I hope you all don’t deem this as to selfish, but I’d like to request that you please e-mail LIfe Like at comments@lifelikeproducts.com and ask them to consider producing the Proto 2000 E7 passenger locomotive. This was the most popular prototype American passenger diesel of the 20th century.
For HO scalers ask them to produce the version with the “large box” numberboards this time. As the previous version had the small ones.
For N scale, according to posters below an E7 was produced by LIfe Like Proto.
According to their archives the last HO P2K E7 releasee was 1998, so it’s been a few years.
I communicated with a member of a historical society that gives input to the model manufacturers, including LIfe Like, and he indicated that Life Like is currently studying input for locomotive releases. Since Life Like already owns the molds, an updated E7 may be “do-able”. His name is Jim Six. Some of you may seen his very impressive work in past Model Railroader issues.
By all means submit your other suggestions too! With Life Like it’s best to
write intelligently and tell them why you request the particular locomotive (history, your layout era, etc). It does help if you indicate that you will buy one or more units.
Lifelike did indeed do an N scale E7 - I have one in SP Daylight paint (along with the matching B unit) and it was a superb runner for the first sixth months - since then it’s gone a bit weird, now doesn’t run smoothly but “surges” along, very odd as I’ve cleaned and lubed everything I can find! I also agree with Burlington John’s suggestion of an E5 - I’d like one of these, ideally with sound, from either Lifelike P2K or BLI. Would be especially good if they could offer the sole surviving E5, 9911A, and maybe the Nebraska Zephyr cars to go with it…[8D]
I find it ironic that you mention an E7 fon N Scale. PCM is coming out with this very model with or without sound this fall. On the Atlas forum it has been discussed at great length with many, many comments staing " why are they making an E7 when there are so many other models to do? " I thought it was a fine idea because as was mentioned earlier, the E7 was the most common passenger locomotive (diesel). Go figure.
I’m waiting for a (Burlington) E5, the only E’s they had which used a B-unit, too. And I love the slanted nose. Please note I won’t be holding my breath waiting for this to come out, though. [:P]
I’ve sent them an “e” no pun intended for you but I also asked them(LL Canada) to rerun the CP/Via E8’s again been even longer since they had a run of them.On the upside anyone interested in chopnose GP9’s lifelike Canada is starting to reserve prebook these lil monsters in HO sposed to be out sometime this summer can’t wait. Rob
Yes the E5 was good, but since i model the 1930’s, only the E2 really fits in, and it was an A-B-B set (introduced in 1937). the E3 was introduced durning the same time (1938), and the E4 might have made it before '40, but the E5 definatly didn’t, so I’d look for an E2 Set (in N scale fo course).
(Hopefully more of the forum crew will zip them a quick e-mail.)
Steamer fan, I have a picture of E2 #SF-1 coupled to the COSAF in one of my older books. I like that cool “Bubble Nose” design. I think that years back someone made an HO brass model.
CBQ_Guy, an E5 would be sweet, especially since a prototype is still in existence. In brass it would be sharp! In plastic, the company had better do an “exceptional” job with the paint metalizing.
Several months ago a guy on another board posted a list of items he was selling and on the list was a brass E5 A & B unit at a VERY attractive price. When I contacted him to purchase, he said he was in the middle of a family crisis and would get back to me. I took him at his word and at some point lost or deleted his original email with the list on it.
E5 A and B? I thought the CB&Q only ran A units? Have also been keeping eyes open for a brass E5 - there’s very small amounts of brass equipment on the UK eBay site, which doesn’t attract much interest (and is consequently pretty cheap by brass standards).
To Railroading Brit.
The CB&Q operated the following EMD E5A and E5B units and I also mention the C&S and FW&D originals as well. Hope this he;ps
9909 A Silver Bullet
Thanks for the info passengerfan - I didn’t know they existed! These were actually cabless B units (as opposed to their numbering an A+A pair as ****A/****B? Just asking as I’ve seen photos of later CB&Q E’s with a B suffix to the number that were A (cab) units. Thanks again!
Beginnning with the CB&Q E7A units no further B units were ever produced for the CB&Q. The original numbering for the CB&Q E7A units was 9916A-B to 9925 A-B 9926A-B - 9930-A-B and 9931 A-B - 9936 A- B and 9937A renumbered from 9911- 9937. All of the CB&Q E8 and E9 units were A units only as well. Some of these units carried a B number as well, but all were A units.
