So it seems that Rivarossi is the only maker of plastic Northerns FEF-3 type
wonder if anyone else will pick up and build some. Trix is doing the big boy
Athearn and Lionel the challenger but the FEF-3 is on its way out since all I seem to get is sold out answers at LHS.
Maybe BLI will do one.
Beside brass I doubt it. Besides we need things like Harriman pacific and mikados and 4-8-2s, 2-10-2s, 4-12-2s etc.
www.firsthobby.com still has the latest run in stock for $150 each. Thats where I got my two tone grey version.
www.firsthobby.com is excellent. That’s where I got my 844 version.
I don’t have many Up items. Just 24 cars-1 caboose-gp30#731- 4-6-2 # 3524
c44 9w#9702 old Bachmann 4-8-4 2 tone grey #806. Runs well and smokes.
Phil
Thanks for the tip
I ordered the 844 and 840
I despise the two tone grey bleeeccchhhh!!!
As for the other wheel types I would love a 4-12-2 but not sue if its worth it since its minimum radius seems to be 40+ inches and number 12 turnouts.
BLI released a mountain type so that is one more that never existed before
I own two of the Riv FEF-3s(Trainworld) and modelers should be aware of the warranty terms.
Lima, the parent of Rivarossi has received a tender offer from Hornby PIC of the UK(March 04)
and is currently in the Italin Courts for approval.
In the meantime according to the(24 month) warranty conditions ENCLOSED with your locomotive should a failure occur, the loco is to be returned to Lima in Italy since there is no authorizied & free Riv repair center in the US.
I didn’t like that so I pursued the matter with Phil Walthers, the exclusive importer and distributer for Riv products…
Verbal Addendum to the warranty:
With proof of purchase & warranty card, any defective FEF-3 may be returned to Walthers or Walthers dealer(where purchased from) within 12 months for a replacement providing there
are replacements on hand. Walthers will NOT repair.
Firsthobby told me the same thing so you are covered.
Perhaps once & if the buyout is completed(Dec.04) we may learn what the subsequent repair terms will be beyond the 12 month period if any?
Well I have never heard anything bad about RIV. no eongine failures to be honest I never buy stock in anyones warranty with any type of item there are so many clauses as to whats covered that in the end nothing is covered. I will taek my chances and I have lots of contacts near me who do all sorts of repair paiting and so forth. But thanks for the info
I have to say I don’t understand why so much attention is paid to Union Pacific! Rivarossi produced Big Boys, Challengers and Northerns. Then Athearn made a Challenger and Trix a Big Boy! Bowser has both a BB and Challenger! These manufacturer’s have divided up an already small market for these locos and left many great locomotives undeveloped.
You U.P. guys have got it made! Try the second transcontinental, the Northern Pacific, the only semi accurate model offered is IHC’s USRA 0-8-0 for the N.P. If I wanted to be totally accurate with N.P., I would need to buy lots of Brass and/or ba***he bejeebbers out of a lot of kits and RTR stuff.
The same holds true for most every other road, unless they are heavy users of USRA locos.
I kind of agree with Deschane–manufacurers seem to be really heavily into UP steam, these days. Is it because #844 and #3985 are–or at least were–the most heavily promoted steamers roaming the country? Wonder about that. Although I’ve never really been an esthetic fan of UP steam, I will admit that their Northern is a particularly handsome example of a 4-8-4 (though it’s not as striking as an SP GS or Rio Grande 1800 to be sure), but I’ve never really understood the fascination of their Challenger. Compared to the 4-6-6-4’s of NP, WM or Rio Grande, it was pretty much of a lightweight, only 97,000lbs TE, and what’s with the bald face, anyway? Guess I’m just an old stick-in-the-mud, but I like my articulateds with the cross-compound pumps hung on the boiler face. Makes them look like they mean BUSINESS!
I take it you didn’t own any of their crap from the 90s when modelexpo was the distributor.
The new Allegheny & EFE-3s are all new drives backed by a creditable & professional organization.
I was burnt by steam many times before these new models.
Trip over to Tony’s train exchange and read up on “loco flaws”.
Well Pennsy is heavily manufactured probably the biggest
pennssy this and pennsy that whoopity doo.
That is just the way the cards are laid out
Yes they do and Its nice to put something together rathern than take it out of a box for achange.
But thats what model building is all about isn’t it? Or while i was napping has this gone from a model building hobby to running trains in fancy circles hobby?
I am quite fond of the Greyhound Scheme. It is the only thing still keeping me on the modeler’s of Union Pacific list. I am such a fan of the scheme that my former user name incorporated it. I was formerly known as “Grayhound Challenger.” Thank God Union Pacific was not the only user of my favorite locomotive type. Being stuck with just them would just about kill me.
James
Phil,
I have both Bachmann’s and Rivarossi’s UP 4-8-4s, and prefer the later. The Bachmann version, number 806 which UP, or railfans, called them " little 800s" is not a true UP northern as it has a Santa Fe boiler. I don’t know if Bachmann has corrected that. I bought my little 800 about 12 years ago, and it’s still a good runner.
Take care,
Russell
I’ve had my first fef #8444 in black since 1988 and it runs great. the new one i must say is a quantum leap over the earlier versions, flange size, quality of paint, driver appearance, tender accuracy etc.
Yes UP has had a lot of attention to 3 models. what we need is attention to things such as 4-6-2s, 4-8-2s, 4-10-2s, 2-8-8-0’s etc. as does most every other road.