Hot new MTH NYC F3s caught at LHS!

These are beautiful units.  We have the F3-B units too.  It’s always a pleasure to see you Mario!

Yes, that is a very nice shade of black!

Very cool !   

Here's a stupid question (maybe to some):  Why are the pilots different?  Why is that a good thing?

@phrankenstign posted:

Here's a stupid question (maybe to some):  Why are the pilots different?  Why is that a good thing?

Great question!

Over the years, as locomotives were involved in accidents or upgrades, the pilots would have been replaced and not necessarily with the same style as it was delivered with. In this case, although these number of F3s were delivered with the flat passenger style pilot, they might not have stayed that style throughout their careers. As these are painted in the later cigar band paint, with the additional nose ladder grab irons, they represent those units later in life. Very cool.

One great example is NYC F3 #3503. One of only 4 F3As delivered for passenger service and later out in freight service (as #1877).

Here she is as delivered and after a wreck, the pilot replaced with a freight pilot.

this may have been the accident that caused the pilot changed. Funny, is that the 3502 may have stayed with a passenger pilot throughout her life.

Number 1623 is another one:

She was not delivered with a freight pilot.

None of these photos are mine.
Thanks!

-Mario

One more detail that I forgot to add is different fan heights between the two units, as well. I like the mismatched details that MTH did on these units.

Thanks!

-Mario

@CentralFan1976 posted:

So I was milling around @JR Junction Train & Hobby this afternoon playing hooky, and was there when these came off the truck.

They are super sweet!  I love how MTH put two different pilots on the pair, and the paint just looks great. After all the mistakes that seem to be plaguing everyone these days, it’s nice to see a set like this.

I really have to say, that if I didn’t just buy something else, I would have picked this pair up. The passenger pilot is right up my alley!

If they’re still here after tax season, I think they would look great teamed up with my MTH GP35 and 40!  The black is spot on.

Thanks!

- Mario

Great minds think alike, Mario.

Without first seeing this topic and your above post, I just posted a new topic, Show Me Your Very Best, and mentioned JR Junction Train & Hobby.

We sure are on the same wavelength. Arnold

@CentralFan1976 posted:

One more detail that I forgot to add is different fan heights between the two units, as well. I like the mismatched details that MTH did on these units.

Thanks!

-Mario

Great to see that MTH is doing things like this up to the very end along with the two different pilots - definitely a class act!

The fine folks at MTH never get enough credit for the hard work and quality products they produce.  We have enjoyed 21 years of promoting, selling and supporting the MTH Electric Trains product line.  We look forward to many more years into the future too.  We sincerely hope GOOD news will be coming from MTH soon!

@Arnold D. Cribari posted:

Great minds think alike, Mario.

Without first seeing this topic and your above post, I just posted a new topic, Show Me Your Very Best, and mentioned JR Junction Train & Hobby.

We sure are on the same wavelength. Arnold

Arnold,
We are honored you're our customer!  Thank you very, very much.  Happy railroading!

@CentralFan1976 posted:

One more detail that I forgot to add is different fan heights between the two units, as well. I like the mismatched details that MTH did on these units.

Thanks!

-Mario

Mario, do you think that's intentional?  I think MTH messed up.  Not only are the fans different.  Look at the gaps where the B unit meets the front and back A unit.  I think they made the wrong B unit.

@MikeH posted:

Mario, do you think that's intentional?  I think MTH messed up.  Not only are the fans different.  Look at the gaps where the B unit meets the front and back A unit.  I think they made the wrong B unit.

Replace the electro-coupler with a dummy and the gap is reduced. (As in the top photo.)

In the prototype world, worn/damaged/broken fans would be replaced during shoppings.  Fans are interchangeable.  I believe EMD began using the low fans late in F3 production, so both types could even be on the same locomotive order.

There are prototype photo's out there with both types on the same locomotive after shopping.

Rusty

@MikeH posted:

Mario, do you think that's intentional?  I think MTH messed up.  Not only are the fans different.  Look at the gaps where the B unit meets the front and back A unit.  I think they made the wrong B unit.

I do think it was intentional.  If you look at the longer coupler, its a remote electrocoupler compared to a fixed coupler.  I think its designed so the two fixed couplers are between the AB units providing a closer coupling, and the remote coupler faces the rest of the train.

There are some minor details that are wrong for these road numbers, but they're pretty good.  I'm not going to go into them here... but, to prevent these small errors, all they had to do was ask.

Thanks,

- Mario

Thanks guys.  I don’t know enough about the prototype to recognize the little stuff.  Thanks for setting me straight on the coupler.  I’m not at home right now.  I’ll see about replacing it when I get home.