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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2017 2:11:45 GMT -5
Hello again ...
I wanna buy a Fx style loco, but without B unit. Is the AZL F3-A (NYC) available separately, or will I have to buy a MTL-F7 ? More noise is not a problem for me, and it is still available in Germany ... It will pull only 4-5 40' boxcars and a caboose. So I hope it can "climb" 1,6% too ? (Has the MTL traction tyres ? )
Thanks for any answer ...
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Post by scanrail on Jul 17, 2017 5:36:13 GMT -5
Hi Alberich, I don't have AZL F3, but I have a lot of MTL F7's, both A and B units. They aren't bad (I mean updated version). It's probably not a problem for MTL F7 A unit to tow even more cars. But MTL F7 has no traction tyres, you just should take this into account. So, if I had to choose between MTL F7 and AZL F3, I'd choose AZL. AZL is near silent, has more prototypically correct front coupler mounting and what is important to me, AZL is DCC-ready. MTL F7's have no drop-in DCC solution and in general it's hard to install decoders into these locos. Furthermore, you should glue all windows to MTL loco manually. Windows in AZL F3's are pre-installed. PS. Have you thought about AZL E8/E9? These are excellent locos, A units available separately, again silent, DCC-ready, very heavy and have traction tyres. One AZL E8/E9 A unit can pull almost any number of cars  Best, Alex |
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Post by domi on Jul 17, 2017 6:57:00 GMT -5
1)In my opinion traction tires are more a problem than an improvement. Act more like an insulator than anything else. Furthermore that makes wheels more difficult to clean. I indeed would prefer all these overall excellent AZL locomotives weighting 20 or 30 more grams and beeing without traction tires. On the opposite MTL F7s are free of tires but far heavier. So their tractive effort is at the least equivalent to AZL's. MTL 1, AZL 0.
2)But MTL F7s are a 30 year-old technology : noisy, jerky, and prone to stall due to dirt. MTL 0, AZL 1.
3)And true, as said above, not at all DCC ready as one has to drill their chassis in order to put a decoder. MTL 0, AZL 1.
4)But finally AZL units have a non-magnematic coupler, needing to be swapped with MTL's in order to perform hand-off switching duties. MTL 1, AZL 0.
So, still in my opinion, it's a 2 vs 2 party....
Dom
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Post by dave on Jul 17, 2017 7:18:16 GMT -5
I have had a few of the MTL F7s over the years and I can't stand the noise and I have never had one that runs very well. I won't be buying any more MTL F7s even though I would like a BN F7.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2017 8:24:57 GMT -5
1) Thank You, Scanrail, but E8/9 are passenger trains locos, not for freight ! Or has anybody a picture with a E8/9 pulling such a train (scale 1/1) ?
2) And nothing about the availability of a AZL F3 A-unit separately ?
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Post by scanrail on Jul 17, 2017 8:35:35 GMT -5
Just a quick search  |
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Post by dave on Jul 17, 2017 9:06:55 GMT -5
The F3s are not available separately.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2017 10:12:00 GMT -5
To Scanrail : Your picture is from 1972 and Erie-Lackawanna, but I am modelling the NH/NYC in the 50's on a local rural line ; for myself I saw an (undated) picture on "alamy" : It could be in the 50's or early 60's ; so, if the use of a E8 for freight trains is not absolutely usual, it seems at least to be possible. I think the railroads took the locos that were available if they needed one ...
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Post by scanrail on Jul 17, 2017 12:16:59 GMT -5
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2017 14:40:43 GMT -5
Hi Scanrail ... I meant THISVery difficult to count the wheels ... but (unfortunately) the lateral "vents" look rather like a F7. All pictures I could find are from the 70's. So I think E8 is a bad choice for a freight train in the 50's ! |
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Post by tjdreams on Jul 17, 2017 15:10:43 GMT -5
MTl's F-7's are work horses They will have no problem pulling your short trains up a 2% grade. However they are noisy and don't have the best power pickup. Some run fine out of the box but many need to be dis assembled debured cleaned reassembled and fine tuned. And Some will need wheel Wipers added to improve power pickup.
AZL's run great out of the box, but only come in AB sets.
If you only want the A unit you can always resell the B unit.
If you ever want to go DCC,
MTL's will require custom milling of the chassis to make room for a decoder
AZL is a drop in Decoder
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Post by Deleted on Jul 17, 2017 16:01:29 GMT -5
Concerning the AZL-F3, is the B-unit motorized or dummy ? It's not clearly said in the description ...
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Post by scanrail on Jul 17, 2017 16:08:51 GMT -5
alberich, It's definitely not a E8 on that picture, many details tell that it's a F3 - side vents and round windows, 4 roof vents etc. Additionally, AZL 62900-2 (NYC F3 A-B set) has the same road number - 1608 Alex |
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F3 or F7 ?
Jul 17, 2017 16:08:51 GMT -5
via mobile
Post by zscalehobo on Jul 17, 2017 16:08:51 GMT -5
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Post by mrja on Jul 17, 2017 21:16:14 GMT -5
I thought AZL was going to produce their own version of the F-7?
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