USA TRAINS FA1 units

[daveyb]

Actually Mick, your photo of the back of the A unit shows the Aristo logo on the back of the loco

I think you're better of with Aristo, as USA trains had a reputation for massive current draw. The later Aristo models were drawing a lot less current.

My book says they were first made in 1945

Isn't this the Ski Train livery? Someone on this forum had a complete Ski Train - was it Spike from Sussex?

I have found one photo with and FA1 /FB1 in this livery with the first wagon being a box car - that's all that's in shot.

 

[daveyb]

Actually Mick, your photo of the back of the A unit shows the Aristo logo on the back of the loco

I think you're better of with Aristo, as USA trains had a reputation for massive current draw. The later Aristo models were drawing a lot less current.

My book says they were first made in 1945

Isn't this the Ski Train livery? Someone on this forum had a complete Ski Train - was it Spike from Sussex?

I have found one photo with and FA1 /FB1 in this livery with the first wagon being a box car - that's all that's in shot.

yes this livery is fictitious,,,, they do make the b unit to match
and although made up the locos do look nice

 

[trammayo]

Actually Mick, your photo of the back of the A unit shows the Aristo logo on the back of the loco

I think you're better of with Aristo, as USA trains had a reputation for massive current draw. The later Aristo models were drawing a lot less current.

My book says they were first made in 1945

Isn't this the Ski Train livery? Someone on this forum had a complete Ski Train - was it Spike from Sussex?

I have found one photo with and FA1 /FB1 in this livery with the first wagon being a box car - that's all that's in shot.

I cannot see it ("there's none so blind as those that cannot see").

Well at least current draw is reassuring - as also is the build date (I sort of operate trains from the 1900's to the early 1950's - the rest are museum locos out for a run. At least that's my excuse for buying anything I fancy or can afford!

Could you post that pic you mention or send it as a conversation?

Many thanks.
E]

 

[trammayo]

Hi Mick
Well a nice pair.
The Rio Grande did not use Alco FA1 in real life only the EMD F and Alco PA series in the Aspen gold, silver and black liveried 'Zephyr' trains... they also did not use the longer E8s ........ but that would more relevant to rivet counters.

The Grande used the F and PA locos as passenger power as part of the Zephyrs (Primarily 'The Prospector', then The Californian Zephyr, later The Rio Grande Zephyr as well as the PA unit used on the short lived Yampa valley Mail.). The F units were used for the 'Ski Train' that ran from Denver to the Winter Park ski resort.
As they became older and revenue from the 'Zephyrs' was declining and the passenger fleet was shortened and eventually finished, the railroad would put the gold and black striped jobbies into freight consists...... they became a wee bit dirty and a bit sorry for themselves, but to the Rio Grande's credit, they did clean the F and PA units more than the other diesels!

This the front of one of my F3 'A' units as it draws in at Beaver Creek Station

View attachment 211907

Thanks Mike I'll just have to pretend. To be honest, I thought of running them for freight services. It seems the more I learn, the less I know. C'est la vie!

Thanks to everybody for their replys and advice.

 

[trammayo]

yes this livery is fictitious,,,, they do make the b unit to match
and although made up the locos do look nice

Thanks Davey - it seems the rubber rule rules! The model world seems to have more fiction than the public library! If I ever do run them on my trailer layout (and it would have to be the outer circle), I'll have to say "It's similar to what the Rio Grande used to operate". As the line is pure whimsy anyway, I'll get away nicely with that.

And, as you say, they do look nice!

 

[Rhinochugger]

Could you post that pic you mention or send it as a conversation?

I can't find it now - I googled it late last night, but this one might be better

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXutJLxGX...00/DRGW+5581+Rocky%2C+Colorado+March+1966.jpg

 

[trammayo]

I can't find it now - I googled it late last night, but this one might be better

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXutJLxGXiA/VoSzLNHFwwI/AAAAAAABVs8/vxY5vVgrYmk/s1600/DRGW+5581+Rocky%2C+Colorado+March+1966.jpg

Thanks for that - I can run a mixed consist of almost any freight stock (at least that will be 'authentic'!).

 

[Rhinochugger]

Thanks for that - I can run a mixed consist of almost any freight stock (at least that will be 'authentic'!).

The reality is that so many variants of the 'car body' diesel locos were produced, in so many various liveries, you can get away with almost anything.

More importantly, they look handsome

 

[beavercreek]

I Use my F3 'ABBA' (in various forms ie AB or AA or ABA etc) sometimes with the 'Prospector/ski train' livery set of coaches and sometimes heading the 'California Zephyr' set

Here is a couple of shots from many moons ago ...quite a bit has changed on the layout since then





In California Zephyr guise

 

[Rhinochugger]

I Use my F3 'ABBA' in various forms ...........

You'll be singing their songs next, Mike

 

[David1226]

You'll be singing their songs next, Mike

Knowing me, knowing you, ah ha.....

David

 

[trammayo]

I Use my F3 'ABBA' (in various forms ie AB or AA or ABA etc) sometimes with the 'Prospector/ski train' livery set of coaches and sometimes heading the 'California Zephyr' set

Here is a couple of shots from many moons ago ...quite a bit has changed on the layout since then

View attachment 211918

View attachment 211919

In California Zephyr guise

View attachment 211920

View attachment 211921

View attachment 211922

Nice, very nice!

 

[trammayo]

Well, I did try them on the trailer layout - but the pair became detached!



Of course they go round the R1s (one at a time) but any stock being hauled would be thrown off!

 

[PhilP]

Quite surprised they went round R1's.. Even light engine..

 

[PhilP]

Third picture, post #1 and comment in post #23 about not 'seeing' the Aristocraft logo..
Not the Aristo 'diamond' logo, but just above the running number on the LHS is a semi-circle, which says Aristocraft Trains, and the date 2007.

 

[trammayo]

Third picture, post #1 and comment in post #23 about not 'seeing' the Aristocraft logo..
Not the Aristo 'diamond' logo, but just above the running number on the LHS is a semi-circle, which says Aristocraft Trains, and the date 2007.

You (and Rhino,,) are right - I was lookimg for the diamond! Mind you, I had to put my specs on!

R1s are a pain but I have plenty of clearance (for the BHs and J&S coaches etc.). The overhang of the FA1s is considerable though.

 

[Beddhist]

I can't find it now - I googled it late last night, but this one might be better

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-UXutJLxGXiA/VoSzLNHFwwI/AAAAAAABVs8/vxY5vVgrYmk/s1600/DRGW+5581+Rocky%2C+Colorado+March+1966.jpg

Alas, the A unit in the pic is an F7, according to the person who posted it. There are 3 more engines behind the two in front.

 

[beavercreek]

Alas, the A unit in the pic is an F7, according to the person who posted it. There are 3 more engines behind the two in front.

All the units in that photo are F units (front is F7 but the 'B' units could be F3 upwards..hard to tell at this angle) as Rio Grande did not use Alco FA jobbies

 

[fridge]

It seems to be very difficult to achieve complete accuracy in livery or loco types when modelling American railroads so I readily excuse any mistakes that I make-this dispensation doesn't apply to others, of course! However, after looking at a large number of videos on You Tube it seems to me that if you want to model the 70s onwards you can have any livery you want running in any circumstances as there were so many bankruptcies and amalgamations that companies would run mixtures of new corporate liveries, old constituent liveries, patched liveries and no liveries at all! Rule 8 applies in real life. Just go out in the garden and enjoy your trains.

 

[Robert Howard]

I know this is probably an EMD F series but: