# MTH F3AA engines.



## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I picked up a pair of MTH F3 engines. They only had 20 hours on the, so like new. I put Kadee couplers on them and hooked them up to some D&H wood passenger cars I have that were made by a modeler here in NEbraska for a cafes decorations. I bought them when it closed. Put old Great Trains trucks on them and Gary Raymond ball bearing wheels. D&H lettering is mine also.
Anyway, like all MTH engines they came with great sound and smoke. I've really gotten hooked on the MTH roster, sure they are 1/32 but fit nice in my small layout. Very smooth runners. I see more coming, a Daylight and some Santa Fe cars to attach to the F units.
Not sure how the MTH Big Boy pix got in here but I can't seem to delete it. It has great sound/smoke also and pulls a lot of cars. Being 1/32 I can easily carry it to the track on a carrier I made.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

How do they pull? How does their speed at the same voltage compare to your USAT locos?
JimC


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

JIM!!!

Good to see you in print!!

Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Welcome back Jim! I don't have any USAT locos, so no comparison. Seem to pull well, just got 3 Santa Fe MTH passenger cars to try out with them, have a 4th on the way.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Finally hooked up the Santa Fe coaches I picked up in a big MTH buy. Have to order some figures for them. Have a observation coach on the way to finish off the consist. Love the MTH Daylight, has great sound/smoke.


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Jerry, Looking good as those are some great locomotives!

You know MTH shows the new Big Boys shipping next month...but a week or so back Mike Wolf said they'd ship in February.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

I heard the BB may be a year out yet, but sooner would be nice!

Chuck, I see the HO version was to be out this year, but nothing about the 1 Gauge one.
http://mthtrains.com/news/559


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

See delivery status...
http://mthtrains.com/70-3027-1


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Guess you got me there Chuck! That would be lots better than another year or two!


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## Naptowneng (Jun 14, 2010)

Great looking consists Jerry!

Jerry


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Thanks Jerry. I just got a Santa Fe observation car for the end of the train. Now I have to buy a Daylight passenger set, like I need more passenger cars!


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

As typical MTH pushed the Big Boy's back to May 2016.


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

Probably not the last push either Chuck. Ray Manley figures 2017.


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## aceinspp (Jan 2, 2008)

Looks like you got hooked Jerry. Later RJD


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

By the way Jerry, MTH lists these locos as F7's, I believe the USAT are F3...

Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

F7's have the metal grills Greg, these don't.


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

MTH has made both F3's & F7's in the warbonnet livery.


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

Ahh, so current production is F7, and the F3's were made some time ago?

Thanks, Greg


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

Yes that would be correct. MTH was rather ingenious as the basic body is the same (or close enough) between the F3 & F7 so all MTH does is change the roof top fan style, dynamic brake roof panel and the side grills.


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## derPeter (Dec 26, 2010)

*Mth f3 - f7 ?*

Hallo again,

i can only see the different grills, so i will seek my eyeglasses ;-)
left is NS F7 and right is PRR F3

greetings from derPeter


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

F-7's are available right now from MTH, probably a limited run. Passenger cars also. I've got some Daylights on order.


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

I would love to have a set of those F3s. I have five MTH streamliner/smootheside cars.


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## Chucks_Trains (Jan 2, 2008)

derPeter said:


> Hallo again,
> 
> i can only see the different grills, so i will seek my eyeglasses ;-)
> left is NS F7 and right is PRR F3
> ...


Peter, The roof fans on the F3 version are tall...On the F7's they are short. The NS F7 doesn't have dynamic brakes so that roof hatch is smooth. 

And yes the grills are different.

You ever find another Milw. Rd. GP38 for conversion??


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## pimanjc (Jan 2, 2008)

*F7*

I just bought a new Warbonnet MTH F7. Eagerly await its arrival. It will go great with my MTH SF passenger cars. 
Now I just have to figure out how to make them battery/rc with equipment I already have: Airwire 900 & Revolution. 
The American Standard F3 A I got from Jerry is repainted for Warbonnet. I am casting the parts for a B unit. Like Jerry said, 1/32 grows on you.
Jim Carter


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## Greg Elmassian (Jan 3, 2008)

If I was starting in battery/RC I would go DeadRail... then I could pick any DCC decoder and use any existing decoders, including MTH PS3... hate to give up that sound system.

Greg


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

The new run F7's have DCC also Jim, so you should be able to do it okay, I think. Probably just unhook the track pickups and hook the battery into there. Airwire is DCC, right? So could run it. F7 has sound and smoke. MTH's are easy to get to inside also. Welcome to 1/32!


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