Front End Friday

@3rail posted:

Front End Friday.....BNSF style.

Look for my new video highlighting the BNSF merger next week.

Have a great weekend.

Donald

sweet

Happy FEF !

In a Karl Bub kinda mood ...

SL-SF 465

I continue to reach back to older Christmas Layouts.  These are from my 2010 Christmas layout.

- walt

These are both MTH Railking engines.  The Santa Fe was pre-DCS but I had it updated to PS2.  The sounds were remarkable.

@Rob Leese posted:

SL-SF 465

That’s a pretty nice Frisco Bob !!!  Not many Frisco models get done ☹️☹️☹️   Who manufactured this one ?  Do you have another shot that shows more of the model - I’d love to see.

@TrainBub posted:

That’s a pretty nice Frisco Bob !!!  Not many Frisco models get done ☹️☹️☹️   Who manufactured this one ?  Do you have another shot that shows more of the model - I’d love to see.

Detail parts are Atlas. Pilot is Atlas.

Happy FeF from around the El! -

Happy FEF all!

BNSF GP35 #2931, awaiting trip to paint shop, (former WM GP35 #501).

John

Happy FEF!

Happy FEF !

Enjoy your day on FEF!

Rock Island BL-2

Happy FEF.

Maine Central ALCO S2 #301.

Have a Great FEF, G od Speed All!

Seeing how my stuff is packed up for the basement remodel. Here’s the CSOR 2011

Here's Milwaukee Road F3 A #76 leading B and A units as it might have looked in a photo from the 'fifties as orders were being hooped up.

Good afternoon fellows, beautiful pictures everyone. I finally hooked up my new Sante Fe REA Reefer to my Sante Fe passenger train. The car looks great, however the coupler wouldn’t hold the five eighteen inch aluminum Lionel passenger cars, the coupler kept opening. So, it’s getting replaced. It is a beautiful car. Happy Railroading Everyone

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Rock Island BL-2

Hah - I'll see your Rock Island BL-2 and raise you a B&M Patriot BL-2

@jgtrh62 posted:

Happy FEF all!

BNSF GP35 #2931, awaiting trip to paint shop, (former WM GP35 #501).

John

Nice photo and model !

@Richie C. posted:

Hah - I'll see your Rock Island BL-2 and raise you a B&M Patriot BL-2

Someone say BL2?

@RSJB18 posted:

Someone say BL2?

I will just have to chime in here!

Ron

Here's my entry for FeF, mortal enemies' side by side!!!

Happy Friday!!!

@TrainBub posted:

That’s a pretty nice Frisco Bob !!!  Not many Frisco models get done ☹️☹️☹️   Who manufactured this one ?  Do you have another shot that shows more of the model - I’d love to see

This is the first time for me to repaint an Atlas GP7.  My first Frisco repaint model was an MTH GP9 (advertised as a GP7) and I considered it a disaster. Somewhere on the forum is a lengthy commentary on that project:

https://ogrforum.com/...d-lettering-thoughts

My next four repaints were Lionel Legacy geeps, and they turned out well.
No sane man needs 5 Frisco geeps, but I have too much fun doing these.

A little more front-end Friday on my layout while I have Western Roads out on the tracks.

WP GS-64 #485 vs WP F7A #918! These are both Lionel "Scale" models. That being said, the GS makes the F7 look a little smallish even without the tender in the photo.

It's a beautiful fall day here in Silicon Valley, 81 degrees, sunny and blue skies! The weekend is upon us, woohoo!

Well hello F.E.F. fans, I am afraid I have no BL-2's to add to the thread, so I will head in a different direction.  You know we often divide the toy train world into parts and the two main ones are "PRE" and "POST" war meaning WWII for Lionel.  The differences in the products offered are really substantial.  So I thought I might illustrate that today.

First the Lionel 249E (the "E" standing for remote control reverse via the "e-unit").  This locomotive from the mid to late pre-war period from 1936-1939.  Note the somewhat unrealistic marker lights and the boiler front hinge (on top) trying to masquerade as an Elesco feedwater heater.  The guard rails are out of scale and way too prominent for realism.  She is pretty in her "pre-war" way but gives up a lot for realism.

Here is her front quarter, the prominent exterior piping and very simplistic valve gear take away from realism (although they impart somewhat of a charm that I for one like).  There is little rivet or piping detail on the boiler which is primarily sheet metal.

Now, almost exactly a decade later the Lionel 2025 from 1947-49 shows the power of die casting.  Considerably more detail on the pilot and the boiler front and pilot also reflect a more realistic appearance especially in regard to the marker lights and headlight.

The front quarter again shows the increased detail cast into the boiler casting and external piping and accessories like air pumps.  The valve gear also better reflects the prototype in complexity.

Well there you are, two "front ends" for you from roughly equivalent steamers (as far as their place in the product line) but 10 years apart.  They clearly show the impact precision die casting had on increasing realism.  Which is better?  That is a matter of personal choice as to me they both have charm in their individual ways.  One leans towards flash and high visibility as it zooms around its track, the other tries to mimic the real prototype locomotive as operated by the rail roads.  It is a fact that the market changed after the war and the trend was to every greater realism.  The American Flyer vs Lionel "war" over 2-rail realism vs 3-rail ease of wiring and operation is a prime example.  The 249, a market leader in 1936 would not have been near as successful 10 years later.

Well that's my front ends for today.  Great pictures everyone.  I loved the many BL-2's I think you folks have a lot more of them than the rail roads ever did !  They look great however I'm sorry i missed the BL-2 party.

Best Wishes

Don

@Rob Leese posted:

This is the first time for me to repaint an Atlas GP7.  My first Frisco repaint model was an MTH GP9 (advertised as a GP7) and I considered it a disaster. Somewhere on the forum is a lengthy commentary on that project:

https://ogrforum.com/...d-lettering-thoughts

My next four repaints were Lionel Legacy geeps, and they turned out well.
No sane man needs 5 Frisco geeps, but I have too much fun doing these.

Thanks for adding more info and pix.
Nice work !!!!!!!

@TrainBub

@WesternPacific2217 posted:

Here's my entry for FeF, mortal enemies' side by side!!!

Happy Friday!!!

Nice WP !!!!  I’ve not seen it before. Who’s model ?

And now for something completely different, a DC-3 inspection car.

Andy

@Steamfan77- I really liked the DC-3 inspection car for the LIRR.  I had never seen such a vehicle before.  Is it a commercial model or did you make it yourself?   Really neat.  Thanks for posting.

Best wishes

Don

A few pretty faces on the bookshelf next to my computer.

@Sitka posted:

Have a Great FEF, G od Speed All!

Nice PW Berk! I've got these two...

Hello FEFers.  Here is an image of my Lionel 1947 Freedom Train (FT) PA1.  (Not to be confused with the 1976 American Freedom Train (AFT) pulled by rebuilt steam engines and more modern diesels.) 

I really like this engine, although a don't run it often.  Just like the real thing, this engine plays the first few bars of The Star Spangled Banner with its horn. This engine came in a set with 4 cars and there was a three car add on set to complete the actual FT's seven car consist.

The PA1 that pulled the FT is said to be the only known locomotive to have visited all the states (this was before Alaska and Hawaii were admitted in 1959).  This is one of the few model passenger sets where the complete train is a manageable length.  Note that the AFT 30 years later had 27 cars.

Belfast & Moosehead Lake R.R. GP201 taken today.

Sorry for the late response, but here is something that just came in. A LNER A3 Flying Scotsman.

@TrainBub posted:

Nice WP !!!!  I’ve not seen it before. Who’s model ?

Trainbub, thanks! Its a Lionel Legacy WP F7 ABA Set from the 2008 catalog p/n 6-34513. It’s my favorite diesel locomotive! The snow plows are unique.

@Dave Ripp. posted:

Rock Island BL-2

I had never heard of EMD's BL2; it's interesting to see one. I looked it up on Wikipedia and learned something new for the day. Also, gotta LOVE those '70's 'Cudas! Cue the "Mannix" theme...

@Trainmaster04 posted:

Sorry for the late response, but here is something that just came in. A LNER A3 Flying Scotsman.

Wonderful model of what may be the world's most famous locomotive. I'd like to take my little layout on a trip "across the pond" with one of these, but probably can't afford the fare. She had a **** of a go with her restoration but it was worth it:

https://www.hampshirelive.news...y-behind-how-5360388

Well, I am always late to this thread, but as the most recent post was 10 mins. ago and it must still be Friday somewhere, here's a big front end (shown in profile):

This is a 3rd Rail N&W "Jawn Henry" steam turbine with the pair of AWTs made with it. A real beast of an engine that I understand was a monumental failure in real life.