PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO: EMD F-units were a line of diesel-electric locomotives produced between November 1939 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors-Diesel Division. Final assembly for all F-units was at the GM-EMD plant at La Grange, Illinois and the GMDD plant in London, Ontario, Canada. They were sold to railroads throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico. Structurally, the locomotive was a carbody unit, with the body as the main load-bearing structure, designed like a bridge truss and covered with cosmetic panels. The so-called bulldog nose was a distinguishing feature of the locomotive’s appearance, and made a lasting impression in the mind of the traveling public. The F-units were the most successful “first generation” road (main

Athearn HO F5A/F5B Set w/DCC & Sound, PRR #9551A/9551B, ATHG19684



PROTOTYPE AND BACKGROUND INFO:

EMD F-units were a line of diesel-electric locomotives produced between November 1939 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors-Diesel Division. Final assembly for all F-units was at the GM-EMD plant at La Grange, Illinois and the GMDD plant in London, Ontario, Canada. They were sold to railroads throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Structurally, the locomotive was a carbody unit, with the body as the main load-bearing structure, designed like a bridge truss and covered with cosmetic panels. The so-called bulldog nose was a distinguishing feature of the locomotive’s appearance, and made a lasting impression in the mind of the traveling public.

The F-units were the most successful “first generation” road (main line) diesel locomotives in North America, and were largely responsible for superseding steam locomotives in road freight service. Before this, diesel units were mostly only built as switcher locomotives, and only used in rail yards.

F-units were sometimes known as “covered wagons”, due to the similarity in appearance of the roof of an F-unit to the canvas roof of a Conestoga wagon, an animal-drawn wagon used in the westward expansion of the United States during the late 18th and 19th centuries. When a train’s locomotive consist included only F-units, the train would then be called a wagon train. These two usages are still popular with the railfan community.

F-UNIT SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:

  • Lit signal lights and/or beacons, if equipped
  • Directional constant lighting
  • Separately-applied photo-etched metal and injection molded detail parts
  • Speed recorder unless noted
  • Etched metal fan grilles
  • Body-mounted McHenry® scale knuckle couplers - Kadee® compatible
  • Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
  • Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
  • All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
  • LED Lighting for realistic appearance
  • Packaging securely holds for the model for safe storage
  • Coupler cut levers
  • Trainline and MU hoses
  • Sanding lines
  • Bell placement & type per prototype
  • Headlight brightness remains constant
  • Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, breather pipes & retention tanks
  • See-through cab windows and full cab interior
  • DCC-ready features Quick Plug™ plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector
  • Accurately painted and printed paint schemes
  • All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
  • Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
  • Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
  • Minimum radius: 18” — Recommended radius: 22”
  • Windshield wipers
  • Wire grab irons
  • Lift rings

SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE:

  • Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
  • Dual cube speakers for optimal sound quality
  • Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
  • Individual sound boards installed in both A and B units (sound units only)
  • Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
  • Some functions are limited in DC
  • All functions NMRA-compatible in DCC mode
  • Excellent low-speed operation
  • Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
  • Lighting effects such as beacons, Gyralight where prototypically accurate
  • Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
  • CV chart included in the box

ROAD NUMBER SPECIFIC FEATURES:

  • #9531A: F3 Phase IV, mixed wheel bearing caps from traded-in units.
  • #9548B: “F5” (externally identical to F3 Phase IV, but prototypes equipped with heavier D27 traction motors. Many F3s were later modified with these motors), mixed wheel bearing caps from traded-in units.
  • #9551A: “F5” (externally identical to F3 Phase IV, but prototypes equipped with heavier D27 traction motors. Many F3s were later modified with these motors), mixed wheel bearing caps from traded-in units.
  • #9551B: “F5” (externally identical to F3 Phase IV, but prototypes equipped with heavier D27 traction motors. Many F3s were later modified with these motors), mixed wheel bearing caps from traded-in units.
  • #365: Cut skirts
  • #370: Full skirts
  • #257L/257A: ”Stainless steel” grilles, as-delivered grab iron configuration, as-delivered skirts, inertial air filter included to represent later version (to be installed by consumer), B-unit equipped with steam generator. Both units equipped with water fills.
  • #261L/265C: Modernized grab iron configuration - grabs on side & top of nose, cut skirts, F3 style chicken wire grilles - delivered without stainless steel grilles, Spark arrestors included to represent later appearance (to be installed by consumer), Can-style antenna, inertial air filter installed.
  • #336-B: Full skirts
  • #625: Nose MU connection, cut skirts
  • #631: Nose MU connection, cut skirts
  • #1169-A: Full Skirt
  • #1189: Full Skirt

CNW FEATURES:

  • F3 Phase II
  • No dynamic brakes (4061-C and B)
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • As-built grab iron configuration
  • Freight pilot (A-units)
  • As-built skirts

ATSF FEATURES:

  • F7 Phase I
  • 36” fan-equipped dynamic brakes
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • Back-up lights with red lenses per prototype practice
  • Freight pilot (A-units)
  • Nose & rear lift lugs

SP FEATURES:

  • F3 Phase II
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • As-delivered grab iron configuration
  • Slot-style dynamic brakes
  • Freight pilot
  • As-delivered skirts

MON FEATURES:

  • Dual headlights
  • High radiator fans
  • Chicken wire grilles
  • Rear back-up light
  • Steam generator fixtures

PRR FEATURES:

  • Dynamic brakes
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • Train Phone Antennas (A-units)
  • Nose & rear lift lugs
  • Back-up lights
  • Passenger pilot (A-units)

ACL FEATURES:

  • F7 Phase I
  • Freight pilot (A-units)
  • As-built grab iron configuration
  • Purple scheme with large lettering - first time in Genesis (A-units)
  • No dynamic brakes
  • Back-up lights

C&WC FEATURES:

  • F7 Phase I
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • As-built grab iron configuration
  • Back-up lights
  • No dynamic brakes
  • Freight pilot
  • As-built skirts

WAB FEATURES:

  • F7 Phase I
  • Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
  • Cooling coils on roof
  • No dynamic brakes
  • Passenger pilot

Item Condition

All items sold by Omni Models are sold as "New: A brand-new, unused, unopened, undamaged item." We do not sell used, opened, or damaged items. If an item is damaged during shipping, please see our Returns section to arrange a return.

Shipping

Omni Models ships to all 50 States as well as Puerto Rico, Virgin Islands, and other US protectorates. Unfortunately, we cannot ship to APO/FPO or PO Box addresses at this time. Some restrictions apply based on destination and item size.

Our FREE shipping and combined shipping discounts save you money. We offer FREE economy shipping on US orders of $25 or more! Only $4.99 or $9.99 for economy service on US orders under $25.

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ORM-D and Lithium / Li-Po Battery Restrictions

ORM-D items can only be shipped via ground delivery. Products of this nature include quarts of fuel, glues, paints, thinners, aerosol sprays, and certain lithium batteries. We cannot ship ORM-D items to Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or other US Protectorates. Other restrictions may apply based on APO/FPO shipping rules.

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Returns

Returned merchandise must be in unused condition and in its original packaging. The mounting of engines and accessories, running fuel through engines, cutting or pushing out the balsa sheets in kits, and other similar actions constitutes used merchandise. Radios must be returned with unmounted servos and switch harness.

Flammable or combustible materials or products (regardless of whether the item is open or unopened) such as: Nitro engines (if fuel has entered the engine), Nitro fuel, Unopened as well as opened, charged and / or used Lithium Ion / Polymer (LiPo) batteries and other Lithium-based batteries. Any type of opened, charged and / or used battery including LiPo, Nickel-Metal Hydride (NiMH), Nickel-Cadmium (NiCd), other Nickel-based batteries and / or Alkaline-based batteries. Sealed Lead Acid batteries. Paints, thinners, certain glues or cements/pastes. Aerosols or compressed gas canisters. Rockets, kits containing rockets with or without igniters, igniters, hobby fuel (both quart or gallon).

When packing your order for return, please be sure all the original packing material and instruction papers and/or manuals are included. We will be unable to process your return if parts are missing, or if items are not packed properly to avoid damage to products and their boxes and/or packages. ARF kits are specially packaged to insure safe shipping of all contents. In order to receive credit for a returned ARF, the contents must be returned in the original plastic covers and arranged in a manner that will not damage the contents or packaging.

Please contact us for a return authorization number by opening a return case on Ebay. Freight charges will not be refunded. The customer is responsible for insured shipping back to our shop.

Returns sent COD will not be accepted.

Omni Models reserves the right to charge a 15% restocking fee on any merchandise returned for credit.

About Omni Models

We are the home for all your hobby needs. Our FREE shipping and combined shipping discounts save you money. We offer FREE ground shipping on US orders of $25.00 or more! Only $3.99 or $9.99 for ground service on US orders under $25.00. We also offer expedited shipping and we ship internationally.

At Omni Models, we help people have fun with hobbies. Providing an exceptional customer experience is a mission we take seriously. That's why, when it comes to radio control fun, we don't mess around.

Please contact us through your original purchase on eBay. We're always striving to answer e-mails as quickly as possible.