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kwk100 (361 posts)
May-02-02, 00:39 AM (EDT) "The Different F Units..." Hi Everybody!I have seen a couple ads in various model RR magazines about the F Unit models. They had photos of an F2, F3, F5, F7 and an F9. I spent about and hour looking at the photos in the ad, and I still have no idea what the differences are between the various F Units. Is there somebody that could tell me the differences?ThanksDiesel Industries
David E Miller Collection: www.hankstruckpictures.com/trucks.htmkwk100 Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
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Subject Author Message Date ID RE: The Different F Units... MJL May-02-02 1 RE: The Different F Units... WestSlopeRRfan May-02-02 2 RE: The Different F Units... MJL May-02-02 3 RE: The Different F Units... GTJD May-02-02 4 RE: The Different F Units... kevarc May-02-02 5 RE: The Different F Units... GTJD May-02-02 6 RE: The Different F Units... kwk100 May-02-02 7 RE: The Different F Units... century242 May-02-02 10 RE: The Different F Units... burgoofj May-02-02 8 RE: The Different F Units... kevarc May-02-02 9

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MJL (260 posts)
May-02-02, 02:35 AM (EDT) 1. "RE: The Different F Units..." I'll take a stab at this.....I know theres probably a long drawn out description in one of my trains or model railroader mags....but I don't feel like paper sifting.....so I'll just go off the top of my heada long time ago trains used steam engines to move, then the railroads realized diesels where better (but only for switching) cause the engines/prime movers were pretty wimpy. -and you also had war restrictions some ware in there that had an effect on the desilization transition in one way or another ...but thats a different class....In 1939 EMD came out w/ the FT demonstrator A-B-B-A, 5400 h.p on 4 units =1350hp each unit (I think modern engines have that on one axil) -- also I heard that the units were drawbared togethered or somehow hard coupled together --so whoever cared about labor stuff, couldnt say 4 engines=4 crews, so it was counted as one engine.....then w/ the F-units (F2, F3, F5, F7 and an F9) my -slightly educated- guess of how it worked was
first production run = first number
during the production run there are slight changes (larger fans, a window or two, different louvers ect ect) this results is the different 'phase versions' ....but nothing to wright home about --- unless your a rivit counter---, but once they make a huge change, like switching to a better prime mover, traction motors or something else big...they can say to the customer ..."this is no longer the wimpy F3, but the new and improved F5 and will solve all of your problems "(at a slightly higher price of corse)so the differences between the units might be mostly internal..but theres always a different sight glass, or louver pattern to tell em apart --which I do not know....and as I am tired of typing ....
go to
www.trains.com (you might have to do some sort of Mickey Mouse login thing)
click on "Railroading" at the top of the page
then under Railroad history on the left side click on "Diesel"
this will take you to a page w/ two articles:Distinctive Diesels
A selection of photos from the files of Kalmbach Publishing Co.'s David P. Morgan Memorial Library.and The most famous face in railroading
The F7 was the star of a 21-year series that set the standard for “diesel” this has a few tidbits of info that might be helpfull
w/ the "Distinctive Diesels" section...all I can say is WHERE THE HE!! IS THE SD40-2?!?!?!?!?!
idiots...............................your RI pic at your signature an't working...howd you like the recent RI uploads??
Matt
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WestSlopeRRfan (318 posts)
May-02-02, 02:49 AM (EDT) 2. "RE: The Different F Units..." Great question. F3, F7, F-this, whoops, well you know what I mean. I had also noticed slight variations between the different models, but the same shape remaind. Hey Matt, Your RI SD40-2 is awesome!! Its definately fun to drive around. Later
Nick

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MJL (260 posts)
May-02-02, 03:14 AM (EDT) 3. "RE: The Different F Units..." after getting pissed that I didnt answer the question, and starting to wonder myself...
did a search on ever so handy www.dogpile.com w/
F2 F3 F7 FP7 F9 FP9 FT EMD differences spottingcame up w/
(ok w/ quick description)
http://users.netreach.net/jprock/crx_ef.htm
(an ode to a F-unit sorta page)
http://exotic.railfan.net/F.htm
(THIS IS WHAT YOU WANT PAGE!!!!!!)
http://www.brant.net/gvmr/f-unit_models.htm
(this also looks of some use)
http://f-unit.railfan.net/f-unit_yesterday.htm--trivia of the day--the E-units were passanger only--or intended is a better term, and 'E' first ment eighteen-hundred (hp)westslope--glad you liked the -2...was thinking about weathering it a bit...but I like the clean vesion a bit more....also tried to get a color balance between the ruby red new paint, and the faded out/dirted up looks of the very late 70's good job on the recent DRGW stuff...downloaded, but not unzipped yetMatt
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GTJD (292 posts)
May-02-02, 11:35 AM (EDT) 4. "RE: The Different F Units..." shame the F got replaced by the ugliest loco on earth, the GP7.Uncle Charlie,
Hazzard & Southern Railways
Kanto-Johto System
Sodor & Magic Railroads Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
kevarc (726 posts)
May-02-02, 12:02 PM (EDT) 5. "RE: The Different F Units..." LAST EDITED ON May-02-02 AT 12:13 PM (EDT)Nope that was the BL series.There were valid reasons for changing to the hood style from the cowls. In local service with a lot of backup moves there were severe vision problem for the engineer and the train crew, remember this was before everybody carried a radio. The same with yard operations. Another was maintenance. If major work was needed to be done on the engine there were problems with a lack of space within the cowl to work on the engine. Things had to be dragged to a door and then the replacement had to be dragged back, that is if would fit through the door or could be removed from the engine in the first place. Cost was another big factor, a lot more work was required to construct acowl unit than a hood unit.Kevin Arceneaux Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
GTJD (292 posts)
May-02-02, 01:45 PM (EDT) 6. "RE: The Different F Units..." So What?! the RS-series, the U boats And the Trainmasters all looked better than the Geep. Heck! i even think the BL2 looks better!Uncle Charlie,
Hazzard & Southern Railways
Kanto-Johto System
Sodor & Magic RailroadsPS: While Modern EMDs look better than the original Geep, they'e not nearly as good looking as those "whale-tailed" GEs! Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
kwk100 (361 posts)
May-02-02, 06:14 PM (EDT) 7. "RE: The Different F Units..." Thanks for the help guys!Diesel Industries
David E Miller Collection: www.hankstruckpictures.com/trucks.htmkwk100 Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top
century242 (130 posts)
May-02-02, 10:20 PM (EDT) 10. "RE: The Different F Units..." Personally I like GP7s, GP9s and SD9s. But they can not hold a candle to a Trainmaster.
"KEEP ON TRUCKIN BY TRAIN"
"Your Freight Goes Great, When it Goes By Great Northern"

Erik Pierson
Sacramento, Ca
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burgoofj (43 posts)
May-02-02, 09:18 PM (EDT) 8. "RE: The Different F Units..." Hey Hey, bite your tongue. The GP7 and GP9 (there's a GP10 still working here in the Pittsburgh area) ruled the rails for years. I love them things.Frank Burgoon
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kevarc (726 posts)
May-02-02, 09:37 PM (EDT) 9. "RE: The Different F Units..." I liked the ones with the air resevoirs on top.Kevin Arceneaux Remove | Alert Edit | Reply | Reply With Quote | Top

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