread up to all F units???

@laming posted:

This ought to be a fun topic!

As for Lionel F3's, I liked several, but because of my proximity to the Wabash yard in North KC as a lad, I have always found these attractive:

Question: ONLY O scale F3's?

Andre

Any and all scales are good, Andre.

@Apples55 posted:

Wonderful topic, as usual, Arnold. Based on your comment, are you opening the thread up to all F units???

Yes!

Postwar Lionel Sanat Fe F-3's

Andre, I loved your story and the photo of that "one-owner" F3.

OK,  here are some more. This should prove to be a continually popular thread!

MTH E8 with Weaver E8B

Lionel Legacy Post War Scale

Atlas F2

Lionel Legacy E8

MTH F3 ABA

Great idea Arnold and Mel.

You must have read my mind. I've noticed a lack of car bodies in my collection. Not that I don't have any mind you.

Gonna need to work on that. 

My Medards F Beta 1 and Lionel F3 that I've installed ERR.

Bob

C. Sam, I’m so glad you posted a photo of an E 8 in this thread about the F series of diesels. Let’s also include on this thread those locomotives that kinda look like F3s. After all, doesn’t an E8 look like an elongated F 3?

Of course it does.

Now, I will share my beloved elongated F 3, specifically, my MTH PS3 Illinois Central E 6 including it’s A-B-A units with 4 motors hauling 6 custom painted MTH Illinois Central passenger cars. This set of trains is shown in the video below, shot by me, running on the beautiful layout of a friend of mine:

These trains are very special to me, not only because of its, IMO, unsurpassed smoke, sounds, operation and especially its beauty, but because the Illinois Central passenger train, the City of New Orleans, is the subject of, IMO, the best train song of all time, entitled City of New Orleans, written by Steve Goodman. It’s a thrill for me to perform this song with my wife at Open Mics and train shows. I’m hoping to do that again at Trainstock, which takes place at the New Jersey HiRailers in January, while this MTH City of New Orleans passenger train is running on their magnificent layout.

Arnold

PW Lionel F units along with Williams F unit in video

Enhorning/Wabash Valley S scale F7s...

...haven't yet decided what roadnames I'm gonna do these in; have a matching B unit as well.

Mark in Oregon

@Mark Boyce posted:

Andre, another great Ozark Rail Tale!  The #300 looks great!

Oh, no tar and feathers, nor did I get run outta town on a rail either!  Neither will you!!

Thanks, Mark.

I'm glad you got a kick out of it.

I've enjoyed creating fiction for my modeling for decades.

In fact, I have a list of names that I add to occasionally for use in my "yarns" (Rail Tales). Many are based on real railroaders I've known, or know about, as well as those purely fictional. Example: "Pig Iron" Matthews in the above Rail Tale was an actual railroader with that nickname that worked for the Rock Island in my region.

I even have used the names from my list to assign to the various operational "jobs" that are on my layout. For example, the Ozarka Switcher is held (seniority, remember?) by "Red" Baughman (BOFF man), Conductor, and "Coondog" Bivens, Engineer. There are also "crews" assigned to other jobs that work the layout: The Piney Turn, the Sweetgum Turn, the Branson Day Switch Job, the Clarksville Day Switch Job, and the Mountain Springs Switcher. The road crews utilize names from my "Names" list for Rail Tale purposes as needed.

I like to incorporate into my "Rail Tales" prototype experiences I've had in my railroading, or railroading friends had, or experiences I know of, or read about. That's a lot of fun, too.

What can I say? I enjoy creative writing! (Plus, it helps to bring my layout to "life" for me personally.)

Andre

@Number 90 posted:

Andre, I loved your story and the photo of that "one-owner" F3.

Thanks Tom.

Ah yes, #300: Thus far it's wearing the most worn paint in the KC&G F fleet. However, one of the upcoming F's awaiting paint may also be modeled as another "tired" locomotive still wearing it's original well-worn paint. One has to be careful, or the "worn out" look can be overdone either in effect (too heavily weathered), or overuse (too many engines so afflicted). Hard to keep "balance" in the fleet.

As for the Rail Tale: I have way too much fun with the imaginative side of my Kansas City & Gulf theme!

Andre

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Any and all scales are good, Andre.

Thanks for the clarification Arnold!

Like others, I think this ought to be fun thread! (Lovin' me some F's!)

Andre

@Strummer posted:

Enhorning/Wabash Valley S scale F7s...

...haven't yet decided what roadnames I'm gonna do these in; also have a matching B unit as well.

Mark in Oregon

THOSE are good looking F unit shells!

When I experimenting in S scale, I had a set of SHS F's. I always thought the windows were too big on the SHS F's. THOSE look great, though!

Looking forward to seeing them after you're done with them!

Andre

Great Thread! Here’s my O scale contribution!

@Strummer posted:

Enhorning/Wabash Valley S scale F7s...

...haven't yet decided what roadnames I'm gonna do these in; have a matching B unit as well.

Mark in Oregon

Here they are with the B unit...

I should add here that these particular examples have the 3rd(?) of 4 drive mechanism variations; they run VERY well and are both smooth and quiet. Here is a picture (I've shown this before) of one of the chassis:

I also have one with the "planetary gear" drive:

Because the frame on this one is plastic(!), those heavy gearboxes warped the frame, throwing the drive train slightly out of alignment, so it runs poorly. Have been trying to get it to run better, but we'll see...

Mark in Oregon

PS: Now that I think about it, these undecorated shells might actually be "New River"; Wabash Valley had nicely decorated shells.

Glad I found this one so I  could participate in F3sFF.      I thought I only had F7s but I forgot about this F3.

MTH Premier ps3 Pennsy F3 Freight.

Enjoy the day all and God Speed .

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Now, I will share my beloved elongated F 3, specifically, my MTH PS3 Illinois Central E 6 including it’s A-B-A units with 4 motors hauling 6 custom painted MTH Illinois Central passenger cars. This set of trains is shown in the video below, shot by me, running on the beautiful layout of a friend of mine:

Arnold

The train display shelves over your friend's layout, with the rock formation background, is one of the coolest display motifs I've ever seen.

@breezinup posted:

The train display shelves over your friend's layout, with the rock formation background, is one of the coolest display motifs I've ever seen.

He used brown paper bags and painted them.

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Now, I will share my beloved elongated F 3, specifically, my MTH PS3 Illinois Central E 6 including it’s A-B-A units with 4 motors hauling 6 custom painted MTH Illinois Central passenger cars. This set of trains is shown in the video below, shot by me, running on the beautiful layout of a friend of mine:

These trains are very special to me, not only because of its, IMO, unsurpassed smoke, sounds, operation and especially its beauty, but because the Illinois Central passenger train, the City of New Orleans, is the subject of, IMO, the best train song of all time, entitled City of New Orleans, written by Steve Goodman. It’s a thrill for me to perform this song with my wife at Open Mics and train shows. I’m hoping to do that again at Trainstock, which takes place at the New Jersey HiRailers in January, while this MTH City of New Orleans passenger train is running on their magnificent layout.

Arnold

That’s a beautiful consist, Arnold. Whoever did the custom paint job on the passenger cars did an amazing job.

@Apples55 posted:

That’s a beautiful consist, Arnold. Whoever did the custom paint job on the passenger cars did an amazing job.

Thanks Paul. Unfortunately, I cannot run that consist on my layout because my curves aren’t wide enough but plan to run it and make a video of it at the NJ HiRailers that has a gorgeous and enormous layout with wide radius curves. I’m an associate member there. Arnold

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Thanks Paul. Unfortunately, I cannot run that consist on my layout because my curves aren’t wide enough but plan to run it and make a video of it at the NJ HiRailers that has a gorgeous and enormous layout with wide radius curves. I’m an associate member there. Arnold

I look forward to that video, Arnold. The HiRailers definitely have a fabulous layout (have to make it back down there this year). And don’t forget their incredibly long straights - I bet they will really show off your “City of New Orleans”!!!

@Apples55 posted:

I look forward to that video, Arnold. The HiRailers definitely have a fabulous layout (have to make it back down there this year). And don’t forget their incredibly long straights - I bet they will really show off your “City of New Orleans”!!!

Paul, I will definitely be at Trainstock at NJ HiRailers in January. I hope to see you there. Arnold

Arnold, that will be great when you get to run it there.  I have never been to the NJ HiRailers; only seen photographs and video.  Actually, I have never been to NJ period.  Ben has invited me, and I would like to.

Well its not Friday, but I had some time today (Monday) and thought I might contribute these F-3's...A Marx 6000 set ,  Southern Pacific F-3 AA from 1952-1954.  These babies are 72 years old, but they run great.  Marx motors just never die!

Best Wishes, Don

Some late F3s from my stable…

Tom

Have always been a fan of the AT&SF and have owned more than a few of the their Warbonnet diesels since I was a kid. Was not aware that the prototype had the beautiful stainless panels until just a few years ago. Didn't know of any O scale plated units at the time when several years ago I came across these MTH beauties at a train show in HO.  Now why couldn't Lionel have produced any like this?

Williams Wabash F3.  Manufactured on January 16, 2004 according to the quality control card that was inserted into the box by Sanda Kan.  It needs a little TLC because of a split truck gear for which I've purchased some replacement parts.  A MTH Wabash P1 Hudson is on the track in the background.  Note that the Wabash RR never actually owned F3s.  They had a lot of F7s, but no F3s.

Hard to beat the Williams F3's is it?  Hard to beat any Williams diesels for that matter!  Lol

Was finally able to come across a set of MTH Premiere (thanks again Don) F units and scooped them up. Had sold some of the earlier Lionel scale F3s a year or so ago and had an empty spot on my wall.  These are truly spectacular IMHO

They just keep coming!

New acquisition 3Rd Rail E6

Lionel Legacy E8

The sharp-eyed viewer will note that the 3Rd Rail E6 sits slightly lower than the Lionel E6 it's mated with. The B unit on lower shelf is a Premiere MTH E6 unit. The height difference is clearly evident in how high Lionel's model sits on the trucks. We call it the 'High Water' look - typical with the great majority of Lionel's diesels. That's so Lionel's customers who run on 48" Fastrak can buy their otherwise excellent scale diesels and steam locomotives!  The rest of us ofttimes have to go through complex modifications to the chassis and or trucks to get the chassis to ride at a proper height from the rails.  :-(

Good morning and welcome to F3s for Fridays, the place to share your passion for F3s and similar diesels. Here you can post photos and videos of these magnificent locomotives, provided that you have taken the photos and videos or obtained the written permission of the owner to post them here.

I will start us off with the videos below showing powerful Williams Penn Central F3s hauling NY Central Williams aluminum passenger cars down the line and around my Popsicle Stick Yankee Stadium:

Now, it’s your turn to show us your F3 and similar diesels this fine Friday.

Arnold

Legacy Conrail F7, a photo from Spring 2021......pulling some military cars....

Peter

Good morning fans of “covered wagons” and “car bodies” (there are a lot of us!).  Arnold, I’m taking your reference to “similar diesels” as openness to locomotives of this type from any manufacturer, but I’m sticking with EMD for today.

My Boston and Maine E8 no. 3821 is an MTH Railking model equipped with PS3.  It came with a dummy A unit numbered 3822, but 3821 was the only E8 owned by B&M.  No. 3821 is shown hauling a train of heavyweight passenger cars, the “Minuteman”, from Portland, ME to Boston.

john

Today I’ll post a photograph of my F3 B&O repaint.  This MTH set started out with Great Northern livery, but after some shell damage, I decided the solid dark blue B&O scheme I saw on the tracks near my home would be the way to go.

Here are two of my F3s.   The Reading is actually a K line shell with MTH PS3 electronics.  K line sure knew how to detail this locomotive!  On the adjacent track is my WbB B&O F3 ... I bought this AA set from TrainWorld about 8 or 10 years ago.  This locomotive has proved to be hassle free and a great puller/runner.  

My Canadian Pacific 2373 A-B-A.  Repainted A units and a Lionel LLC B unit.

My F-series diesel for this Friday is New Haven Railroad EMD FL9 #2043. The model was made by Sunset/3^rdRail in 2013 and is the only O gauge model of an FL9 that has been built to date.

The New Haven Railroad was the only buyer of new FL9s from the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors. The design was developed specifically for the New Haven because it needed a dual-mode diesel-electric locomotive that could operate throughout the system and also into Grand Central Terminal in Manhattan on 600-Volt Direct Current from an electrified third-rail. The FL9 was the longest F-series locomotive. It carried a steam generator for passenger service and rode on a 3-axle rear A1A truck due to axle-load limitations on the Park Avenue Viaduct. The middle axle was unpowered and served to distribute the weight onto three axles instead of two.

Thirty FL9s entered service on the New Haven Railroad in 1956 and another thirty were delivered in 1960. All sixty had a Hancock air whistle mounted on the upper part of the windshield whose melodic sound is reproduced by the model.

During the Metro-North era, FL9s in the McGinnis red-black-white livery hauled commuter cars like those behind my model as pictured on my 12’-by-8’ layout.

MELGAR

For this Friday, an MTH UP F3 and a Williams WP F3 in scenic Pinnacle Peaks State Park on the old layout:

Jim

MELGAR, let's hear that Hancock air whistle!

John

Here is a MTH railking chessie system  F3's engine!!!

Here is the Marx example of the B&O F-3

Marx #61 B&O AA unit, they never made a B in this series of locomotives

Here is a picture of the original Marx train set as it was offered.  Note the cars and the somewhat rare caboose.

Best Wishes, Don

An MTH, Rail King, B&O, A-B-A, F-3 Diesel has been cleared by the Great Northeastern Railway's engine service crew and is leaving for its day's work heading the Capital Limited.

Some F units, Reading from Lionel and Baltimore and Ohio from MTH…

Tom

@Steam Crazy posted:

MELGAR, let's hear that Hancock air whistle!

John

@Steam Crazy,

John,

Here's the Hancock Air Whistle on New Haven #2043.

Hancock was in the business of making steam whistles. As railroads dieselized, the air whistle became their new product. It had three tones (E, A and C-sharp) and sounded better than standard single-tone diesel horns. The New Haven Railroad was the largest user of these whistles and every New Haven FL9 was equipped with a Hancock 4700. I don't have a video of an F3 horn but will post one later for comparison.

Also notice how slowly this Sunset model of #2043 was moving in the video. A very smooth-running model under conventional control.

MELGAR

Music to my ears, Mel!  Thanks!

John

An F3’s later sibling, an F7…

Good morning and welcome back to F3s for Fridays, the place to post photos, videos and comments about F3 diesels, including F3 look a likes, especially those that look like elongated F3s.

Before we resume posting photos and videos, please remember to fully comply with the Forum terms of service including posting only photos and videos you have taken or those in which you’ve received the written permission of the owner to post here.

One of my favorite diesels that look like elongated F3s is in the video below consisting of MTH PS3 New Haven PAs (or are they FAs, I don’t remember which). Both units have dual motors so they are great pullers with a total of four motors:

I love these diesel units so much that they never leave my layout by remaining on a main line or on one of the sidings.

Make sure you play the above video with the sound on. I’ve been told the these diesels sound like the real prime movers.

So, let’s see what F3s or F3 look a likes you would like to share on this fine Friday.

Arnold

April 2010……in the back yard…..a Lionel TMCC/RS FT……..

Have a great and safe weekend, folks!

Peter

Picked up these Mth F- Units last July

Amtrak #102 was an EMD F7 Phase 1 locomotive. My model was made by Atlas O (30134002) in 2015 at MSRP $499.95 with TMCC and runs on O-36.

This locomotive was Northern Pacific 6509A prior to becoming Amtrak #102 in 1972. Photographs online show it at the head end of Amtrak Train 9, the North Coast Hiawatha, at Three Forks, Montana, heading west to Seattle on July 31, 1973. It was built in November 1949 and retired in October 1975.

MELGAR

Good morning, covered wagon fans!  Arnold, your diesels look like PAs.  PAs are longer than FAs, but the easiest way to tell them apart is by looking at the trucks.  PAs (passenger) have six wheel trucks, FAs (freight) have four wheel trucks.

I planned on posting my FAs this morning, but I’m in a hotel and the internet is too slow to load videos.  I’ll post them later; in the meantime, I’ll enjoy seeing the F3s and F3 look-a-likes posted by our fellow Forumites!

John

Assorted F units.  The Chicago Great Western and Milwaukee Road units are custom repaints; the Rio Grande and Southern units are restored shells.

A pair of K-line FA's. Powered and dummy.

Bob

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

One of my favorite diesels that look like elongated F3s is in the video below consisting of MTH PS3 New Haven PAs (or are they FAs, I don’t remember which). Both units have dual motors so they are great pullers with a total of four motors:

I love these diesel units so much that they never leave my layout...

Arnold

Arnold,

Your diesels are Alco PAs - passenger locomotives with 3-axle trucks. Alco FAs are freight diesels with 2-axle trucks. The MTH Alco diesel sounds are excellent. The black and red colors on your engines are New Haven's "Alpert" paint scheme that appeared on its Alco PAs in January 1960. Alpert was the New Haven's president after McGinnis (red-black-white paint scheme) left in 1956 and went to the Boston & Maine as its president. Alpert remained as president until the New Haven filed for bankruptcy in July 1961.

MELGAR

K Line C&O F units passing FRANK Tower

Back to F3s for Friday.  Until recently, I had not bought any F3s since what was available from the big importers were wrong for a Penny engine.  The F3s that were available, outside the expensive brass market, had the large number boads but the Pennsy had the smaller bullet number boards on all F3s (even early F7s).  Then 3rd Rail came out with its version of the Pennsy F3 Phase 2 Late with the correct number boards.  So I bought their F3 ABA set in as delivered paint scheme.  Really nice!

As promised in my earlier post, here are my Williams Canadian Pacific Alco FA1 and FB2 at the head of a coal drag.  Like typical Williams engines, these engines are great pullers, hauling the seven heavy, die cast hoppers in this train with ease at ten volts.  Unlike Williams engines, the A unit came with a bad motor.  I returned it to Williams under warranty and received it back within a week with two new motors.

John

Lots of great looking and sounding F3s and other covered wagons!!  This week I will show another F3 that is on the shelf right now.  This MTH Premier ProtoSound set were factory painted in the handsome Great Northern green and orange.  I bought them 10 years ago thinking I would upgrade to PS2.  In the interim, I damaged 2 shells and decided to putty them and repaint in the B&O solid blue I remember seeing growing up.  I then learned I would need an upgrade kit for each powered unit, so I put them on the shelf.  The last time I ran them, they didn't run quite right and I shelved them again.  Time will tell what I do with them, but for now they are nice on the shelf.

Let's see what we've got for today

Bob's late K-Line MR F units.

I was going to reply to a particular stunning set of F3 shown above, like it and then I moved on and had the same reaction to just about every set of F3s and F3 look a likes posted today on this thread.

It’s very hard for me to say that one type of locomotive is better than the other, but when it comes to aesthetic beauty, I give the nod to the F3s and their look a likes.

Below is another short video of my MTH PS3 New Haven PAs with the Alpert livery hauling milk and passengers around the ole ball park:

Arnold

2356 Southern ABA F3s pulling a 7 car Crescent consist.  These are Weaver striped cars.  Same extrusions as Lionel and Williams.

That Southern Set has always been one of my favorite PW set of diesels! Your's look terrific - thanks for posting...

Here are my Menards PRR F-3's.  New this year.

Best Wishes, Don

Atlas F3s and a Sunset DM&IR 2-8-8-4 hang out together on my layout. This isn't accurate in terms of the time frame, because the Yellowstones were leased to D&RGW during several winters (1942-1944) prior to the arrival of F3s in 1946. But they do look good together.

Good morning and welcome back to F3s for Fridays, the place where those beautiful diesel locomotives, F3s and their look a likes, can be seen and discussed.

Please remember when posting photos and videos to post only those you have taken or those in which you have obtained the written permission of the owner to post, and comply with the Forum terms of service,

I will start us off with the video below showing a set of modern Lionel NY Central F3s hauling gleaming Lionel NY Central aluminum extruded passenger cars:

Now, it’s your turn, let’s see what you have to share. Arnold

Hello fans of F3s and their sisters!  A couple of weeks ago I posted my Santa Fe F3 no. 2343 and called it probably the most iconic postwar diesel.  The diesel I’m posting today, if not number two, is definitely in the top five.

I bought my Texas Special no. 2245 from a friend for a “song”.  It didn’t run, but a trip to a postwar repairman got it running smoothly.  There were quite a few paint chips in the finish, but I found Testor’s gloss red matched the finish almost perfectly.  I touched up the chips with a fine brush; you have look closely to see the imperfections.  Finally, I located a matching B unit at a NETCA train show a couple of weeks later.

But, how does it pull?  I coupled up the same heavy coal drag I hauled with my modern Canadian Pacific FA-1 (equipped with two can motors) last Friday.  The 2245, powered by a single horizontal Pullmor “growler” motor, handled the train with ease!

John

Metro-North #412 is a K-Line model (K2544-0412) of an EMD F-unit diesel delivered in 2000 at MSRP $309.95. I ran the model with two Metro-North 21-inch commuter coaches by Atlas O on my 12'-by-8' layout. Cars of this type ran in Connecticut as did Metro-North #413, which was painted in the same livery as seen here on #412.

MELGAR

That Texas Special of yours Joh is really sharp!  I would concur that it's at least in the top 5

For today

Williams E7s.      lower. MTH F3's

New layout, also decorating for the Holidays lol.

B&O F3 AB, Lionel MPC

My favorite B&O paint scheme.

An honorable mention to the Santa Fe's on the window sill too....

Bob

While we are on the subject of B&O F-3s, Here is another one from Lionel.

Technically an F3, just not the kind you were expecting.

The PRR F3 was one of three classes of Mogul steam locomotives developed by the Pennsylvania between 1895 and 1901.  The F3 served until the 1930's and initially designed for fast freight and suburban passenger service.  This model is a Gem brass model that was offered as a screwdriver kit and has been modified with the more modern arc lamp headlight and generator in lieu of the oil headlamp the model came with. The tender has also been modified from the factory one with a reverse light on the tender.

The most delicious F3 ever made…….heading west going under the New York State Thruway on the Kingston Branch of the NYO&W…..

Picture taken June 7, 2006 on my 53rd birthday……

Peter

Peter very cool, you will be passing my house haha!

@Steam Crazy - Boy that 2245 Texas Special really runs smooth.  Thanks for posting.

Here is the Marx #901 Western Pacific E-7 ABA.  The A units were available 1956-1960 but the B unit was only available 1957-1958.

Best Wishes, Don

Don, that Western Pacific E7 by Marx is really cool!  I didn't know Marx continued to produce trains until - at least - 1960.  I learn somethng every time you post!

John