I’m interested in any information about the new HO scale Intermountain FT. I could not find any online reviews of the HO scale model yet and was wondering if anyone here has purchased an HO scale Intermountain FT. If you have, what are your impressions of the AB set?
The road names currently offered are limited. But they will likely release more in the future.
I’m interested in an AB set painted in the Santa Fe freight “cigar band” scheme. I know Stewart/Bowser made two, but I’ve pretty much given up on the Stewart/Bowser FT as they are very hard to find and currently out of production. Even their newer sound chassis for the FT are also next to impossible to find (with black trucks). I wonder if Stewart/Bowser has temporarily given up on their FT waiting to see how well the Intermountain version sells?
I have been waiting to see the Intermountain FT units myself. They seem to be in short supply as the LHS had ordered a couple of sets and they were not received and are on back order
I do have a number of Intermountain EMD F7 units that I have had for a number of years and they are excellent runners as they have very good speed control and pull well.
I just recently received a set of FP7 A/B’s and a set of FP9 A/B’s. I sprung for the sound versions and these sets are the best running locomotives that I have. All pull great and excellent slow speed.
IMHO the Intermoutain sets are as good as the Stewart sets that I have and are superior to the Genesis EMD F units I have.
Can only expect the new FT units to be as good as their other series of EMD F units.
By, the way I thought you were after the ATSF Cat’s Whisker’s F units?
Nope, already have a set of Stewart AB FT in the as delivered catwhisker with red stripe scheme. But our layout is pretty much set now in 1957 so cigar band is the preferred freight F unit scheme.
I also have an Intermountain F7 (yellowbonnet) and it is a very good runner. Maybe not as smooth as the Stewart FT, but still a good runner. My only complaints are the headlight leaks under the frame and maybe it sits a little too high? And yes yellowbonnet is way too modern for 1957, but I really like the experimental passenger yellow bonnet version. So I run it occasionally.
As a side note about the Intermountain FTs, I don’t think the side number boards are lit as the description says “molded”. The Stewart FTs has lightable side number boards per the prototype. Looks great at night.