OMI Tank Drive making "ker-ching ker-ching ker-ching ker-ching" noise

[Chris Webster]

The best I've ever seen in any scale are the Athearn Genesis in HO

The Athearn Genesis F-units use Paul Lubliner's Highliner shell tooling. Athearn sells the r-t-r models, while Highliners sells the undecorated shell kits and parts.

Lubliner released the B-unit shell kit back around 1988, IIRC. He then ran advertisements in Mainline Modeler and RMC for something like 15-20 years saying that the A-unit was coming "soon"; the rumor mill said he was just too much of a perfectionist about getting the nose right, was not satisfied with the tooling that had been cut, the tooling had been damaged, etc.. He supposedly measured the noses of dozens of real F-units. (The prototype noses were hammered out by hand, they vary from one another.)

His "coming soon" magazine ads used to drive the HO RPM guys nuts -- I'd go to an RPM meet and see all these beautifully weathered B-unit models coupled to Cannonized geeps. Their builders would be exasperatedly asking one another why Lubliner was wasting money on monthly ads for a product that he wasn't going to release.

Athearn then came along and made a deal with him to produce ready-to-run models using his tooling. That's what caused the A-unit tooling to finally get done. My understanding is that Athearn's factory also produces the undecorated shells for Highliner's undecorated kits.

[E7]

Yes the headlights were hand made, and there are pictures of EMD employees crawling over the noses with grinders smoothing off bondo in a effort to get good contours. Probably the best answer is to use the EMD drawings....that's how they got done originally.

Whatever Athearn did, they came out with a pretty nice likeness.

[up148]

Agreed. And all the Genesis line of Athearn diesels are pretty outstanding. I bought a GP9 a few years ago just because it looked so good and its an outstanding model. Don't know why I do that, but I've held on to some Kato F units and even a Z scale GP9 that is pretty unbelievable except for the working coupler (they give you a scale non-functioning coupler too). I just like well done miniature models regardless of gauge.

[E7]

I bought a GP9 a few years ago just because it looked so good and its an outstanding model. Don't know why I do that, but I've held on to some Kato F units and even a Z scale GP9 that is pretty unbelievable except for the working coupler (they give you a scale non-functioning coupler too). I just like well done miniature models regardless of gauge.

I've done the same thing. I think it is the idea that the overwhelming batch of stuff (I'm speaking ALL scales) is so mediocre, that when you find something exceptional, it's sometimes hard to resist.

[Chris Webster]

And all the Genesis line of Athearn diesels are pretty outstanding. I bought a GP9 a few years ago just because it looked so good and its an outstanding model.

To ensure your continued enjoyment of your geep, do *not* compare it to prototype photos...

[ScaleCraft]

All my Half 0 EMD F units are....diecast Varney.

All the plastic Athearns went to my brother and nephew after rebuilding (several styles of plastic trucked gearsets, a LOT of them HiF). I kept a GP whatever, 7 or 9, as it is a dual-geared Geep. Cast gearboxes, oillite bearings, 2-56 screws...not commercially viable long term.

[up148]

And all the Genesis line of Athearn diesels are pretty outstanding. I bought a GP9 a few years ago just because it looked so good and its an outstanding model.

To ensure your continued enjoyment of your geep, do *not* compare it to prototype photos...

I remember reading info on some forums after I bought the genesis GP9 and I know there are some issues (I believe in the cab area), but overall it is still one of the best looking GP-9's I own. I have 1 RC GP-9 factory painted (repowered by Jay) and 2 other painted body kits purchased decades ago.

[E7]

My thought has always been, if it's a well executed facsimile of whatever it is you like, it can always be re-powered. On the other hand, you can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. I sometimes wonder if some folks ever saw an actual photo of the Prototype. It all boils down to beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so they say.

fac sim i le = an exact copy, especially of written or printed material.

[ScaleCraft]

Folks complained for what 50 years about the wide-bodied Geeps from Irv. That was to clear the available open frame motors of the day. I never minded it, as long as you didn't put something else of narrower hood in the consist.

On following EMD drawings....Lionel did that on the original 2333 F units....but the drawings were wrong or interim.
That's why they are half F-3 chicken wire and half F-7 louvers...so drawings might not work as good as one would expect.

Now, how would you classify this?


I know what it IS, but you'd be hard pressed to find drawings for an ARR RSD-1, now called an RF-1.

Or later RSD-1's so converted, but with B-B trucks?

[E7]

Get all the photos (preferably builders photos)and drawings you can and take your best shot at a correct "as built" version. I am guessing the first generation diesels were/are the toughest with the curvier EMD units among the most difficult. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.....buy what you like. Glad I'm not interested in the Alaskan Railway.

[bob turner]

There are uglier locomotives. Check out those commuter trains running in the Portland oregon area!

[E7]

There are uglier locomotives. Check out those commuter trains running in the Portland oregon area!

Those AR are bad, but there are tons of stuff with little or no style. RDC's are basic rectangular solids. Most all the modern stuff is form follows function, and with all the fallen flags, the color schemes are lacking and when they try and combine them like BNSF, they are NOT the most appealing. I don't understand the fascination with 100 car strings of Bethgons, and the pricing of some makes your wallet spin along with the car.