Sunset/3rd Rail EMD F3 Locomotive Model

Very nice Mel.

"The B&M paint scheme is very well executed but the maroon color is quite shiny"

Looks like an excellent high gloss as delivered finish.  Just like the prototype.

- Crank

Very nice.  The F3s were delivered with a high gloss finish to go with the F7s that had the same high gloss finish circa 2016.  My Pennsy AB set looks quite at home with it's newer (or is that older?) F7 cousins. 

Jonathan,

Thanks for informing me about the shiny paint. I consulted some references and found some photos in which B&M E7s appeared very shiny when new but didn't find any such photos of the postwar 1948 B&M F3s.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

Jonathan,

Thanks for informing me about the shiny paint. I consulted some references and found some photos in which B&M E7s appeared very shiny when new but didn't find any such photos of the postwar 1948 B&M F3s.

MELGAR

For what it's worth, every, and I mean EVERY, locomotive that came out of the EMC/EMD paint shop at the McCook, Illinois plant, was "shiny". There was really no other way to spray those lacquer paints of those days, and the men took great pride in their paint jobs.

Very nice B&M models. I had formerly only seen your New Haven models. What other railroads do you collect?

My brand new 3RD rail F3 Canadian Nationals are also very shiny. I've seen photos of them (real) and thought they were repaints. Regardless, I was delighted that the colours were correct. Shiny or not, I'm happy.

@Wvm posted:

Very nice B&M models. I had formerly only seen your New Haven models. What other railroads do you collect?

New Haven, Boston & Albany, Boston & Maine, New York Central, Long Island.

MELGAR

The scale pilot and coupler really makes this model look exceptional

Very nice writeup, photos, and video, Mel.  Thanks for posting.

That's a very nice model locomotive!

If the bell and horn buttons operate the wrong sound effect, it sounds like the wires to the layout might be swapped.

That is a good looking F3.  One nitpick, I think you lost the glass in the headlight.

@gunrunnerjohn posted:

That is a good looking F3.  One nitpick, I think you lost the glass in the headlight.

John,

I went downstairs and checked. The headlight glass is there. All the "glass" in the recent Sunset engines is very clear. It's even difficult to see the porthole glass looking at the side of the engine.

MELGAR

Well, that is clear!  I can't see it at all in the picture!

What is also clear is how sharp that stripe is blown up about twice original size.  That is a top slide decal, not a screen print.  You wouldn't get that sharp a line in a screen print.  While we are quick to blame the factory workers who make our trains and that sometimes includes me, these decals are applied by hand one at a time.  Credit where it is due considering how many units they do.

Fooled me. I was having difficulty removing the hatch to access the smoke and program switches. I thought I could put a tool through what appeared to be an open porthole. Nope, there's a window in there.

I was able to lift the hatches by the edges or a lift ring.

MELGAR

@GG1 4877 posted:

What is also clear is how sharp that stripe is blown up about twice original size.  That is a top slide decal, not a screen print.  You wouldn't get that sharp a line in a screen print.  While we are quick to blame the factory workers who make our trains and that sometimes includes me, these decals are applied by hand one at a time.  Credit where it is due considering how many units they do.

Jonathan,

The more I look at this engine, the more impressed I am.

MELGAR

@MELGAR posted:

I was able to lift the hatches by the edges or a lift ring.

MELGAR

What's going on in the back end? What can we access there?