I just received my IM SP Black Widow FP7's.(Thanks George). All I can say is...WOW. They are not exactly correct. But nothing that can't be remedied. I just finished putting Unimates on them. First issue done. Next will be plows,5 chime horns,1500 gal. fuel tanks(on the A's), nose lift rings,diaphragms and removal of the rear overhang(on the A's). The paint and lettering is very nice. The A's came with 48" dynamic brake fans.This is fantastic. For some reason they chose to do DF4's for the B units as apposed to the as delivered DF11's. Oh well, no major thing. Perhaps the next run. I'm just a bit excited!:thumbs_up:
Hey Bob, They look great, to me. I will paint the contact strips black(to hide them a bit better). I can't get over them. They are just fantastic!
My kingdom for a pair of undecorated A units for the Verde Canyon Railroad! VCR had sold a batch of HO FP7s custom painted, maybe we'll get luck and they'll do the same in N scale.
How close did IM come with the WP FP7's Bob? WP is included in my GN modeling only because of the Inside Gateway connections the two roads had ... but I grew up in NorCal and watched the CZ come and go out of Sacramento many times. I bought a IM ABB WP FP7 set and a F3. The performance of the IM units is really good. :thumbs_up:
Hey Tim, Every book I have on the subject. SP Dieselization. Strapacs SP Diesel Compendium,Strapacs SP Historical Diesels Vol. 3(Passenger E's and F's).and Trainline(From the SP historical society). The units were part of the last order of F units. Have a good one!:tb-wink:
Do you know anyone that can do these??? I would love a set of A's in the VCR. Maybe JDG can do some of these...it's a difficult paint scheme.
The Unimates will give us close coupling that the factory installed MT's can't achieve. This goes way back to the Intermountain F-3's and F-7's.
Powersteamguy nailed it. The stock IM spacing is about 6 scale feet. The Unimates brings the car bodies to about 3 scale feet.Plus I can all ways use more MT 1015's.I now have another 3 locomotives worth.:thumbs_up:
The Unimates gave me the close coupling I needed for my Kato F7s ; however, they did not on my IM F3s. To get the same close coupling on my Kato's, I had to use RailLine HOn3 dummy couplers on my IM F3s. They look good now but you must make sure the coupler pivots side to side smoothly.
Bob and all interested ... here are some photos I took today of my IM F3WP and my ABB IM FP7A/F7BWP: 1. IM WP F3 (cont'd next post)
2. IM FP7WP top: 3. IM FP7WP nose: 4. IM FP7WP side Other than super-detailing (i.e., adding handrails, mu hoses, etc.) what, if any, discrepancies might be apparent? Personally: These are the very first IM units of any loco type I now own. My first impression was a great surprise with how well these units run - they are all very, Very, VERY close in speed range and response. I have NEVER taken four units of any other manufacturer that have run so well right out of the box. Additionally my units were NOT all purchased at the same time, nor from the same dealer. Two units (FP7A/F7B) came from 4Nscale; one unit (another F7B) came from BLW; the F3A came from MBKlein. Talk about consistency in running performance ... WOW!! Excellent work IM!! I also compared the IM units to the so-called "cadillac" of nscale Kato F3/7's and the Katos are literally x2 in speed compared to the IM units! Having said that, I also compared speed range/response of the IM's with some of the very newest Atlas units (two GN U25B's and two SP&S ALCO RS's) and was greatly surprised at how much closer these match up with the IM's. And the Kato still out-race them all. I have long been skeptical of IM units ... but not anymore!!
Any chance that we could see a few photos of these units, after your detailing is completed? Boxcab E50
Hi GNFA310, The FP7 looks real good. I see you have #804A and I will be modeling #805A. All prototype photos that I have found of #804A & 805A have the 5 chime horns http://calzephyr.railfan.net/ghosts/805ash2.jpg and http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=177851 Also, it looks like the shell is sitting too high from the trucks, I will know more when I receive mine. I had to lower my IM WP F3s because they were too high. The couplers have to go. Unimates or RailLine HOn3 will work better for correct spacing between your units. As far a running the IM, they are soooo sweet and quiet and all my units run the same speed. I have both Kato and IM. The IM's are geared lower than the Kato's and run a more realistic speed. I was heavily detailing one of my IM F3A units until I accidentally melted it under a hot light. I was able to get another decorated shell which I have drilled all the holes for the grab irons, curved handrails, cut levers, windshield wipers, sun shades, mu hoses, Richmond Control Mars light, classification lights, lighted numbers board,etc. I just have to paint all the accessories and install them. The holdup is I haven't purchased an airbrush yet. I will primer them soon which will force me to buy the airbrush so I can finish this baby. It is going to look really nice when I finish it. Thanks for posting photos of your new units and I know that you are going to enjoy them very much.
