# Intermountain Locomotives



## Izzy412 (Dec 16, 2015)

I'm getting back into model railroading and I like first generation diesel locomotives especially EMD F3 and F7's.I see were Intermountain has a good selection of them.Do any members have anything to say about Intermountain locomotives such as pulling power and overall quality.Also who else makes a good quality early diesel locomotive.Thanks


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## HOTrainNut (Feb 17, 2016)

Izzy412 said:


> I'm getting back into model railroading and I like first generation diesel locomotives especially EMD F3 and F7's.I see were Intermountain has a good selection of them.Do any members have anything to say about Intermountain locomotives such as pulling power and overall quality.Also who else makes a good quality early diesel locomotive.Thanks


The quality of intermountain locomotives is great. I would say its a step above Bachmann spectrum and 1 step below Athearn RTR. I bought some of their F7A-B units and I havent run them because my layouts still in framing, but I can tell you that from the people I know that have them they are solid performers. My buddy has a shelf layout around his living room, not prototypical at all, and its an f7a-b in Santa Fe pulling a 19 car super chief passenger car train and it runs flawlessly. 

They also make some exceptionally detailed rolling stock. I own a lot of their rolling stock and its not as high quality as some of the BLI or Athearn Genesis stuff, but definitely worth every penny to pay for it.


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Izzy412 said:


> I'm getting back into model railroading and I like first generation diesel locomotives especially EMD F3 and F7's.I see were Intermountain has a good selection of them.Do any members have anything to say about Intermountain locomotives such as pulling power and overall quality.Also who else makes a good quality early diesel locomotive.Thanks


You really can't go wrong with any manufacturer's stuff these days, if you're getting new production items and not things that have been sitting on some dealer's shelves for years.

Personally, I would place both Intermountain and Bachmann Spectrum above Athearn RTR, but all are fine locos.


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## DonR (Oct 18, 2012)

I have two DCC Bachmann F7s that are absolutely quiet, smooth,
and very good pullers. I run them as an A-A consist at the
head of Athearn Silver side passenger cars. 

Don


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

Then there's Atlas, Rapido, Walthers Proto, etc. etc, etc....


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

Old_Hobo said:


> Then there's Atlas, Rapido, Walthers Proto, etc. etc, etc....


And Dasher and Dancer, and Comet and Cupid and....


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## Mr. SP (Jan 7, 2015)

*Intermountain Power*

In the collection here I have a four unit set of EMD F-7's 
They ran slower than other locomotives. They were DCC equipped and I run DC
so the DCC circuit board drew power away from the motor. I had the DCC board removed and now
the units run great. Very smooth and quirt. All four are powered in a A-B--B--A set


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## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

Most complaints you hear about engines have to do with speed and draw bar force, pulling power. Some of the newer motors appear to be an issue here. 

Having said that, the engine weight and the module voltage drop are the other culprits to performance issues. The motor turns and creates torque as a function of voltage potential For the same voltage in the track, a module voltage drop reduces the voltage the motor sees, thus reducing it speed and torque. I have measured an equivalent loss of more than a volt at a 12 volt setting. It seems to vary from module to module. Sound seems to make it worse. Realize that when your going to DCC, there is a performance capacity penalty for the control your gaining.

The pulling power of a given engine is related to the engine weight by the coefficient of friction. So a 600 gram engine will pull more than a 400 gram engine with the same motor and module. Even recent released engines vary in weight by close to that amount. It is something to consider.

I find the recent to Intermountain engines to be good performers. They tend to be light. They all have some sort of module. You need to decide if that is a problem for you.
Larry
www.llxlocomotives.com


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## BigE (Feb 27, 2016)

I have an IM ES44AC Kansas City Southern is sweet. Super quiet. Even the cat doesn't hear it. I has never come of the tracks even with my 18" curves.
E.


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