Large Scale Central

Southern F3

Modeling Motive Power
#1

Hi,

I just wanted to share a few photos of the latest loco to roll out of the Somerville & St. Francis River diesel shops. It’s a Southern Railway freight F3 which was later upgraded with MU capabilities. I made quite a few improvements and details to this USAT F unit including fully detailed truck frames, new nose MU connections and air hoses, 5 chime air horn, radio anntena, roof top cooling coils, 0.05" Titchy Train rivets on the pilot, and a new headlight fixture made from a AAA sized mini Maglite reflector and lens.

I will try and get out into the garden as soon as I can take some more photos of it when I can.

Many thanks for looking!

G

#2

Nice looking locomotive…

#3

WOW that level of detail is amazing!

My first Lionel “O” gauge engine was the Southern F3 ‘A’ Powered, ‘B’ and ‘A’ Dummy with horn. I still have the complete freight train set. It is my second favorite diesel engine behind the Santa Fe.

#4

Beauitful job Gavin , looks very real. Love the weathering too .

#5

Thanks for the words guys!

I have another couple in the pipeline, another A unit which I’m hoping to make into a passenger unit with the air tanks mounted up on the roof, and a pair of B units too.

Thanks again,
G

#6

As always excellent work !

#7

You would think that it was in the shop, they would have at least washed her!

Just kidding, excellent job, love the weathering.

#8

Thanks guys, I really appreciate it!

The weathering was done with just powders and a basic alcohol wash. Whilst our railroad is out at my folks home in the countryside, my temporary workbench is in our small flat in the city so sadly there just isn’t room for an airbrush setup!

Maybe one day… :slight_smile:

#9

Great work. Well done.

#10

The most interesting Rooster says:

I don’t weather much, however when I do weather I chose chalks,alcohol and hairspray.

Stay thirsty my friends!

#11

It doesn’t look like you need an airbrush. Darn nice job.

Nico. Wash? You mean we are supposed to (gulp) wash our locomotives?

#12

Wow…looks liek she’s been running the mine shifters on the old Interstate Railroad…

#13

Thanks for all the kind words folks!

The weather was lovely up here so I got out to take a few photos with the lights all lit up. The headlight is set up for rule 17, where function F4 on our system dims the light for a meet.

I’m happy with it as it stands at the moment, although I am currently mulling over the possibility of putting in a 48’ dynamic brake fan and chopping up the side skirts a little bit, as the Southern modified these locos when they were upgraded at Spencer Shops. I’ll wait and see though as that will probably have to wait a little while as I have quite a few other things to complete first! :slight_smile:

Thanks again,

Gavin

#14

She needs ditch lites and HEP cabling !

Looks great

#15

Very nice!

#16

David Russell said:

She needs ditch lites and HEP cabling !

Looks great

Shut up Rooster.

Sorry, I couldn’t help myself. :wink:

Not everyone models the age where we need all that silly, extraneous bull hanging off our equipment. :stuck_out_tongue:

#17

OK Maynard

Explain the horns!

#18

The horns are required in N’awlins

#19

Rooster, do you mean the air horns, or the horns on a bull?

Air horns are required because too many folks don’t know how to drive, and the engineer needs to scare em off the crossings. And RPGs aren’t really FRA approved.

Bull’s horns. I guess that’s so they can fight, since they don’t have fists.

#20

John Caughey said:

The horns are required in N’awlins

OK