…Are you going to be at the prototype meet in Canton, this year?
Rich
EF-3 Yellowjacket
I thought this posting looked familiar!
I’ll lay dollars to donuts that you ain’t gonna get these turkeys for less than 100 dollars a la 2009; considering the beating the dollar has taken in the last couple of years I would even be surprised if you can get them for less than 200 dollars assuming, of course, they are still in production.
Isn’t there a kit manufacturer that does these in die-cast metal?
At Springfield this year, Branford (CT) Hobbies (AKA New Haven Terminal) had cast resin EP-4 shells on the Frateschi electric drive. He also had new cast resin sideframes and trucks to match. It looked pretty good to me, but IIRC it was around $200 or more.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
Still better than waiting an eternity for River Point Station’s.
Sorry for my sidebar:[;)]
Paul, did you see any EP5s? Can’t find a website for Branford Hobbies.
Antonio,
Yes, he had plenty of EP-5’s for sale at the show.
He has long given up the website. When I’ve talked with him in the past, he said to spread the word on the internet that he is still making DL-109’s, EP-5’s, et al., but please call his hobby shop to order them. (203) 488-9865 He also said that painted models might be troublesome as he just doesn’t have the time like he used to. But undec. versions he said would be no problem.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
Thank you Paul.
On the EP-5s, is it just a shell or is the chassis w/drive included? For some years I’ve wondered what chassis could fit underneath that GE electric oddball (Alco PA?). [8D]
Antonio,
He makes a custom cast metal frame and uses Athearn parts for the drive train (same for all his locos…except the EP-4 which uses the Frateschi drive). IIRC, the EP-5 truck sideframes are also cast resin to match the prototype.
Paul A. Cutler III
Weather Or No Go New Haven
I bought the model in switzerland. The motor with two flywheels runs smoth, the detailing is relatively good. I’m at the moment preparing an undecorated version for PennCentral. The version is black. I will give him the number 4501. Because the 45xx Numbers are missing in the roster of electric locos. I know that there were no EP 4’s in the PC roster.
At last, information about NYNH&H electric motive power that is not only detailed, but accurate. The McGinnis/Alpert administrations were utterly incompetent and exacerbated the long decline of the RR, driving it into its final stage of bankruptcy and inclusion into PC. As a result, as"NHRRJET" has noted, the NH’s electric motive power policies were disastrous, shoving perfectly good, modern high-tech electric locomotives out to rust in favor of carbonizing energized catenary with burning fossil! No doubt, the railroad’s electrification system was in need of rebuilding, especially after 24/7 hard use it received during WWII. However, as the RR’s own consultants concluded, the answer laid in taking advantage of the inherent long-term economies of scale and productivity of the existing electric plant, not abandoning a majority of it in favor of a small fleet of untested (and ultimately unsuccessful in straight electric operation) dual-power diesel locomotives.
As a boy, I lived just two blocks from a portion of the NH’s electrified extension to Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. At that location, the RR was built on a high fill and I had to climb the embankment in order to get a good view. Unfortunately, I was born too late to witness the passing of the great EF-3 and other NH electrics, but I did get to see the ex-VGN rectifiers in their brilliant red, black, and white NH livery. You could hear their loud, relentless humming from my house long before they arrived, so I had plenty of time to hop on my bike and, pedaling furiously, and make it to the railroad in time to see them pass by and wave to the friendly crews. It’s an image that was burned into my consciousness and one which helped make me into a lifetime railfan and model railroading hobbyist.
Wow, I never expected this thread to rise from the grave…again. [swg]
Patrick B. McGinnis was both wrong and right. The FL9 was the poster child for this. He was wrong to buy them when they had good electrics to run instead, but then these FL9’s lasted in revenue service for over 50 years. They lasted even longer than GG-1’s, for pete’s sake; not too many passenger engines can claim that kind of record. I’d say that was a good return on investment. Same goes for their GP9’s and SW1200’s. Examples of these are still in revenue service going in to their 7th decade of use. All the NH’s EMD’s have lasted far, far longer than their Alco’s, F-M’s, and Baldwin’s.
McGinnis was right about high speed trains being needed, but he was wrong about how to implement them. It took 40 years and millions of Federal dollars to bring us the successful Acela Expresses. PBM tried to do it with 1950’s technology without stringing more wire, and it didn’t work.
McGinnis was right about the “New Image” paint scheme. Even 56 years after it’s introduction, it still looks so modern that it is being used today on brand new engines for ConnDOT. How many other railroads has this happened to? Sure, there’s a few “heritage” locos for UP and the like, where they take one engine and paint it up for a predecessor railroad. But ConnDOT paints all their engines and cars into PBM’s “New Image” paint schemes. I don’t think that’s happened anywhere else. And his paint scheme has resulted in the NH being far more famous than it would have been otherwise. For example, the old Athearn BB kit box art has a NH orange 40’ PS-1 boxcar on it.
McGinnis was wrong about abandoning city centers. His idea was to get rid of money losing, high-priced city terminals and rely instead on connecting highway beltways like Rt. 128. Now, if he had known that selling large city terminals to various government bod
Was that even a viable option prior to the late 1960s? Unless you were selling the terminal & land for the municipality to redevelop, I don’t think most cities (even in New England) were interested in buying functioning railroad stations, paricularly large, temple-like single use ones - I guess there must be some history of Union Stations being built by municipalities rather than joint Railroad companies, but a quick Wiki search didn’t turn up any.
Actually looks like most urban areas were loath to support basic commuter operations with subsidies until the 1960s, let alone own the passenger infrastructure (unless they were able to tear it down and redevelop the air-rights).
Reviving an old thread here.
Frateschi is still making their streamlined electric loco. I’m interested in this version:
I understand there are actually two motors in these, small motors with a flywheel for each truck. That’s ok.
I’m wondering if there’s room inside for a small decoder (non-sound)?
Also, are the wheel flanges suitable for code 83 track (Kato Unitrack)?
I realize that the level of detailing doesn’t match the higher level that is now common on USA models, although I’m guessing it’s comparable to something like “Atlas trainman” level. Again, that’s ok.
Even though it doesn’t match anything on my layout (CR/PC themed), the price is right and I’d like to try to get it converted to dcc with new couplers.
Has anyone tried one of these recently, or at least seen one?
I can’t seem to find any American distributor for Frateschi, would probably have to order directly from Brazil…
