Hello all! I am interested in purchasing an MTH Proto 3 F-3 or F-7 ABA, but can't decide. I am not so much railroad specific as I am more drawn to a locomotive if it has great sound and detail. Just thought I would put the question out there for any suggestions from this forum, of course, any pictures would be helpful. Thanks!
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If you are looking for detail you first need the premier line. second I would recommend the F7's since they have the metal grills on the side. I have four sets of MTH F's.
Scott Smith
Shack,
I have a number of sets of Premier MTH F3 and F7 diesels. Like many people I really like the look of an ABA set of F units hauling both freight and passenger trains. I operate on O72 and O84 loops so they look really good running around these curves.
Below are few pics of the F units that I am currently running on the layout. The first pics are of the Great Northern F7 units 20-20054-1. These are some of the nicest looking F units MTH has made.
The next are few pics of the Milwaukee Road F7 units 20-20266-1.
Andrew
Late model F-3's (Phase IV) came with F-7 style grills and louvers. Only the dynamic brake hatch on the roof (if equipped) was a reliable distinction between the two models. Some spotters refer to them unofficially as F-5's.
Stuart
Never saw a F-Unit that I didn't like.
Until..... Lionel produced the Black WarBonnet. 
Not to be outdone, MTH released the "Goofy Grape"
The answer is simple if you like detail, any MTH Premier F units, but stay away from the Railking F3
What's wrong with the railking F3s?
John.
John, they are very nice engines from a traditional viewpoint being virtual clones of Lionel's iconic post war F3. The RK model has a different fuel tank but are much less detailed than the Premiere models. The Premiere diesels are slightly taller than the RK one too.
Here is a Lionel F3 from the 1950s
and here is a RK 'Scale' F3. You can see the difference in the fuel tank but otherwise they are quite similar. Below is the MTH Premiere (scale) F7 in the Yellow/Blue scheme.
Note the difference in the pilot and the taller windscreens plus the wipers, rails, etc.
Has MTH made any of the earlier premiere versions of the F3 w/out the stainless grilles that you could post a photo of?
Has MTH made any of the earlier premiere versions of the F3 w/out the stainless grilles that you could post a photo of?
Here's a set of Santa Fe F3's from MTH 2000 VI. This is the last catalog to offer PS1, PS2 started in 2000 VII. The grills are painted to match the rest of the units. For the Santa Fe, these units were really F7's with F3 features and numbering that fell into the F3 series. These units lack some of the details that more recent production F units have but they are great runners.
Andrew
Love my Proto 3 F7 set.
I just noticed in the profile shot here that the MTH pilots appear 'odd' to me with so much space between it and the front truck. Especially on a passenger unit above.
Our Southern F3 has the same large 'gap' pictured here and compared with an Atlas F3. Is this normal?
an Atlas early F3 (similar to the GM&O above) Note the huge gap above
EMD implemented running changes as new improvements were developed irregardless of model changes.
Early F-3s are indistinguishable from F-2s They changed the design of the cooling fans, On the A units they added air intakes between the portholes, and a "chicken wire grille", and later removed the "chicken wire' and covered the filters with louvers. The main air intakes were originally covered with a chicken wire grill, and later with a stainless steel grille The only easy way to tell a late F-3 from a F-7 is the dynamic break fan. f-3s have two rectangle openings and f-7s have a 36 inch fan.
Late F-3s were sometimes referred by some as F-5s
Here is my MTH F3 #26 in the as delivered from the factory look to AT&SF with the single headlight. I believe these are the only F3's MTH made with the simulated stainless side panels. I've started adding a few detail's note the MU hoses, I planning on adding some grab irons as well. these are great running units and include station stop announcements for Super Chief, Chicago, Kansas City, Newton, Albuquerque, LA. These will be my power for the hopefully produced GGD El Capitan.
Weren't the trucks on the earlier MTH Fs a bit short of scale length, hence the gap? I believe the newer models have the correct length trucks. Can any one confirm this?
Doug
DOug, our Southern F3s are fairly late MTH production from the 2010 catalog I think....
jvega2 - can you post a side view (profile) of your Santa Fe No 26 so we ca n see the spacing please?
DOug, our Southern F3s are fairly late MTH production from the 2010 catalog I think....
jvega2 - can you post a side view (profile) of your Santa Fe No 26 so we ca n see the spacing please?
c.sam, the spacing is just like your Southern and your santa Fe F7 pics you posted.
Here is a photo showing some of my MTH F-3s, two MTH Railking E-8s (which have the length and "feel" of the EMD FP series), plus Williams' Canadian Pacific F-3.
Lew Schneider
That's quite a nice lineup Lew - Whose B&O's are those please?
Never saw a F-Unit that I didn't like.
Until..... Lionel produced the Black WarBonnet.
Jim K-Line's black bonnet's (which I have) look better than the Lionel convention classic ones. Reason it has TMCC and its scale. The best of both worlds.
I agree with Tim. I managed to score a K-Line Black Bonnet set and six passenger cars at a semi-reasonable price a few months ago and they look and run great. I've had them to the toy train museum twice and they are real attention getters. A lot of people comment on the resemblance of the passenger cars to Kansas City Southern cars.
I agree with Tim. I managed to score a K-Line Black Bonnet set and six passenger cars at a semi-reasonable price a few months ago and they look and run great. I've had them to the toy train museum twice and they are real attention getters. A lot of people comment on the resemblance of the passenger cars to Kansas City Southern cars.
It's funny that you mention the peoples reaction with this train. At one of the recent train shows I attended with the TCA Midwest Division, I got a question from guy about the engines. I told him pretty much everything I knew about this engine. For my enjoyment I will pull anything with them, at the same show I pulled a D&RGW coal train (with a couple special cars in the train). All the hoppers were Weaver. I've pulled a modern era freight train, a passenger train, and a small steam era freight. One thing that always ask myself is do you get tired of bringing these to every show? Well the answer to that question is simply yes and no. Since the time we got it, it has had a lot of miles put on it and for being a engine that is ten plus years old its really great.
Not to be outdone, MTH released the "Goofy Grape"
MTH seemed like Lionel when they did this. Come on MTH why did you do it?
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