Geep 7/9’s arrive from Sunset Models

That's a nice looking locomotive !

Beautiful !!!!  Those Geeps are awesome !!  I have two from MTH and I ordered two more 👍

Another nice job Scott !!! 🙂👍

Check out the nice close coupling !!! 🤔. The fold down “steps” look just right too !!!

Scott's models have always been excellent and he manages to keep improving them, continually raising the bar.  We are so fortunate to have him doing what he does for North American O scale.

I received the B&M bluebird— really spectacular— when it comes to diesels I only buy 3rd rail everything else is second rate—just no comparison —not having fixed pilots is a dealbreaker for me— looking forward to the FA’s and praying Scott does a proper Alco RS-3

It's nice to see photos of actual production models!  After the challenges of the 1st Run, we spent several months on additional QAQC to get these hopefully?!!!?  all correct this go around. 

All of mine are from Run 1, so I have nothing new to share. 

Keep the photos coming!

My New Haven GP9 just arrived after being delayed thrice by UPS - no worries, nothing damaged. Wow, what a fantastic model.

My first 3-rail Sunset Models engine and certainly not the last. Now if only I had a matching RS-11 and H-16-44 to MU with it...

~Chris

Anyone know why the NYC’s are delayed?

@20centuryhudson posted:

Anyone know why the NYC’s are delayed?

Yes. Someone knows, and I'd bet it is Scott Mann. Why not eMail him directly?

Didn’t want to bother him - just curious

@20centuryhudson posted:

Didn’t want to bother him - just curious

Phone calls "bother" most people but, eMails generally don't.

20centuryhudson,

To answer your question, from what I understand some of the units were not sent in the initial batch but will be here next month.

Dave

@20centuryhudson posted:

not having fixed pilots is a dealbreaker for me

Ditto, Why Lionel doesn't get it is beyond me.

The gap between the truck/pilot and the frame just ruins the look in my opinion— even if everything else is great it’s a no go for me-

I've posted remaining stock, let me know quickly, every email removes some of these available models. You can see pictures of most of them on the Reservation page. You can right click over the picture and lift it to your computer to get a closer look.

http://www.3rdrail.com/Diesel-SuperSale.html

While supplies last.

Scott Mann

@sdmann, 3rd Rail did an amazing job on this run. Truly pristine models.

@superwarp1 posted:

Ditto, Why Lionel doesn't get it is beyond me.

Because they sell toy trains not model railroad items.  Years ago I spoke with someone at USA Trains at a garden railroad convention and he told me they did not want model railroaders coming into the garden railroad area.  They are too picky he said, they only want to sell to people who are happy with what they sell as is.

Those are some nice Geeps. The Cotton Belt and New Haven look awesome. That SP Black Widow is one of my favorite paint schemes. I'm still debating on buying one of 3rd Rail's new Amtrak Siemens ALC-42 Chargers. Those look awesome, and I want a Charger handling passenger services on my new layout (which I'll be starting sometime in the next few months).

@20centuryhudson posted:

......—not having fixed pilots is a dealbreaker for me—......

@superwarp1 posted:

Ditto, Why Lionel doesn't get it is beyond me.

Oh, Lionel gets it. These Geeps with their fixed pilots require 054 curves and 072 switches. For Lionel's market (MTH, too), that dog don't hunt.

@breezinup posted:

Oh, Lionel gets it. These Geeps with their fixed pilots require 054 curves and 072 switches. For Lionel's market (MTH, too), that dog don't hunt.

3rd rail's fixed pilots are great, and they even include conversion kits to make the pilots look even better with Kadee's.

While I do like Lionel's Kenematic Pilots as an in-between solution, why don't the big companies devise a solution that involves optional fixed pilots you can screw into the frame/chassis, similar to the conversion kits I mentioned with 3rd Rail?

I often change the front coupler on my 3 rail units to the 2R pilot and coupler and it really makes such a difference in the appearance of the locomotive.

All my Geeps are 2 rail though so no need for that!

My PRR GP7 from run 1.  I am very pleased with it.  It will eventually go into service for shuttle service between Newark and South Amboy on my future NY&LB pulling 3 of 4 P70s if I ever get that layout built!

@GG1 4877 posted:

My PRR GP7 from run 1.  I am very pleased with it.  It will eventually go into service for shuttle service between Newark and South Amboy on my future NY&LB pulling 3 of 4 P70s if I ever get that layout built!

Thanks for the picture Jonathan.  
Really nice !!!!  
Run 1 or 2,  I enjoy seeing Everyone’s  
3rd Rail GPs 👍😉

Here is a glimpse at the Conrail GP9!

@Cmontagna posted:

Here is a glimpse at the Conrail GP9!

sweet

Sure like to see More People step up and show their new GPs !!!! 👍⚡️⚡️😉

Chris,

Thanks for posting that 3rd rail Conrail GP!

@breezinup posted:

Oh, Lionel gets it. These Geeps with their fixed pilots require 054 curves and 072 switches. For Lionel's market (MTH, too), that dog don't hunt.

I agree. Some of you guys who think that a THREE RAIL locomotive not having fixed pilots is somehow supposed to be a "deal breaker" just kill me. These are MODEL TRAINS! If you want fixed pilots on all diesels, then go the 2-rail scale route. But as breeze suggests above, you'll need acres of layout space to accommodate those required wide curves.

I for one, like the way the non-fixed pilots move when they go around a curve, then straighten out again. For me, it's part of the fun of operating toy trains. The video below shows a GP7A coupled to a GP9B rounding one of my tight 036 curves and I love it. I like being able to get locomotives around tight curves and watching the pilots move a little to do it. The movement isn't that great anyway, even on 036 curves.

This is the three rail scale forum page isn’t it? To each his own

Nothing at all wrong with toy trains, but I’m glad Scott sells locomotives with fixed pilots and proper steps, handrails and other details. I wish the MTH DL-109’s came that way.

Perhaps one day Scott will be crazy enough to offer a 3rd Rail DL-109. That would blow my budget right to Mars—I’d have to have a couple New Haven models, plus the Santa Fe pair…

Jeff C

@20centuryhudson posted:

This is the three rail scale forum page isn’t it? To each his own

Yes, it is. But there’s a contradiction in the phrase “three rail scale,” because there are no prototypical three rail railroads. With the exception of some subways, of course.

However, you’re right. To each his own.

@Yellowstone Special posted:

I agree. Some of you guys who think that a THREE RAIL locomotive not having fixed pilots is somehow supposed to be a "deal breaker" just kill me. These are MODEL TRAINS! If you want fixed pilots on all diesels, then go the 2-rail scale route. But as breeze suggests above, you'll need acres of layout space to accommodate those required wide curves.

I for one, like the way the non-fixed pilots move when they go around a curve, then straighten out again. For me, it's part of the fun of operating toy trains. The video below shows a GP7A coupled to a GP9B rounding one of my tight 036 curves and I love it. I like being able to get locomotives around tight curves and watching the pilots move a little to do it. The movement isn't that great anyway, even on 036 curves.

Oh, the horror of someone wanting a more prototypical product with superior detail and scale fidelity!  Whatever is this world coming to?

@GG1 4877 posted:

Oh, the horror of someone wanting a more prototypical product with superior detail and scale fidelity!  Whatever is this world coming to?

No horror, Jonathan. What I’m hinting at is that you’re probably going to find more prototypical features in 2-rail scale stuff like fixed pilots, etc., from manufacturers like Sunset Models, than you are from manufacturers like Lionel and MTH. Since it appears that you have both, this is probably nothing new to you.

As breeze stated (for Lionel and MTH), “that dog don’t hunt.” We just can’t and don’t, get everything from all manufacturers.

@Cmontagna posted:

Here is a glimpse at the Conrail GP9!

After drawing this painting diagram and seeing the sample model, I really wanted one in this paint scheme in 3 rail as all my Conrail is 3 rail.  I stayed away from it for two reasons:

1. I have 5 GP7s from Run 1 and really don't need more.  Want more?  Absolutely!  Need?  Maybe not so much so.
2. It was nice enough that I was thinking that I would start transitioning all my east coast railroads to 2 rail.  I've been pretty good so far with sticking with 1950's PRR and CNJ in 2 rail so I don't go overboard like I do with my 3 rail collecting and modeling which now features such name trains as the "City of Everywhere", the "Broadway Unlimited", and the "Chromatic Spectrum Comet". 

More run 1 photos of one of my CNJ GP7s.  The only non-brass O scale Geep that correctly depicts the flat long hood that held lighting equipment that was an EMD option that several roads purchased including the CNJ, C&NW, and B&M.  While my CNJ unit doesn't have the unique class lights, it is a nice rendition for my fleet.  I have four of these as by 1953 CNJ had retired all but a very few of their steam locomotives and the 13 GP7Ps made up the single largest class of passenger diesels for the CNJ  until GP40Ps arrived in 1969.

While not Geeps, my 3 rail SD7 and 2 rail SD9 show that you don't have to compromise much to get great scale fidelity.  The 3 rail version will run on 0-54 curves.  A shameless plug for Run 2 of these awesome locomotives.  A shoutout to forum member "Hotwater" for getting me the actual EMD painting diagram on the demo SD7.  That was huge!

GG1 4877

Very nice. When are we likely to see the 2nd run of SD7/9s?

Ian

I would love to order the SP tiger stripe SD7. What radius curve does it require in 2-rail? Will it handle a 49.5” radius curve ok?

Jeff C.  

@Ian Munro posted:

GG1 4877

Very nice. When are we likely to see the 2nd run of SD7/9s?

Ian

Ian,

While I can't speak for Scott's business planning as it is always in flux based on factory capacity, I suspect that the 2nd run will go into production after the SD40-2s are completed near the end of this year or perhaps before depending on several factors that I'm not a party to.  Regardless, they are going to happen sooner than later. 

@leikec posted:

I would love to order the SP tiger stripe SD7. What radius curve does it require in 2-rail? Will it handle a 49.5” radius curve ok?

Jeff C.  

The answer is ......

....... maybe ......

The models are tested on a 54" radius for 2 rail operation, but that doesn't mean it won't work on a 48" radius.  It just hasn't been tested on it.  Wish I had better info.  I know the Geeps will do fine on 48" but as you know a 4 axle road switchers will do better on the tighter curves.