# F Series Diesel Locomotives, General Questions



## ShockControl (Feb 17, 2009)

I am curious if there were significant aesthetic/cosmetic differences between the various F model locomotives during the years they were in production. I have compared photos, but the lack of depth, varying angles, and paint schemes of different locomotives make this difficult. Did the changes in models have more to do with the guts rather than the appearance? 

Also, I have HO, and over the years I've run across more F3 and F7 models than anything else. Were the F3 and F7 the dominant variations, either in HO or in the real world, or has this just been what I've encountered?


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

There were F9's as well. I never saw an exterior difference either. Internals were different, like increase HP, and the F3's typically came in AB sets with a draw bar instead of a coupler. That changed also. There is a video about the F3's that were demonstrated on various railroads. It was a neat video.


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## ShockControl (Feb 17, 2009)

rrgrassi said:


> There were F9's as well. I never saw an exterior difference either. Internals were different, like increase HP, and the F3's typically came in AB sets with a draw bar instead of a coupler. That changed also. There is a video about the F3's that were demonstrated on various railroads. It was a neat video.


Thanks, this is interesting. I had an Athearn B&O A&B unit as a kid, and it had the draw bar, so it must have been an F3.

When you say video, do you mean like a trade show/industrial film that was made at the time to promote sales of the F3?


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## ShockControl (Feb 17, 2009)

Reading the Wikipedia page, it appears that more F3 and F7 models were produced, as compared to the earlier and later variations.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_F-unit


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## rrgrassi (May 3, 2012)

It was a video shown on RFD TV. I did DVR it. It was more of a documentary. It was the F3 that spelled the end of steam. IIRC it was called "The Diesel That Did It" It was numbered FT103

There is also a book of the same name.


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## ggnlars (Aug 6, 2013)

*The units with the draw bar were the original FT's*

The FT's were shorter and less powerfully than the F's. 
There were production F units from 1 to 9. There are many outwardly differences. The three most modeled were the 3's, 7's and 9's. The 7's and 9's most obvious difference is a vent forward of the forward port hole on the 9's. the 3's actually came in several phases, at least three. These had various physical differences. The most obvious was the roof fan, Some were flush, others stood above the roof. The models before the 7 used inside screen covers on the vents just below the roof on each side. The shape of these vents are clearly obvious on the 3's. These vents were covered with an external screen from version 7 on. 
The later versions also had a FP variant that was longer to carry the A/C equipment for passenger trains. 
In addition to these, the various RR would vary the horn, pilot coupler and head light configurations. Most of these how up in the various models.

Larry


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## ShockControl (Feb 17, 2009)

Thanks for the detail!


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

ggnlars said:


> The later versions also had a FP variant that was longer to carry the A/C equipment for passenger trains.


Actually the FP versions (FP7, FP9) were 4' longer to accomodate *larger water tanks *for the steam generators. They weren't longer to accomodate the generator itself though; that could still be an option on a regular F3, F7, F9, etc.


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## ShockControl (Feb 17, 2009)

Does anyone know how long F units remained in use after GM ceased production? They were produced until 1960, as I understand. I'm guessing the larger railroads moved on to the newer models and the smaller ones may have continued with the Fs?


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

> "F" originally meant Fourteen, as in 1,400 horsepower, not F as in Freight


Take a look here if you already haven't:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EMD_F-unit

And I understand it was the FT units, on a cross continent tour, and not the F3, that spelled the demised of the steam engine......as outlined here:

http://exotic.railfan.net/F.htm


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## CTValleyRR (Jul 26, 2014)

ShockControl said:


> Does anyone know how long F units remained in use after GM ceased production? They were produced until 1960, as I understand. I'm guessing the larger railroads moved on to the newer models and the smaller ones may have continued with the Fs?


Locomotives often find their way to regionals and short lines once the big roads are done with them. There may even be a couple in revenue service today. For sure, there are a couple still operating at the Railroad Museum of New England / Naugatuck Railroad in Thomaston, Connecticut. FL-9 #2019 (formerly ConnDOT #2019, New Haven #2049) is still hauling passengers on tourist runs. Another FL-9 (#2002, formerly ConnDOT #2002, NH #2005) is undergoing maintenance, but should be operational soon. Yet another FL-9, #2059 (MetroNorth #2033, NH #2059) is in long term storage, as is NH #401, an FA-1 unit.


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## Old_Hobo (Feb 20, 2014)

F3 #9000 (CN) is preserved at the Alberta Railway Museum in Edmonton, Alberta.
#9000 is historically significant because it was the first production road freight locomotive built for a Canadian railway.
Unit #9000 logged 2.5 million miles in revenue service from 1948 until its retirement from CN in October 1971. Locomotive 9000 spent a good portion of its productive service working out of Calder (now Walker) Yard in Edmonton, Alberta, especially during its last few years.











Specifications:

Model: F3
Length: 50 ft. 8 in.
Height: 15 feet
Tractive effort: 40%
Continuous tractive effort: 44,000 lbs.
Power: 1,500 hp
Engine: EMD 567-B, V-16
Gear Ratio: 62:25
Cooling water capacity: 192 gallons
Lubrication oil capacity: 166 gallons
Sand storage: 16 cubic feet
Class: CN V-I-A-a, later CN GFA-15a
Fuel capacity: 1,000 gallons
Maximum speed: 65 mph
Serial number: 5888
Built: May, 1948
Donated by CN in 1970.









CN 9000 in Chicago, Ill. 02 Aug, 1970


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