Shop carefully for early releases of Genesis F units and you’ll find many 2-unit sets – and certainly single units – in the $100 range. They were less detailed and DC only, so they are often neglected by buyers for that reason, but make a great base for doing further detailing. Some that are rare or otherwise relatively collectoble go for higher prices still, but your patience will likely be rewarded if you keep searching for reasonably priced units.
I will agree about the Stweart and Stewart/Kato F units. I had purchased some used on ebay and have been very happy with them. Try to be sure that it is a reputable seller. The detail is not as good as Athearn Genesis but they are great runners.
If you go to EBay and search on Stewart HO, then select locomotives on the left side panel, usually there are three pages of locomotives. I only buy the ones with Kato drives. There are usually undecorated ones available too. Just right for your projects.
Another vote for the Stewart. earlier “Stewart” has the Kato drive (in my opinion is the best, most durable of any other, I have 20 plus of these F units). Stewart was bought by Bowser and just around this time the drine was changed, these still runn equally fine. As others have stated, these can be found NIB for about $50. I would have no reservation of purchasing used ones. Some of mt first ABBA sets have run continuously at shows and open houses for quite a number of years and not one unit has ever had an issue.
Tom mentipns the Detail Assoc detail kit, i highly recommend this. Kadee offers a #450 coupler conversion, and beside the tedious assembly of the 30 series tortion spring box they are ecellent. They allow for 3ft ior 5ft unit spacing.
Well this was certainly helpful, I very much appreciate it guys. Due to the number of recommendations, I think I will go with the Stewart models when I start buying. They sound like a lot of bang for the buck and a well rounded model. I will take the advice of some of you guys and be patient as I look, since I don’t have a layout right now anyways. I do have some materials to make a module or two though, and this will be good way to develop scenery skills for my future railroad…and a good display for my models and photography!
Hopefully my pics will show up, I’m still having a time with it lol. If so…these are a little rough I suppose, but it demonstrates what I have in mind:
I will agree with others that if you can find Stewart locos on the secondary market at bargian prices, they are a very good choice, but new, at the current Bowser prices, not so much so.
Frank (zstripe) commented earlier about not buying used locos, and in many ways I agree with him.
Personally, locos or otherwise, I don’t buy “used” stuff. That has “already been plyed with”, that is stuff that has obviously been out of the box and run on a layout to any degree past a test run.
I will buy stuff that apears to be, or is advertised as “new old stock”, “new in the box”. etc, and I have had good luck with that sort of stuff.
Some people like buying “used” stuff, me, I prefer new, even if it has been sitting on some shelf, not yet touched by North American hands, for 10 or 20 years.
Sheldon
All four of my F units are Athearn Blue Box. They run well. One day I shall paint all the truck side frames and the underbodies with dark gray auto primer from a rattle can. Either Rustoleum or Krylon.
Thanks for that reminder, Rio. I remember reading that on here a few years back but wasn’t sure if that was still the case.
The few F-units that I have are FTs and F3s. I know that Athearn makes an F3 in the Genesis-line but I don’t recollect that they make/or ever made an FT. Is that true?
Tom
SouthPenn,
You should really give the Cannon and Buehler drives a try sometime. You will NOT be disappointed.
Tom
The Lubliner Highliner shell is only compatible with F2 (late) through F9 models. The FT has enough significant differences that the tooling could not be used to make an FT. The only FT’s I am aware of in higher quality plastic are the Stewart (now Bowser). I think Bachman offered an FT also but it’s not my cup of tea.
I’ve seen the latter iterations of Stewarts and they run very well too. The drives are basically KATO tooling still but with a different circuit boards and motors. The reviews I’ve read for the post KATO manufactured chassis gave
Thanks, Jim. [:)]
Tom
I see the old Kato drives are popular and for good reason. I own nine of em’ and much value their smooth and quiet operation.
Not throwing rocks, but again a note of caution concerning the geared axle tubes splitting on very early 90s Kato drives. When the plastic tube splits the metal wheel set becomes loose in the fit and soon out of gauge.
Checking for this condition requires removing the geared axle/wheelsets and inspecting the axle tube. The cracks are usually small and use of magnification helps spot them.
Found this problem on an early 90s NIB U25B Stewart/Kato drive I purchased a few years ago. Can only guess that the cracking of the axle tubes has to do with the mfg. not allowing for thermal expansion of dissimilar materials.
Must say that the few blooper purchases I’ve made on eBay were made right to my satisfaction by the sellers.
Good luck and good hunting, Peter
I recently purchased a Bachmann Sound Value Alco S-4 switcher. This loco runs fabulously! It smoothly crawls so slow that you have to watch the ties to make sure its really moving. If the Bachmann Sound Value F units run in a similar manner, I’d be willing to take the time to super-detail several for my layout.
I’m not a fan of the Bachmann F7A unit because of a number of issues:
The review on the Bachmann F7A shell pointed out that the batten on the pilot is in the wrong position. In addition the shell is a funky mash-up of phase details that probably would have only been seen on an F that was shopped with spare parts late in the life of the engine and is not typical of the standard F7A early or late phase.
The Bachmann F7A shell has a 48" dynamic brake fan typical of late phase F7’s, while it has the early style air grills and louvers on the side. At the time of the review, the reviewer also noted the shell sat too high, higher than the B unit it was matched to.
I am not sure if Bachmann corrected the hight issue in recent years, but I pulled up an image from their current site and it appears the shell still has the odd mix of phase I and phase II details so that hasn’t changed.
As alway, YMMV but it you are interested in a typical F7A that matched most standard early or late phase F’s, then steer clear of Bachmann. More than likely for the street price of the current odd-ball Bachmann F7A ($99 MRSP for DCC ready per their websiite) you can get a Stewart F7A with the typical standard F7 phase details AND a superb KATO drive that is absolutely the best availble.
Sure, some railroads did re-use parts in their shops when they made repairs on their F units late in their lives; D&RGW did this too, but I don’t think Rio Grande ever owned an F7 done up like Bachmann shows on thier website with 4 stripe paint, a 48" DB fan and early phase side details. If you want a generic F unit however and aren’t concerned with it looking like the real thing, then Bachmann may fit your needs. There are a lot of choices out on the market, which is a good thing, so choose to fit your need.
Jim, while I agree the Bachmann model lacks any real attention to specific prototype detail, there is another issue to consider. Not everyone is comfortable buying used or even “new old stock” off ebay or where ever.
New prices on the Bowser/Stewart models put them in a Genesis/Intermountain class - not a Bachmann or Athearn rtr/Roundhouse class.
For Intermountain or Genesis money, I would prefer the added details already installed, or for my Atlantic Central a true kit like a Highliner or undec Intermountain rather than the bare but decorated shell of a Stewart. I really dislike adding those details to an already decorated shell.
A bargain price is one thing, regular price on a Stewart is another.
If I’m a newby on a budget, the Bachmann does run well and can be found at some really good prices.
I don’t buy used other than obvious NOS, and I surely understand others who prefer to buy new.
Sheldon
More information is a good things so I’m throwing out information - grist for the mill. I’m not shy about suggesting what I think is the best F unit for the money. I don’t know what NOS means but there are a lot of NIB (new in the box) Stewarts out for the buying via various vendors. I’ve certainly seen a lot at train shows year after year, new in the box. Also, lots of people have bought stuff who didn’t have a layout, and stored in boxes and then sold. I’ve done the same thing too and sold stuff including some of my Stewart engines that I didn’t need due to changing focus.
I have still 13 Stewart at home that have all been stored new in the box only test run and are smooth as butter.
There are a lot of vendors who still have brand new “old stock” Stewarts all over the place so I’m pretty sure the OP can find some at attractive prices and have a good experience. Ultimately the choice is up to the customer, but IMHO, there are very good alternatives to Bachmann if one is interested in a a shell with good fidelity and an excellent top-shelf drive.
I realize it’s a comfort level thing, and some may want to buy something new thats more toy-like rather than something with proven quality as “old new stock” but the latter dollar for dollar is IMO the best choice for a modest priced F unit.- I mean a KATO drive! It doesn’t get any better than a KATO drive and thats a consensus.
Sheldon,
Are you comparing the older “Traditional” Stewart/Bowser offerings to the Intermountain/Genesis lines, or the newer? Bowser’s “new prices” are for their “Executive Line”, which comes with the added detailing that you don’t like the add. So, that’s not really comparing apple-to-apples, is it?
So you really don’t like the add detailing to an already decorated shell??? What’s the difference between that and what I’ve seen you do to a Bachmann 2-8-4 Berkshire?
Tom
Tom,
From the Bowser web site, just minutes ago, remaining inventory on hand at Bowser, Traditional DC/DCC ready F7 - $115, Traditional F7 w/DCC and sound - $239.95
From Intermountain, just minutes ago, non sound DCC F7 - $169.95, with DCC and sound $249.95. Intermountain is no longer advertising DCC ready versions, but I know from my local dealer they still have some, priced similar to the $115 Bowser price. And will still sell DCC ready “undec kits” at that price.
Considering the price of a decoder for that $