"Scale" F-3 with a "Tradtional" consist? Pics?

I have the Lionel Scale F3 mil road.  I run it with the railking stream lined passenger cars (which are not scale).  I do this for the reasons you sated "cost, availability, etc" and more importantly for me, turning radius.  I only have O-31 and O-36 turns.

The engine does make the cars look a tad small.  But I think it still looks great.  The F3 has the nice rounded top and such that make the smaller cars look alright behind it in my opinion.

Al my friends enjoy the set and cars as well (of course they have no idea of scale/traditional) but it doesnt' stop them from liking it.

If your not super picky, I don't think you'll have problem with it.

Eric,  the RK Scale F3's are virtually identical in size with the Lionel PW F3s with some minor differences in the fuel tanks. Although the length is pretty close to true 'O' Scale, the difference in in the height with the RK ad PW units being not as tall. Lionel's F units have traditionally pulled 'traditional' cars - both freight and passenger. True scale cars will look somewhat 'bulky' and large with the F3's.

Below are some traditional F3's with the RK Yellowbonnets, two postwar Lionels, and a Williams Blue SF.

Also shown are the Red RK Santa Fe's and the Yellow models on our layout.

The Red AA pair is available for sale

Eric,

The Railking Scale F3s are dead ringers for the original Lionel F3s.  These Lionel F3s came in all sorts of freight sets over the postwar years with many types of freight cars. All of these cars were the traditional size cars, such as 6464 boxcars, standard postwar flats, hoppers, gondolas, etc.

While none of these cars were "as scale" in length as the F3s themselves, they sure looked good to the F3 fans of that era such as myself.

So, I guess, if you really want cars that are "as scale" as the engines, you would want to limit yourself to the premier line or standard O line of scale freight cars. But, using traditional size cars with F3s has certainly become a tradition in itself over the years.

I'll try to get some photos up later this afternoon.

Jim

Or you could but scale freight car(s) behind the engines and place the semi scale cars to the back. it wont work with Passenger stock but looks good with freight - I do this all the time when running my Challenger/Bigboy - its the only way everything will fit on my layout!!

MIKE

These are RailKing scale F3 pulling traditional RailKing passenger cars.

I purchased the Western Maryland set last year - it only pulls about 4 cars without slipping but that is really all I run with it. I generally don't run Railking cars although they look just fine - what I usually run are 3 MTH Western Maryland coal hoppers (Premier) and a Railking Caboose and they look just as good. They are one of, if not THE favorite diesel in my collection even though they are a PITA to get on and off the track! 

Which WM set did you purchase? Heck I have pulled as many as 30 cars with a SW-1 with a single can motor, without a slip or whimper. I have the RailKing scale F-3  chrome Santa Fe set with added dummy A and additional cars and it pulls it like there's nothing behind it. MTH RailKing passenger cars that handle 031 easily and look good behind the scale F-3's are RailKing 60 footers, RailKing also has much smaller 13 inch cars which look way too small in my opinion.

I have found the easiest way to get ABBA, ABA and even AA engines on the track is to fold a towel and lay it next to the track with the track closest to you and then put the engines on their sides and connect those bothersome tethers and couplers and then stand them up on the tracks. For ABA consists and ABBA I get one of the kids to lend a hand lol!

I actually do pull RK passenger 60 footers with my scale E-7 A-A rig.  I'm adding two cars to the original four I had because it looks a little odd from an overall train length perspective, but height wise they look fine.  If I went to scale cars, I'd likely have siding length issues, so I avoid them, even though I love the nice ones.  

Still hoping to see some more consist pictures!  Thanks to all who have already posted up!!!

-Eric

Paul: I purchased the Western Maryland Fireball set - 30-2995-1. A friend has the same set and is able to pull a "regular" train although we haven't taken a lot of time to watch how much slipping there is. Before you ask, yes, the tires are on there! Regardless, I don't run more than that train behind it so it doesn't bother me that much. 

As for putting it together, I can't lean them over without crushing the scenery. I've gotten plenty of experience at doing it on the layout with everything on the track normally. I'm pretty good at it if I don't say so myself!