Questions about E-8/9s

Weaver E8 upgrade to EOB electronics and some detail added.   17.5" each unit.
Most recent run at a forum member, Patrick H's, layout. Click on the underlined phrase to access upgrade file.  Click on Slideshow upper left control panel.

I am currently leaning towards a K-Line version. What are the pros and cons of the K-line model?

 

Thanks

Pros:

• dual motors in Each A unit
• flanged wheels at the end axles of each truck

Cons:

• number board gaskets are overpronounces
• Porthole "glass" is opaqued and not see through.

What are you planning to build if you don't mind me asking? If its going to be a strait painting project, Weaver and K Line are great. Weaver is easy to upgrade to DCS if you want to go that route but if you plan on cutting, the shell is pretty thick. For some reason lately the Weaver AA sets are selling for almost as much as the K Line sets, plus you get all the pros as mentioned in a previous comment.  

Here is a BN E9 I built using a Weaver E8. The fuel tank is from a Weaver U25B. Port holes filled and some HEAVY overhaul to the roof. 

Wasn't the only external difference the gasket around the headlight on the E9?  That's what I've always heard.

The photos of the Weaver E8 look great, but they no longer list it on their website.

My WBB E7 has wire mesh screens, does their E8 have a wire mesh also?

The Weaver, MTH, and K-Line E8's all have the Farr stamped stainless steel grille, which came as original equipment on late-model E8's and all E9's, and was retrofitted to some early E8's.

The big model change to F9, E9, FP9, GP9 at EMD came at the beginning of 1954.  That's about when the design of the headlight bezel changed, too, but all the mass-produced O-gauge E-units have the original style bezel.  All of the plastic E8's are equipped with dynamic brakes, even though SP and UP were the only two railroads which actually bought dynamic brake-equipped E-units*.  Nobody on the OGR Forum has complained about this.  So, unless you want to pay for brass, there could be a few compromises, and, since they don't object to dynamic brakes, nobody is likely to notice your headlight bezel when your E9 goes past.

*  (Maybe also the Milwaukee Road E9's bought when they took over the UP trains east of Omaha?)

Chris

Weaver produced the E8 some 20 odd years ago.  It's my understanding that MTH bought Weaver's E8 tooling.

Rusty

That is correct, MTH did buy the E8 tooling from weaver. 

Here is a BN E9 I built using a Weaver E8. The fuel tank is from a Weaver U25B. Port holes filled and some HEAVY overhaul to the roof. 

NICE and creative!

If the cars are a couple of inches shorter, will a "scale" engine look out of place?

Can I even get an E unit that is semi-scale or are they all a scale 17 1/2 inches long?

I was leaning towards a K-line unit simply because I was planning to use K-line cars for symmetry, but it is by no means a foregone conclusion.

NOTE : TWO types of K-line e8's- Early version[ single stripe] has NO TMCC

K-line e8's made in the new century had TMCC [Multi Stripe PRR]

Now that's AWESOME!!! I've been sending emails to MTH and Lionel for years to get one of these BNs made. The Railking version was nice, but not the scale size and look that I am looking for.

Good luck with your project.