KATO FEF-3 models are shipping now

[calzephyr]

Several videos are now out on the N scale FEF-3 if you are interested.

[umtrrauthor]

I saw one, in the box, at a train show this weekend. It looked nice and it was gone the next time I walked by the vendor who had it.

[calzephyr]

I received my N scale FEF-3 on Monday and looked it over. It is the fan trip version, but still looks very nice except the Union Pacific never used white walls in the in service days. I am hoping they would consider offering a version later on that represents the loco as used in service up to 1958. That would eliminate the white walls and would require a new oil compartment top that was modified in the early 1990's. I model in HO but this one was just too nice to ignore.
Larry

[hhr]

If Kato follows the pattern set by the GS-4's, we should see "In Service" versions, "Greyhound" versions, and alternative road numbers like 838 or 835.

And skilled modelers can backdate an FEF-3 to an FEF-2 without huge modifications needed, and if you apply some "artistic license" to account for the difference between the 80" drivers on the 2's and 3's(vs. the FEF-1's 77" drivers), a tender swap and other detail changes will produce an FEF-1.

[calzephyr]

Jan 24, 2015 23:55:47 GMT -8 hhr said:

If Kato follows the pattern set by the GS-4's, we should see "In Service" versions, "Greyhound" versions, and alternative road numbers like 838 or 835.

And skilled modelers can backdate an FEF-3 to an FEF-2 without huge modifications needed, and if you apply some "artistic license" to account for the difference between the 80" drivers on the 2's and 3's(vs. the FEF-1's 77" drivers), a tender swap and other detail changes will produce an FEF-1.

The FEF-1 series did not have the large dome covering the sand and steam domes so backdating that and installing a single stack would be fairly hard, at least to my thinking. One or two of the FEF-1's did have the dual stack modification, but for the most part, they were not modified. All of the FEF-2's were modified with dual stacks in the early 1940's, but it was no identical to the FEF-3 series since they fabricated in the Union Pacific shops. This model is fine the way it is and represents a great locomotive in excursion service.

I might back date the Oil compartment on the top of the tender and paint the drivers whitewalls back to black. That would back date the 844 back to 1956 when the SA feed water heater was applied during its last mainline steam era back shop work.
All of the oil compartments on the Genesis HO models have the same problem with the oil compartment. The containment box was done in 1993 to prevent spills.

Larry

[hhr]

I guess the keyword would be "skilled" or maybe ambitious. Back in the early 80's I can remember a fellow NRHS member, rabid UP fan, and super skilled modeler who "bashed" one of the ubiquitous Bachmann 3776 Class Santa Fe Northerns into a decent model of 844.

But it was a shelf queen, the Bach-Person mechanism of the time rendered it a thing of beauty while parked on a siding surrounded by Preiser figures reworked into miniature "Foamers". Unfortunately the herky-jerky running characteristics were something he never could quite overcome, despite hours of tinkering.

As the 800's went through shoppings and upgrades, their appearance and looks evolved, as you can see by the photo of FEF-1 #814 at Council Bluffs, using a Kato FEF-3 wouldn't prove an impossible starting point for a backdating project to expand one's roster.



With thanks to Todd Greuter for the use of the image.

Even 844 changed dramatically over its 70 years in service, as seen below on the day it shipped from Alco on December 23, 1944.



With thanks to Union Pacific for the use of their image.

We all have our memories of 844/8444 depending on our age, the first time we saw her, the first time her throaty bark and Leslie "Long Chime" whistle reached our ears, and being modelers...we have the ability to use our skills in recreating those times.

I'm just guessing that Kato is not done with the FEF tooling by any means.

[calzephyr]

True, the 814 (FEF-1) received a centipede tender from one of the FEF-2's in the 1957 era. Several of the FEF-1's were modified with larger tenders in the 56 to 57 era so the smaller tenders could be modified for the new turbines.

Larry