"Rumor Mill" is gettin' fired up again!

I'm happy that MTL is re-releasing the F7, since Ive been wanting to make a set of these:

http://www.detailswest.com/images/Assorted_F_units_001.jpg

Lajos, If you are going to make a F7 super detail set, I would pick up a few.

-Curn

 

This is one of my favorite pro F7 picture from 2007. OK, I'm biased... Just before the end of the Anaheim show, the two F7s beside pulling a healthy load of PFE reefers all weekend long, helped the Cab Forward to complete a lap.

 

DCC?

If it is not going to be DCC Ready I wouldn't recommend it to anyone for purchase. The majority of us run DCC so think well MTL what you are releasing.

Chris

 

Vern! Welcome to trainboard! I have always admired your work! You cover shot in Ztrack is one the the great ones! Thanks for being a part of our community!

 

Don't worry, if it's true, and most of the Z-scalers run DCC, unless MTL makes room for a decoder, there will be a small industry to convert F7s to DCC, or just maintain an inventory of modified chassis for DCC hungry Z-scalers.

 

Meh

Coreless motors, flywheels, LEDs, snap-in DCC - tough to live without them once one gets used to them. The best news here is there's now more time to save up for the E8s!

Not to be harsh, the F7 can be solid performer, but mine just don't see much use since the Geeps came along. The Geeps are just so quiet and smooth. So, this cab unit fan will just have to keep his powder dry a while longer.

I do agree with the previous poster who suggested that the F3/F7/FP might be an opportunity for someone like Intermountain to break into Z motive power.

 

MTL Puhlease make the NS OCS, a real F ABBA consist still running the Class 1 rails today! Most model train mfrs are doing so and it should be an easy paint: white stripe, black paint and gold lettering. Ok, so the A units are F9's but that hasn't kept any other mfr from painting their existing F7-molded products. Good way to sell 2 F7A's and 2 F7B's in one shot! And then you can paint the maroon and black NS passenger cars!

 

I'm with Lajos. I'm a big fan of the old F7. Sure it would be nice to have a new mechanism with a more efficient motor. My powered A-B sets draw about 250mA per set. But, the price per gram of pulling power is the best in the scale. The only loc that comes close is the AZL F59PHI.

I'm glad the original is coming back. I need more of the chassis. After powering my B units, I'm lacking mechanisms for my A Unit shells. And, since they were discontinued, the selling price of used F7s has gone up.

As for MTL's use of their limited resources, it's not like they have stopped development of new products. They just needed a loc to produce while they are trying to get their vendor issues worked out. They needed a loc for their monthly release, and they can produce this one in house. It doesn't take any more effort for their art department to produce a new F7 livery than to make a new GP livery. Not to mention the fact that there were a lot of roads that they never made an F7 for. And, given the number of years that they produced the F7, the research for these roads was probably already done. It's a good, economical and efficient stop-gap measure for MT. Sure, a nice new mechanism and more detailed shell would be nice, but, for now, it's nice to have an old friend back.

Dan S.

 

CB&Q greybacks..ABA...that would be the cat's meow. I would power the B unit too..that would pull a Buick. Shoot, I would be happy getting the shells in those colors.

 

Did MTL say they were using the old mechanism or is this just an assumption?

 

This is confirmed. It is not a new mechanism or new tooling. See the interview at Ztrains.com (Ztrains post earlier in this thread for link)

Dan S.

 

Chris:

I can understand your feelings about only wanting DCC, but you have to consider that there are still a lot of us old school boys out here who don't run DCC for various reason. Mine is the cost. I, in all likelihood will never change to DCC but that's my choice. So I put it to you... Should I be penalized because of that? It would make more sense for MTL to make these new units interchangable to please both camps. That way, everyone is happy. If MTL and AZL make any new locos just for DCC operation only, then I will either stop purchasing their products and operate just with what I have, or I will get out of Z scale altogether. Everyone should have a choice. Limiting a product to just a certain market doesn't speak well for the manufacturer and only demonstrates narrow mindedness and a lack of forward thinking. I don't think that's what MTL wants to project. Do you?

Ken

 

newtoscale (you REALLY need to put your name on), NO manufacturer is going to make a DCC-only model, just DCC 'ready'. There are far too many DC only users.
.

 

Every N scale locomotive I have bought that had a decoder in it has had problems running on DC. So I either remove the decoder or put up with the crappy performance.

 

One more note..for those that are planning on a super detail kit...PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE include a wagon wheel antenna!!!! That would be the sparkles for the frosting on the cake if I ever get my CB&Q livery!!!!

 

Ooooooooooooo, want want want!!!!!

 

Hey Alex,

Re-releasing the F7 does not effect the design or tooling department at all. The E8's are designed, we just need to get our off shore manufacturer up to speed before we can committ to doing the plastic tooling here. Once things get moving again (very soon), then we will be back in the game. The F7 has been on the top of the list of requests for the past two years and we felt it best to offer it while the other projects developed. Again this does nothing to our resources...production does what production does, we do something different in Engineering. Trust me, we have not missed any time or opportunity to work on development projects. I for one am glad to get it back in the que. It's a popular model that is moderatly priced and allows folks with a desire to model in Z an engine that won't brake the bank. Besides, we have a number of passenger car sets that didn't have an engine...this helps fill in those blanks.

As for an F3...you never know )

Joe
MTL

 

Joe would sure like to see the rest of the passenger cars come on line and if the F7's return puts some urgency on that project I am all for it.

 

Otherwise, another solution would be using a GP9/35 chassis without cutting it, and Using 2 F7 shells in order to produce a FP7/9 shell, as prototype FP7/9 are very close to GP9/35 regarding lenght.

Dom