EMD F7 in SCALE

Where users can chronicle their builds. Start one thread and continue to add on to it.

Moderator: Harold_V

User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

Charles T. McCullough wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:51 amThat is Gorgeous! (And that from a guy that hates Diesels with as much passion as I love Steam!)
Thanks for the compliment.
If it runs as well as it looks, you are going to need a new supply of buttons for your shirts as you pop them off swelling up with pride!
Would you believe it if I said the engine is able to haul an 8000 pound train up a two percent grade? :D

longtrain02.jpg
longtrain02.jpg (280.31 KiB) Viewed 3545 times
The above photo was taken during early testing of the unit before I started on the body. There are two dead locomotives in that train to add weight and drag. That isn’t me at the controls—I took the picture as the train crawled past at full throttle just before cresting the grade.

Below is another photo taken from behind as the train rounded the bend toward the tunnel. There are about fifty more feet of train behind me in this view.

longtrain01.jpg
longtrain01.jpg (313.38 KiB) Viewed 3545 times
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

Harold_V wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 3:12 pm
Charles T. McCullough wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:51 am That is Gorgeous! (And that from a guy that hates Diesels with as much passion as I love Steam!)
Heh! My thoughts, exactly. I'm not interested in trains, diesels and electrics specifically. I'm interested in steam, but it's hard to not pay attention to such pretty and exacting workmanship.
This coming from you is a ringing endorsement in my book. :D
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

Odyknuck wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 3:36 pmVery nice.
Thanks!
Now all you need are the decals.
That’s next on the build agenda.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
djjh87
Posts: 405
Joined: Tue Apr 29, 2008 5:32 pm
Location: florida

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by djjh87 »

Great job on the build. Beauty and Brawn.
No problems just solutions.
ccvstmr
Posts: 2230
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by ccvstmr »

Steggy wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 12:54 am
If I keep it up, I might actually finish this thing before I kick off. :D
Steggy..."kick off"? Are you thinking of taking up some un-professional sports there? You've gone this far, kicking off is out of the question! It's time to get 'r done so you can enjoy that working machine there! Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
ccvstmr
Posts: 2230
Joined: Sat Jan 04, 2003 10:37 am
Location: New Lenox, IL

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by ccvstmr »

Charles T. McCullough wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:51 am
Mighty fine looking machine! If it runs as well as it looks, you are going to need a new supply of buttons for your shirts as you pop them off swelling up with pride!
Charles...I can tell you, one of Steggy's goals from the start of this project was to create a 1/8" scale loco, that not only sounded like a real loco, but also reacted like a real loco. While the guts of the loco looks like something straight out of Monty Python's Flying Circus pipe intro...the throttle and propulsion controls are as close to the real thing as one can get. Haven't seen anyone come close to this...even with electrically powered locos. Those might have the sound systems, but they still don't react like a real loco.

No doubt, this is an incredible piece of design/engineering. Can only hope Steggy is done trying to figure out more improvements...so he can enjoy the fruits of his efforts! Carl B.
Life is like a sewer...what you get out of it depends on what you put into it!
I don't walk on water...I just learned where some of the stepping stones are!
I love mankind...it's some of the people I can't stand!
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

djjh87 wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 6:51 pmGreat job on the build. Beauty and Brawn.

Thanks!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

ccvstmr wrote: Tue Mar 21, 2023 7:35 pmWhile the guts of the loco looks like something straight out of Monty Python's Flying Circus pipe intro...
Speaking of the “plumber’s nightmare,” here are some photos I took as I was assembling the unit...

power_assy_esv02.jpg
power_assy_esv02.jpg (362.61 KiB) Viewed 3496 times
chassis_fsv01.jpg
chassis_fsv01.jpg (281.33 KiB) Viewed 3496 times
Above are engineer’s and fireman’s side views of the power assembly.

underframe_reduced.jpg
underframe_reduced.jpg (144.31 KiB) Viewed 3496 times
Above is the plumbing underneath the frame.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
Andrew Pugh
Posts: 204
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2006 9:22 pm
Location: British Columbia, Canada

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Andrew Pugh »

Hi Steggy,

I did recently re-read the whole thread, but I can’t recall if you mentioned how you coated the frame - is that powder coat?

-Andrew

EDIT: If you drag the unit down slow enough with a heavy train/grade, will you encounter wheel slip?
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

Andrew Pugh wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 11:13 amI did recently re-read the whole thread, but I can’t recall if you mentioned how you coated the frame - is that powder coat?

It’s industrial epoxy. It was applied after the frame was thoroughly sandblasted. Here are photos of the frame after painting.

bare_frame01.jpg
bare_frame01.jpg (230.41 KiB) Viewed 3432 times
bare_frame02_reduced.jpg
bare_frame02_reduced.jpg (316.85 KiB) Viewed 3432 times
bare_frame_invrtd01.jpg
bare_frame_invrtd01.jpg (305.87 KiB) Viewed 3432 times
bare_frame_invrtd02.jpg
bare_frame_invrtd02.jpg (295.52 KiB) Viewed 3432 times

If you drag the unit down slow enough with a heavy train/grade, will you encounter wheel slip?

A little, depending on rail condition. In the test run shown in the earlier photos, the F-unit was able to maintain adhesion all the way up the grade. She was pretty bogged down by the time the crest had been reached, but she didn’t stall out.
Last edited by Steggy on Thu Mar 23, 2023 3:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
User avatar
NP317
Posts: 4557
Joined: Tue Jun 24, 2014 2:57 pm
Location: Northern Oregon, USA

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by NP317 »

You have been building one of the finest F units I have seen!
:lol:
RussN
Last edited by NP317 on Thu Mar 23, 2023 10:45 am, edited 1 time in total.
User avatar
Steggy
Posts: 1976
Joined: Tue Jun 28, 2011 9:19 pm
Location: JB Pritzker’s Hellhole
Contact:

Re: EMD F7 in SCALE

Post by Steggy »

NP317 wrote: Wed Mar 22, 2023 5:29 pm You have been building one of the finest F units I have seen!
:lol:
RussN

Thanks!
———————————————————————————————————————————————————————
Music isn’t at all difficult.  All you gotta do is play the right notes at the right time!  :D
Post Reply