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Post by el3625 on May 18, 2023 6:10:28 GMT -8
Just wondering if anyone other than the old Stewart company made or makes a Genesis quality HO FT locomotive? I also do not know if Bowser ever made any. We seem to have plenty F3's, F7's and F9's, but what has happened that there are no FT's? I know everyone is tired of F units but we have no Genesis level FT's that I am aware of. I sure could use some.
Bruce
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Post by cemr5396 on May 18, 2023 6:28:41 GMT -8
I think Intermountain made a pretty decent FT, didn't they?
I don't know about 'Genesis level', that is a pretty high bar. Especially given their F unit is the Highliner body.
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Post by NYSW3614 on May 18, 2023 6:28:59 GMT -8
I've been on an FT kick lately and think that higher grade sets would sell well.
When Rapido was hinting at an A/B set a year or so ago I was hoping this could be it! Alas, it was the GP/slug set. I'm sort of thinking it will be them at some point; we'll see.
Joshua
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Post by Christian on May 18, 2023 7:42:44 GMT -8
Just wondering if anyone other than the old Stewart company made or makes a Genesis quality HO FT locomotive? I also do not know if Bowser ever made any. We seem to have plenty F3's, F7's and F9's, but what has happened that there are no FT's? I know everyone is tired of F units but we have no Genesis level FT's that I am aware of. I sure could use some. The Stewart wasn't anything special. The drive was, not the shell. Bowser has offered the model. Intermountain's FT is fairly old. Lots and lots of paint schemes for an FT model. Lots and lots of body variations and rebuilds. |
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Post by riogrande on May 18, 2023 8:01:30 GMT -8
Just wondering if anyone other than the old Stewart company made or makes a Genesis quality HO FT locomotive? I also do not know if Bowser ever made any. We seem to have plenty F3's, F7's and F9's, but what has happened that there are no FT's? I know everyone is tired of F units but we have no Genesis level FT's that I am aware of. I sure could use some. The Stewart wasn't anything special. The drive was, not the shell. Bowser has offered the model. Bowser acquired the Stewart assets so wouldn't the Bowser FT be pretty much a Stewart FT? Or did they retool the shell? |
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Post by Baikal on May 18, 2023 8:24:42 GMT -8
I've been on an FT kick lately and think that higher grade sets would sell well. When Rapido was hinting at an A/B set a year or so ago I was hoping this could be it! Alas, it was the GP/slug set. I'm sort of thinking it will be them at some point; we'll see. Joshua
I hope Rapido does not attempt the FTs.
Experience says they will botch the shell, they won't run well, but will be expensive.
I could, however, see them doing FTs just to try to head off other companies that might be thinking of doing a quality model.
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Post by el3625 on May 18, 2023 9:06:07 GMT -8
I would most likely not buy a FT model from Rapido, just because of their history. I do not own any Rapido and do not plan on owning any. I sure do like the Genesis F units though, would be nice if they did them. I own enough other F units from Athearn, but have no FT's. I hope it is on their list, I could wait a year+ for them. I guess I will have to make a product suggestion to them every day, I did that for over a year on the SDP45 and we finally got one from them!
Bruce
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Post by grahamline on May 18, 2023 10:12:23 GMT -8
How much FT presence was there in Canada? That still seems to be a factor in many of Rapido's decisions that don't involve Bill Schneider.
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Post by gevohogger on May 18, 2023 10:25:02 GMT -8
How much FT presence was there in Canada? That still seems to be a factor in many of Rapido's decisions that don't involve Bill Schneider. Hmmm.... Very little, if any I think? But Bill models NYO&W which DID have FTs so I am surprised they didn't already do them several times over. A mystery for sure! |
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Post by sd80mac on May 18, 2023 12:15:36 GMT -8
I was wondering a while back if we would ever see a "high-end" FT. With over 1,000 units built between the A and B units, its certainly not an "uncommon" diesel. 23 different railroads owned them, too, not a small amount. I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that they didn't stick around terribly long compared to later F units. Most FTs were ripe for replacement by the early 60s and all but 5? were traded in on newer locomotives.
I would have no real use for one, but I have always fancied an A-B-B-A set in the EMD demonstrator colors.
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Post by cemr5396 on May 18, 2023 13:03:12 GMT -8
How much FT presence was there in Canada? That still seems to be a factor in many of Rapido's decisions that don't involve Bill Schneider. a look at their releases over the last few years makes it pretty obvious that is no longer the case. other than a handful of Canadian specific prototypes and another handful of "well we are really making these for the US roadnames but I guess some of the Canadian railways had these too" the majority of what they have been making lately has been 'non Canadian'. |
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Post by cpr4200 on May 18, 2023 13:14:23 GMT -8
IIRC, the Intermountain HO FT was quite a bit better than the Stewart. Very hard to find, though. Wish I had picked up a B&M set I found online a couple years ago.
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Post by edwardsutorik on May 18, 2023 14:08:15 GMT -8
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Post by lvrr325 on May 18, 2023 15:09:32 GMT -8
Bowser has the former Stewart tooling but has not run them in a good 10 years. Unknown why. Older Stewart ones are not too hard to find yet.
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Post by tony on Jun 29, 2023 17:11:44 GMT -8
The last FT's I purchased was the Division Point set which very nice models, never run and the Intermountain, which I have run and like them. However, the ROCK ISLAND lettering size on the side of the A's is over sized and reported several times to Intermountain without a response. Hope someone is listening there and can correct this and run another batch of RI with extra printed shells to correct the past sin.
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Post by locochris on Jul 3, 2023 12:11:53 GMT -8
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 3, 2023 12:42:41 GMT -8
When Intermountain does NP 5403A and 5404C with angled numberboards, I'm SO in.
Ed
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Post by drolsen on Jul 3, 2023 13:52:10 GMT -8
This topic makes me feel old. I remember during my brief 6-month stint working at M.B. Klein, the Stewart FT model was a huge new product that many people had been waiting decades to see someone produce. Everyone was waiting anxiously for their release. Hard to believe it's been about 27 years.
Dave
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Post by rockfan on Jul 4, 2023 9:49:43 GMT -8
The FT was shorter than the F's that followed. The reason athearn can use the highliner shell for F2,3,7,9 is because they all had the same wheelbase.
They lengthened the shell just like EMD did for the FP7/9.
Other than the length of the FT, I'm not an expert, is it possible to shorten the shell to make a proper FT?
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Post by Mr. Trainiac on Jul 4, 2023 11:19:40 GMT -8
The FT was shorter than the F's that followed. The reason athearn can use the highliner shell for F2,3,7,9 is because they all had the same wheelbase. They lengthened the shell just like EMD did for the FP7/9. Other than the length of the FT, I'm not an expert, is it possible to shorten the shell to make a proper FT? You might be able to, but it's a lot of work. The mold inserts they have are probably not useful for an FT. A few noticeable differences are the roof, with the recessed fans and square dynamic brake grids, as well as the sides with the closely-spaced portholes. The number boards are also the small type with integrated class light, although some FTs got the standard square angled ones that other F units have. Genesis has done this type on some F3s, so if you wanted to kitbash one, start from an early F3 shell. The FT B units are also unusual with asymmetric truck centers. The end facing the A unit is just like any other F unit, but the coupler end has a long overhang for the draft gear. I would have to check the wheelbase, but I suspect you would need to do some heavy work on the chassis. Later B units got standard truck spacing, so those might be a bit easier to build. |
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Post by el3672 on Jul 4, 2023 21:23:49 GMT -8
Now we raining FT's!!!! Thanks Inter M. and Loco Chris for bringing up the announcement.
The ex Erie/ DL&W FT's/EL black & yellow stripe Fleet were all traded in by mid 1964
for Alco C-424's & EMD GP-35's. Since I model mid 70's long gone for my needs. Their
older cousin F-3 & 7's lasted until then and some F7's were even conveyed to Conrail.
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Post by markfj on Jul 5, 2023 4:50:21 GMT -8
Were all FTs in A/B configuration delivered with drawbars rather than couplers? I know most roads eventually replaced the drawbars with regular couplers on their A/B sets to make maintenance more efficient.
Mark
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Post by rockfan on Jul 5, 2023 5:24:08 GMT -8
Were all FTs in A/B configuration delivered with drawbars rather than couplers? I know most roads eventually replaced the drawbars with regular couplers on their A/B sets to make maintenance more efficient. Mark They were designed for drawbars between the A and B unit but couplers were an option. |
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Post by sd80mac on Jul 5, 2023 5:24:35 GMT -8
Were all FTs in A/B configuration delivered with drawbars rather than couplers? I know most roads eventually replaced the drawbars with regular couplers on their A/B sets to make maintenance more efficient. Mark From what I have read, yes, with the exception of some FTs delivered to the ATSF specifically with couplers instead of drawbars. All FTs were later modified in such a fashion. |
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Post by rockfan on Jul 5, 2023 5:25:34 GMT -8
The FT was shorter than the F's that followed. The reason athearn can use the highliner shell for F2,3,7,9 is because they all had the same wheelbase. They lengthened the shell just like EMD did for the FP7/9. Other than the length of the FT, I'm not an expert, is it possible to shorten the shell to make a proper FT? You might be able to, but it's a lot of work. The mold inserts they have are probably not useful for an FT. A few noticeable differences are the roof, with the recessed fans and square dynamic brake grids, as well as the sides with the closely-spaced portholes. The number boards are also the small type with integrated class light, although some FTs got the standard square angled ones that other F units have. Genesis has done this type on some F3s, so if you wanted to kitbash one, start from an early F3 shell. The FT B units are also unusual with asymmetric truck centers. The end facing the A unit is just like any other F unit, but the coupler end has a long overhang for the draft gear. I would have to check the wheelbase, but I suspect you would need to do some heavy work on the chassis. Later B units got standard truck spacing, so those might be a bit easier to build. I kinda figured it would be a lot of work or it would have already been done. |
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Post by edwardsutorik on Jul 5, 2023 5:37:58 GMT -8
Were all FTs in A/B configuration delivered with drawbars rather than couplers? I know most roads eventually replaced the drawbars with regular couplers on their A/B sets to make maintenance more efficient. Mark From Wikipedia: "Some roads, like the initial customer Santa Fe, ordered all their FTs with regular couplers on both ends of each unit..." and repeated here: old.atsfrr.org/resources/Brasher/FTs%20without%20drawbars.pdfI'll note also that GN, maybe around 1952 or a bit earlier, decided to make AA FT sets. They re-arranged the units and ended up with 3 of these sets: 247, 248 and 249. This is also interesting, from Utah Rails: utahrails.net/drgw/rg-diesel-fs-vs-ft.phpand here's a very nice article on FTs: utahrails.net/pdf/EMD_FT_Railfan-article.pdfEd |
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Post by craigz on Jul 6, 2023 5:08:04 GMT -8
I'm an FT nerd. The Intermountains were decent enough with the shells, but the drives, and specifically the motors, were gutless trash. Terrible. Two of them failed on me when the motor cooked themselves.
I have the full fleet of the O&W FTs which is 9 A/B sets. I called IM to ask about new motors - they'll sell them. OK, fine. Can I get a quantity discount? Nope, not doing that. And as such the models still sit in their boxes. Disappointing.
Because of the drives I'd use the Stewarts. Yes, they're ancient shells. But the drives are good and solid. As always, YMMV. Do not fold, spindle or mutilate. Offer not valid in Bangladesh, Pulau or Lizard Lick, NC.
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Post by lvrr325 on Jul 6, 2023 14:36:28 GMT -8
The Stewart drive should be a clone of the Kato drive they used for a while, which is why they're good runners.
Bowser hasn't run the FTs in a very long time, I think 2009 or so, someone would have to ask them why. But used ones aren't hard to come by.
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Post by NYSW3614 on Dec 25, 2023 5:08:22 GMT -8
Well, Rapido has announced FTs! Figured it was only a matter of time.
Joshua
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Post by rockfan on Dec 25, 2023 6:50:23 GMT -8
Wish they would've included Rock Island in this run. I've been wanting a FT A-B set to run with my Genesis F2's.
Alot of railroads broke up the FT ABBA set with the F2 and made three unit FT AB F2A sets.
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