Intermountain HO scale DC FP7 - a good buy?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

Okay reviewers - is the Intermountain HO scale DC FP7 - a good buy?

2

I like mine. I only have a small oval that I use as a test track, but it is a quiet runner and I think the sound is pretty good. I can’t address its pulling capabilities, but I would be surprised if that was a problem.

Tom

3

How long have you had it?

4

I dont have a glowing review of the IM FP7. Mine had 3 issues:

  1. The front of the loco sits a bit high.

  2. The number boards are too low.

  3. The grills are buckled.

  4. The drive in my 2 units both developed binds (occilating motion at crawling speeds). I wasnt able to correct it.

Besides that it was fine.

I recently needed to build an FP9 for my layout. I had the Intermountain chassis as an option to power my Kaslo shell, but I opted for a modified Atlas GP38-2 chassis.

David B

5

[tup] I Have had two A-B-B-A F7 sets and one A-B-B-A F3 set for several years and have yet to have one single problem. Excellent detail and strong pullers.

Dick

Texas Chief

6

They FP7 has a completely different shell of course and chassis is longer too. So while the F7’s and F3’s might be some indication, the FP7 is a different model, and much more recently tooled and produced.

Here is the thing, the Intermountain FP7 is the only modern tooled FP7 on the market in HO. It’s that or brass, or the old and very dated Atlas FP7. I was disappointed to read IMR got the number boards too low, that is damn hard to correct on a painted finished RTR model. I have been planning on getting the Western Pacific FP7 to hand off the California Zephyr to in SLC from the D&RGW. I have one from the 2nd run on order with my pusher. No word on delivery date.

7

Dont forget Kaslo Shells. They are more accurate than the IMs.

David B