Hi,
I’m curious, where can I get a decently priced UP E9B? It seems like no one makes dummies, only fully powered DCC + sound for $200. What are my options?
Welcome to the Forum
Check eBay, at any one time there will be a dozen or so of new or like new listed starting around $70 by doing a “UP E9” search. Or you can do what I do and buy any and road name then paint it your self. UP decal sets for E series diesels are readily available.
I have nine E7B-9B diesels that I bought off eBay, some were unpowered when I bought them. I converted one to a special battery/lighting power supply for passenger cars and powered up the dummies.
This is a cast metal Cary Body that I painted SP Daylight colors, the SP didn’t have the road name on their E series Bs.
If you’re willing to use an E6 or other you may have more options. Here’s an EBay LifeLike P2K DC B unit that could be paired as DC and/or DCC motor only or with sound (or run it unpowered in DCC mode to keep $ low).
There are also “new in box” DC E6 A/B pairs at a reasonable price, wih unpowered B.
You may have trouble finding exactly what you want. I wanted to power a B&O E6B and a PRR E7B, but dummy units were the only thing available at the time. So I shopped around and got a good deal on a couple powered E7A’s that were in a paint scheme that was not popular in this area, and swapped shells. The fit was just about perfect. This was quite a few years ago, so I don’t remember whether I had to make any mods. If I did, the mods were very minor. I don’t remember what I did with the extra complete dummy units.
Something to remember: You want an E9B. But if there’s any difference between a stock E8B and a stock E9B, I haven’t heard about it. An E8B should be equally usable for your purposes.
Tom
I haven’t been able to find any dummies or shells that have the round portholes, period, so E7/E8/E9 are pretty much not to be found.
Take your time and do a eBay search in Model Railroad Trains HO Scale category using “E8/9B Dummy Non”. It might take some time but you should be able to find one that you can use for under $50 including S&H.
It is rather surprising that there aren’t very many listed now. When I was looking for a square window E6B or E7B there were dozens of E8/9Bs and very few of what I wanted.
I needed the E7Bs because the SP only bought E7Bs and used them behind the newer E9As. I’m sticking with my E7As, the SP owned 5 “A” and 10 “B” and I own 3 “A” and 4 “B”.
Mel
Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951