Large Scale Central

LGB F unit front truck relocation and new headlight reflectors

Modeling
#1

I have always thought the front truck on the LGB F units looks to far forward when compared to pics of the real engine. LGB actualy has 2 mounting positons for the front truck bolster. If you take the 2 philips head screws loose, you can move the truck slightly rearward, its not quite far enough, but way much better looking and doesnt mess up the ablities to go around R1 curves. You do have to slightly modify the front coupler mount, but it can be modded to still work pretty darn like it originaly does. I run LGB knuckle couplers for now till the conversion to Kaydee happens. I also backdated my Black Widow units to as delivered single beam “Golden Glow” style lights. I removed the LGB twin beam white bucket, nipped out the screw tower that locates the bucket with my side cutters, then mounted a cut down reflector from a AA size Mag light flashlight. I enlarged the bulb hole with a rat tail file till one of the 2 lgb bulbs and sockets just fit. I secured this with my hot glue gun with the engine on the track in mode 2, so the lights would be on. I have the focus pretty close, lights up the wall and track quite nice. I totaly removed the upper LGB headlight assembly and bulb socket. The upper light has the same treatment reflector wise, but has a 1.5volt grain of wheat lamp for a future Mars light circuit. The Ram Track circuit I got didnt cut it. Probably going to have to order a Richmond Controls Mars circuit and swap over to thier LED that is used with that circuit. Next step is to find 2 MTS decoders and thier interface cable to equip the A unit for MTS operation. I will eventualy put a decoder in the B unit to keep sounds correct for each direction, but that is an expense I can deal with later. These are my one and only locomotive pair. Huge believer in LGB drives, the quality and smoothness of them are like the Kato brand drives in HO scale. Highly imitated but rarely matched! To bad LGB didnt go after the USA prototype market more than they have. I would love to see a 4 axle GP style diesel from them. Cheers Mike

#2

Looking better , and yes the drives are the best .
I still enjoy mine a lot , and for a fact it was my LGB F7 that won the very first photo contest that was won by a DIESEL . First place in the photo contest at MLS , long ago .
Kinda funny to think back a couple of years , anyone posting how they liked these F-7s and the LGB drives …would have brought forth an endless tirade of postings about scale and price and where the owners of the LGB company lived and what they ate for meals and on and on . Times change .

#3

Yes they are expensive, espicaly the newest ones from LGB/Marklin! But I just dont care for USA diesels, high amp draw, fragile handrails and grabs and those crappy headlight lenses in the F units with a black ring around the bulb. My time is limited, as is my funds, so when I drop the $$ on motive power, I buy the best I can get. I do plan to get a SP Black Widow GP9 from USA and an RS3 in the same from Aristo in due time. My track is all LGB, nothing else and layout power control is all LGB and will remain so. I have relatives from Germany so that has a bit to do with it, but the quality is there, and I have no problem spending money for quality.

#4

I was going to mention that Dave Watts has modified these LGB F7s so that the sound unit is in the A unit and the magnet detectors also , I prefer AA units back to back myself , and do not care for B units , but then I read where you do train repair yourself , so it would be easy for you to do . I did mine myself , and run AA both with sound , from one of the A units .

#5

I have thought about doing that, but for now the AB pair is fine. If I am able to afford another A unit in time, I might do that. But that im stuck with a B unit without sound that wont be worth much. I wish the B unit would power 2 A units with sound. Instead of having to do a ABBA in order to get sound in all units. Right now the AB is long enough on my small indoor layout. Maybe when the garden line is running, but not right now. I would really love to have a Uintah Mallet with sound, but my 2 F units are not worth enough in trade or sale value. My buddy is doing a logging line, I would love to shift to logging myself.