Tribute to an old friend...

...Micro-Trains F7. As all of you know this loco is discontinued and only small quantaties are available.
I took this "event" as an opportunity to review this great loco and give it the right farewell from my one point of view.
Who has not started his "US" Z career with this model? The first, and for along time the only alternative to Marklin. More prototypical and no doubt a better puller as his Marklin brother, which in my opinion looks more like a cartoon of the real thing.
Nelson Grey did a fantastic job designing this loco and MTL brought it to the masses. Thanks for that!
Yes, in the meantime, after how many thousand times produced (Joe D. might know the right number) you can see the reason for stopping production. The injection molding tool is simply worn out, you really see the difference of the earlier models to the last "SP" edition, the details are getting soft, the fans and grills are not as crisp anymore.
The pulling was always the great strength, surrounded by the grinding noise of the the motor and gears. I personally think it's a great sound, engines make noises, the F7 did it too. But in the meantime coreless motors are standard, DCC ready and LED lights, all that can the F7 not deliver.
I hope one day one manufacturer will pick up the F7 again, they are so many cars on the market that need the F7. I think it's a must. What else can we use for the transition era? Yes, E7, E8 and E9 are coming up or are existing, but those are not freight locos. F7 a freight loco? I will say the first universal diesel engine. Many railways used it for passenger services too. Especially looking on the new passenger car releases it really hurts not getting the matching engines anymore. Manufactureres: think about this!

So I gave the F7 a tribute and made over the last couple of weeks a "supered" version of the final "SP":
Stirups, new horn, glassed windows, cut leaver, MU-Hoses, glassed head lights, lower double headlight. windscreen wipers, snow plow attachments, prototypical tank area, see thru engineer's cab, LED lights, wheelwipers, aging/weathering, forgotten something? I hope we will see something like this from one of our manufacturers in future...but not so dirty!


Regards,
Gerd

Gerd,

First, outstanding job on the F7. I love the hand grabs. I credit the F7 for keeping Z alive here in the US. From roughly 1985 - 2000, the only options for US operators were MTL's F7s, and Marklin's F7s, and Mikado and Pacific steam locomotives. The MTL F7 was the choice of operators and pulled everything we could stick behind it. Rogue did try the GP38 in 1997, but this was a short lived release. It wasn't until 2000 when AZL's C44s hit the market did the Z community start getting loco options. Now, look where we are today! But the F7 was the foundation.

If anyone is interested in reading more about Nelson Gray and his impact on North American Z, read the January/February (vol 13, #1; Ztrack: 2007 Back Issues ) issue of Ztrack. We have an article on Nelson who is the "Father" of American Z scale. The F7 on the cover was Nelson's personal F7 with a very unique custom paint job.



Rob

Gerd, Job well done! This is perfect. Actually, I'm one of the very few Z scalers who didn't start with this loco. Went straight to steam with the Marklin offerings. Cheers, Jim CCRR:)

Very nice detailing on that F7. Nice way of sending her off.

I have a feeling she'll be back. What scale doesn't have F units?

-Curn

Gerd,
Thanks for the tribute. I got into Z and jumped to the GP9 AND GP35'S. I procrastinated on getting a MTL CP F-7 A unit and now can't find one, sooooo if anyone would like to part with on pleeease let me know!
:blink:

Very nice work Gerd! And in my case that's true, my first ever Z scale purchase was an UP F7, in 1997. I disposed of most of my F-Units as I'm turned towards modern era but I'm keeping this engine whatever happens!

Dom

Beeyootiful detailing and weathering, Gerd. Noisy, dirty, and powerful, just like the real ones.

Darn shame they are no longer in production. I wonder, if MTL was to supply them pre-weathered, the mold wear might not be as noticable.

Very nice.

very nice mate does marklin still make a f7

Marklin has stopped making F7 a while ago, and that's acyually good news: those F7 were only look-a-likes, too long because they have adpated a another engine's chassis, better call them F7.5, too low and with painted on windows and pulling power half of the MTL F7

The Marklin Santa Fe F-7 is what got me started in Z.-- I remember when Postage Stamp first came out with a Santa Fe- I was hooked on N. Both were less than prototypical- but lot's of fun. I'm waiting for an F-7 Santa Fe in T!
Fred

Definitely adding to this thread. My first Z was the Marklin starter set with the German 0-6-0, I found a hobby shop in Scranton, PA that had Z stuff and I purchased a PRR F7 and some other MT cars and Marklin track. That was 1991, I still have that engine, the 0-6-0 died, Sorry Jim I did kill it, I took that engine cover off the old motor, need to send to get cleaned and serviced, still runs but studders, put the old cover on a new motor and MT couplers, the old one has MK couplers and now sports an ACL cover. I have that old F7, new F7 from 2007, and won a UP F7 on ebay. I make this request to Rob at the "Track" why have AZL make an injection F7 and booster, powered of course, if not then go with the FP7.