Whats you favorite looking f3

Rio Grande F3 is tops on my list.

Southern Pacific "black widow", in an A-B-B-A consist.

Canadian Pacific or Texas Special

Santa Fe which I have a few of and the Rio Grand which I don't have :-)

ATSF of course!    VBG

Mine's pretty obvious

I'd have to say Lionel's F3s are my favorite.  The post war design in particular.  As for which livery it's hard to give the award to any one of them.  However i will say the iconic Santa Fe is well up there.  Of all the interesting paint schemes given to F3s by the railroads, I would have to give the Pennsy five stripe paint scheme as my best choice for favorite F3s.  

Lionel Santa Fe 2353, my first and favorite.

It goes without saying, the diesel ICON, the one, the only, the Santa Fe Warbonnet!!!!! 

The list of ones I don't like would be shorter!

2245 Texas Special, then the Wabash versions.

I also like the SP black widow and have numerous types of engines in this scheme.  But my favorite is Santa Fe freight colors.  Right now I am being sorely tempted by the MTH FTs in Santa Fe blue with red trim.  My LHS is offering me a great deal and I am having a real hard time saying no.

Rolland

I like them all, but the iconic Santa Fe has to be my favorite.

franktrain

Santa Fe War Bonnet - the classic F3

Alex

franktrain posted:

I like them all, but the iconic Santa Fe has to be my favorite.

franktrain.

That nice big red TX SP, and you prefer the ATSF?  I run mine with 4 Williams 60' TX SP AL cars.  SLICK, vs the mostly ATSF silver.

However, SP Black Widow is a great livery.

I've never owned any F3's, but if I were to buy one .... Lionel makes a CNJ version that I really like.

Always partial to the mpc era prr green five stripes due to the railroad. Although there certainly are more colorful ones out there.  

The next one I'm gonna buy. 

New York Central baby.

EBT Jim posted:

I've never owned any F3's, but if I were to buy one .... Lionel makes a CNJ version that I really like.

Jim, where did this image come from?  I ask because it looks similar to other EMD F and E unit prints (roughly 11" x 21" image size), as well as postcards from EMD.
that I have, albeit in other liveries, that were made by EMD.

All Lionel F-3's with two horizontal motors, particularly the models with the mesh roof top screens and grab irons on the nose. I have paid as little as $40 for Lionel F3 with battery damage and body shells that are only good for a repaint. This past December during the Nashville TCA show for $60 I pick up a set of NYC 2344's that were mechanically perfect, but someone back in time painted the screens on the sides silver, and painted the roof top fans black - with a brush I might add.

Replacement frames and battery brackets are available for battery damage repair. Professional body restorations are available, and worth every penny of the restoration expense. I also add a 9 volt battery to make the horn louder.

Adding a Lionel Railsounds B unit really bring the F-3's with the horizontal motors to life. That F-3 motor / gear grind combined with Railsounds combine to make a very unique sound.

Thanks,

Richard

Hello guys and gals......

My first F-3 was a postwar #2383 in 1968 long gone and my last F-3 is the Williams #2347 blue/silver bluebonnet which I still have of 2017.   I like the Williams F-3 the best.   Always like those postwar style F-3's.   When putting them on the track, they "GO" without a doubt !

"All I want to know Christ and the power that raised him from death. I want to share in his sufferings and be like him even in his death." Philippians 3:10 ERV (Easy to Read Version)

Tiffany

I like them all. The F-3 is the best looking diesel IMHO made, and nothing can top the ATSF's warbonnet.  I haven't been able to justify the cost of the TMCC version of the SF F-3s and settled for the FTs, but at some point, those FTs will be replaced.

Next, I like the B&O (in the Postwar light blue or most prototypical dark blue).  I saw some mentioned the Wabash, but I think the Wabash blue looks better on GP7s/9s or a Train Master, especially the Train Master. If my small layout could accommodate that beast, I'd buy one in a second.

Hard to argue with the Rio Grande or Western Pacific.

I saw a set of K-Line Erie's up for sale recently in a sleek black and yellow that looked great. If I was a Steeler fan, I'd definitely own that set.

Seems like two common road names, the NYC and PRR, aren't particularly attractive in F-3s.

New York Central and Santa Fe

My favorite is the F-7 demonstrator scheme. The orange and cream reminds me of a creamsickle.

Too bad nobody makes one and too bad I cannot paint.

That is a tough one. I guess I would go Santa Fe Warbonnet setup as an A-B-B-A.

There are so many favorites, but one of my top favorites are these Williams B&M units.  

This one.

Lionel 2343 Santa Fe Super Chief.

Rolland,

My LHS is offering me a great deal and I am having a real hard time saying no.

Maybe a phone number and price on the Santa fa ABA set.

I like them too. 

Thanks, John   kb2agpjohn@aol.com 

All of them. Nirvana.

jim sutter posted:

This one.

I have that set on the shelf Jim.

Took a while to track the Lionel legacy ABA set down but 6-34576 was a set I had to have.

~Bill

Any of the later Lionel or MTH with operating marker lights.

CNJ

BANGOR & AROOSTOOK F3`s.

I would Say most of the east coast railroads !