Pictures of different O 'scales' of a diesel (F3?) side-by-side available?

Classic Toy Trains Forum
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Pictures of different O ‘scales’ of a diesel (F3?) available? It would help me understand just how much difference there is.

I’m still pretty new and while I’ve collected a few steam engines am just learning about diesels. I need some help understanding the ‘size’ or perhaps more correctly ‘scale’ differences in certain diesel model lines offered by Lional and MTH. Now I understand scale and ‘accurate’ vs ‘toy’. What would REALLY help might be some side-by-side images of larger and smaller scale diesels of the same type. I’ve seen a number of diesels in person but NOT side by side or around the same time frame and online I’ve not encountered much of anything as far as side-by-side shots of various O gauge scale diesels.

Let’s take the F3 or similar for example in either MTH or Lionel…

MTH has offered it in RTR RailKing sets (Santa Fe) say $300ish. Then again in a ‘deluxe’ RTR set at about double the price or in RailKing ‘scale’ (I think it’s the same). And finally in ‘Premier’ they ‘look’ bigger.

As for modern Lionel one could look at the size of the El Capitan (traditional?) compared to say a traditional diesel vs a standard diesel. And to further muddy the waters (for me) how does a vintage post war Lionel of a higher end like say 2353 compare size wise?

I understand fully about scale and an 'accurately scaled engine would be larger than a ‘toy’ scale eg traditional vs standard etc. My problem is this: I’ve never really seen much scale variety side by side - that’s what would help me if anybody has any images that might span MTH, modern or PW Lionel. An image or three would help a lot more than numerical ‘dimensions’

Thanks!

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The original PW F-3’s are approximately scale in length. These models are not as tall as true scale F-3’s like the Premier and recent Lionel scale offerings. The true RailKing F-3’s are noticeably shorter than the scale units and they were photographed side by side with their Premier kin back when they were first released. A RailKing Scale locomotive is a re-issue of the original Premier line loco’s from about 10 years ago. These lack the extra details and protypical pilots found on the recent released scale models.

Almost all of our models are not truely to scale, compromises are made to account for oversized rails, wider than protype track, oversized flanges, and extremely tight turning radius when compared to the 1:1 protoype.

Not side by side but you should be able to get a feel for the difference in height from these photo’s from auction sites. EMD Demonstrators are “traditional” and B&O are Scale. Note difference in the height/shape of the front cab windows:

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The recent Lionel Traditional El Capitan set is pulled by an FT, which to my eye looks better than an F3. It’s huge when compared to my Williams Alcos.

I’m looking into buying either a set of Williams F3s or F7s. You post is therefore a timely one for me.

Jim

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jaabt, I suggest the Williams F3s. sweet engines. For some reason the nose on the Williams F7s never looked right, but then I was raised on postwar Lionel