EMD made more E7's than any other E unit. They were used by many railroads to pull all kinds of passenger equipment. I think you'll agree that N-Scale is ideal for running passenger trains and we are now blessed with a great variety of passenger rolling stock, yet today you have to pay close to $180 to get an E7 in N-scale. If you are like me you do not need sound (I also don't need DCC, but I realize this is becoming necessary for many). Candidates for producing a reasonably priced E7 are Kato (they make a corrugated CB&Q E7), Walthers (did a fine one in HO years ago), BLI (currently make the expensive E7 with DCC and sound), ConCor, Atlas, InterMountain, Fox Valley, MTL, Other???? I take good care of my old Life-Like B&M and GN E7's - they run well, pull stumps, look good, but won't last forever and the shells won't fit newer mechanisms. I'd really like to acquire a Maine Central E7 in Green/Gold like the one Walthers once offered in HO. I've mentioned this need to BLI (they say they only plan to make the high priced version), Kato (they say very little as usual), Micro-Trains (taking it under consideration) and Walthers (will also think about it). If you, like me, would like to see an N-Scale E7 priced at $100 or less in a wide variety of road schemes, let's hear from you and maybe we'll even hear from some of the vendors that monitor this site!!!!
As you say Life Like did a nice cheap E7 once (along with a lot of other things), before Walthers bought them to get a hold of their HO line. The Kato CB&Q unit is an E5, actually the corrugated version of the slant nose E6, but from the cab back E6s and 7s were the same.
Are you sure the old Life-Like E7 shells won't fit on a Kato chassis? I put a Life-Like E6 shell on a Kato E8 chassis and it fit like a glove. -Mark
I will give a plus one to that. On my workbench is a LL E7 going in SP Golden State with a KAto E8 mech. Besides the addition of styrene to make the dimensions of the shell be correct off the ground, it does fit like a glove.
Okay... but... the moment I decide to sacrifice an E8 to be a donor chassis for my Life-Like E6's & E7's... Kato will release E6's & E7's just out of spite.
some GN ones and maybe Q ones I'd be down for it. I already got my dream '7, "pride of the fleet" SP&S #750. there are a couple other loco's I d love to see re run in different schemes, especially BN F7's, NP(2 tone and black pass. and freight scheme), more GN F7's, Q F7's, SP&S F7's, MILW, SP, UP, NYC, and just for the heck of it some Seattle North coast F7's(ex BN).
A question for those who are swapping E7 shells about, does anybody have a chassis from a con-cor E7 B Unit, underpowered dummy, that they don't want? I have 2 powered UP E7A units and shell for the B unit that I want to fit a sound decoder in to power the two A units. I am missing the chassis and was going to make something but I would prefer the proper part? -James
Let's see, if Kato made an E7 I would buy one of the following: CBQ multiple units, in fact one of every number made GN, two units UP SP CNW SPS MR RI I mean seriously, whoever owns E8/9's in their fleet would most likely buy E7's to supplement their fleet. E6 I would buy the following: ATSF CNW MR IC RI UP
I'd like to see some PRR E7's (A&B) in various paint schemes (5 stripe, single stripe, keystone only) to cover the various decades (40's, 50's, 60's). I would also like to see PRR E8's in the keystone only scheme to cover the 60's. I would buy multiples of each scheme. Scott
E7 - yes, I would agree, a model similar in price and quality as the Kato E8 is needed, kind of a mystery as to why someone hasn't stepped up to the plate on this one. I once commented on this same issue on the Atlas forum, and some k&@$ +¥ @// £*;d m$&@% essentially told me the Precision Craft/Broadway Limited model had everything N scale needs, well, I'm not interested in sound, don't particularly care for traction tires, and am definitely not fond of the cost for that particular unit - other than that, well I suppose it has everything we need. I'd be interested in CNW GN CB&Q
Funny thing about those Precision Craft models... I remember when they were first announced (back when Life-Like E7's were still plentiful) and everyone was all "Huh? We need another E7?" Fast forward to 2013 and suddenly they're the only game in town. -Mark
See that Kato reps who may be lurking? Already multiple popular roads you could release and make money on, E6 and E7 included. Do them!
When LifeLike modified the chassis for their E8, I was hoping they would do likewise for their E7. The E8 is one if those locos that the mfg's must feel the N scale market is in dire need of, we sure get a lot of them, kind of like the Alco PA's.
Not to mention the majority of the above lines already have Kato passenger cars out or announced to go with them and most others go with other companies offerings.
There sure are a bunch of roadnames that could be offered! Some I'm thinking of are Southern Railway in the Pelican scheme, standard green, and 60's black, also Central of Georgia had several E7's and they were absolutely gorgeous engines. I'd say a Nancy Hanks II in N scale would be the most beautiful train even offered in my opinion.
I am completely unimpressed with BLIs offerings. The E6 and E7s look toy like especially in the cab window and nose area compared to a Kato. I don't want sound or DCC factory installed. The pilot rake angle on their E8s is incorrect for an E8, it was taken from an E7.
I'm not totally impressed with the BLI offerings either. I don't need DCC or sound and the train phone antennas on the PRR units are way too thick. On the plus side, I do have a PRR B unit without sound and it does run well. Scott
