AZL is preparing to release quite a few new items this year. I have been given the okay to post this photo. It shows preproduction test shots of the auto-racks and ACF 4-Bays hoppers. These photos are not of the final cars, but I think you agree, with the printing, they look great! The SOO line ACF 3-Bay hoppers will be release in the next month. Rob
Those look great! I'll take one of each! And finally SOO Colormark hoppers! Oh happy day! Thanks Rob!
I'll second that! Will there be three sets of four road-numbers like the previous release? Regardless VERY excited! ~Paul
:thumbs_up::thumbs_up::thumbs_up: NICE! Loren... get ready for my order! I have the same question about the "new" version of the UP hoppers.
The new UP set is coming as well. This photo was taken a few months ago before we had samples of the second UP set. I am not sure how many sets of each roadname will be released. I am going to assume that there will be two sets for the ACF 3-Bays. I do not have product numbers, pricing or release details at this time. Rob
Yeah, Why don't you guys do a pre order now and avoid the rush? I'll have them as soon as Rob doles them out. Loren
I decided I am not pre-ordering anymore. To tell the truth, I have always liked pre-ordering things to make sure I get them, but lately what happens is I am always so busy, that I forget I pre-ordered, then I either pre-order again from someone else, or purchase some as soon as I see them available, or buy a bunch of competitive brand product that was released earlier, and end up with way more than I need. Example: I have 45-50 streamline passenger cars in various stages of repaint to NP passenger colors, yet I don't have a single good running F unit to porperly pull them with! I have 8, count them, 8 DOG F7's that were all purchased new, sound like coffee grinders, and after DCC ing, never ran well again. These are balky wobblers. (I emailed Glen for help, but he has a several month backlog of other people's stuff to fix before he will confirm he can fix me up a great running set) I am hoping someone will make an FT, F3, F7, FP7 or F9 with modern process and great running mechanism someday, so I can actually run one of my NP North Coast Limited's or Mainstreeter trains. So, no more pre-ordering for me... I see, I like, and I buy. If I miss out on the run, it's simple... I just find out who has them, find out what models they really like, make something they cannot do without and offer trade as the only way they will ever aquire one! Muahaha!
hi robert, if only you had one of my MTL GP9 mods. I bandsaw cut the chassis apart on both ends, just between the flywheel and the end of the truck tower, and lose about 1-2 scale feet of length in the process. once reassembled, i glue 1/16" lead to the chassis sides and fit the MTL F7 shell on top (doesn't affect the boards fit or placement). it's not a simple modification, but i've done three now and they pull smoothly, quietly, and evenly with the other MTL GPs. F3 -- funny; i have an A and B shell set almost ready to go, that i was thinking of making into an F3s. the A unit has a refitted F cab bashed onto a newer MTL B body so the grill details of both A and B match. if someone could lazer up a thin piece of plastic to go where the front dynamic brake fan is (F3s had two vents there instead of a fan), ANYONE with an F7 "A" shell could make a pretty presentable F3 (with the other fans replaced with the straight high fan housings, of course). oh well.
There goes Robert's evil genious laugh, again. I always knew you had a deeper, more diobolical plan. A very good plan, I might add, but diobolical none the less. Dan S.
I can fit in such a small project as your F3 mod part quickly and easily David. I just need to see what it looks like, and the exact size you need.
Realliy interesting to see AZL is doing the 3-bay ACF in SOO; I've done a custom job for a friend in Germany just 1 year ago using the EDmodel kit with exactly the same paint scheme.....
For David F. Sure would like to see some in progress and finished pictures of the GP9 "conversion". I took one of my GP9's apart (lots of fun re-assembling!) and was concerned that if I shortened each end of the chassis, the drive shafts and worm gears would not align with the tower gear on the truck. Did I miss something? Lindley
lindley, all that is needed it to pull the "T" cap off the shaft and, if necessary, grind it down a little bit. it's likely that the "T" cap isn't on the shaft all the way, and pressing it down can give enough play to the reassembled shaft. the shaft is short, with little up/down play allowed, so the worm doesn't have much room to get out of align. all of this presumes, of course, that in reassembling the parts one keeps everything lined up. i cut the parts with the halves screwd together with the end and middle spacers in place. i pull the cut ends across sand paper to "dress" them -- also still attached. then i take the parts apart to glue the halves back together. i used to use CA but now i use epoxy. with the parts well aligned and glued tight, i then drill the holes for the screws in the end of the gear tower. the epoxy holds it all well enough, but the screws give it a "locking" fit and also provide electrical continuity through the halves. it may not seem worth it for just a 1-2' reduction, that that is what gets the truck centers closer to 30' (as per the prototype -- and the old stock MTL F7 chassis). believe me, i had my heart in my hand when i cut up the first one (to make an CF7), but after trying a second time, i realized it's just parts that can be fit. there's some work to it, and you HAVE TO keep the reassembled halves aligned "perfectly" (and that may be the most tedious part of the mod), but it works and i have two F units (and on CF7) that pull quietly and well, and which i can mix with GPs in my consists. we all want a better F7, but i think they are years away now. so i offer this as one solution (though it's not for everyone, i realize). dave f. p.s. i'' make another one and take pictures. i think i'll need to make another anyway. now i have to look to see if i have a spare GP to cut up. not sure that i do, right now.
