A 3 rail scale A/B set in plastic or brass from 3rd Rail would be my preference, but MTH or Lionel would do just fine as long as it was a well-scaled and detailed effort. Fixed pilot a must for me.
Anybody else?
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I tried to get that made for years. I think manufacturers were wrong to pass it up. I had to move to 2 rail to to get mine.
BTW - I don't run mine as an A-B-A. I run it as an A-B and an A.
Lionel - MTH or 3rd Rail - Here is a hint. The manufacturer Key worked off of EMD engineering drawings. They also made E3's and E6's at the same time. If you compare the nose of the Key E1, E3, and E6, the contour is the same. The only difference is the headlight housing. Therefore, if you make a mold for the E1, you can then cast a separate headlight housing, you could then make E3's, E4's, E5's and E6's with the correct nose profile.
Photographs of E1's vs. the rest don't make it look like the nose contour is the same.
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Originally Posted by marker:
Lionel - MTH or 3rd Rail - Here is a hint. The manufacturer Key worked off of EMD engineering drawings. They also made E3's and E6's at the same time. If you compare the nose of the Key E1, E3, and E6, the contour is the same. The only difference is the headlight housing. Therefore, if you make a mold for the E1, you can then cast a separate headlight housing, you could then make E3's, E4's, E5's and E6's with the correct nose profile.
Photographs of E1's vs. the rest don't make it look like the nose contour is the same.
You are correct about that famous "nose contour", which was the same for all early "E" models, through the E6. The E7 obviously brought the "F" type "bulldog" nose the the remaining "E" unit model line. The problem in getting any manufacturer like MTH, Lionel, Atlas, or Weaver to produce this exact E1 is, ONLY the Santa Fe and B&O had those identical versions. Thus the "big manufacturers" only want to produce a model that they can paint & letter for any and every railroad.
The problem in getting any manufacturer like MTH, Lionel, Atlas, or Weaver to produce this exact E1 is, ONLY the Santa Fe and B&O had those identical versions. Thus the "big manufacturers" only want to produce a model that they can paint & letter for any and every railroad.
When I compared the E1's and the later E's, I was thinking you could have a separate piece molded for the headlight housing. Then you could attach the heading housing to the E1 nose. I think that is pretty much was Key did.
But your post is correct and also, I am missed the fact that the sides are different. I was going to add the B&O EA in that post but today (after many years) I realized the EA windows are different than the E1. Not to mention that the EA and E1 sides are much different than the later units.
It seems that the manufacturers have become very reluctant to bring out new models (3rd Rail not included), when just a few years back they were practically introducing a few new models each year.
The E1 from Lionel or MTH would probably happened already if there was any consideration.
I would like a 2 rail E-6 lettered for ACL purple and SAL citrus scheme among others. As delivered paint schemes are preferred. Leon
Didn't Key already do the E-6's in the ACL scheme?
Silly thought but can't you get an E3or an e7 and cut off the headlight housing then countersink the headlight?
