During the discussions we have had on CB&Q F units, I checked my Q books and
noticed that while FTs and F2s had standard pilots, the F3s and F7s had
passenger pilots with coupler doors. My Athearn Genesis F3s have the
passenger pilots, but all the Life-Like and Stewart Q units I have - F3 Phase
II passenger units and F3 Phase IV "graybacks" - have standard pilots. I have
already e-mailed Stewart to see if they can get a deal with Highliners to get
the passenger pilots from the Highliners A unit kits separately at a
reasonable price. I and other modelers cannot afford to spend almost $50 for
a Highliner kit just to get passenger pilots. Detail Associates has a cast
metal passenger pilot, but it is not as detailed as the Highliner pilot and
more difficult to attach to plastic F units. Stewart and Life-Like can't
afford to remold their F unit bodies for us Q modelers.
Does anyone know of an HO plastic passenger pilot now available? Dave - Would
the BRHS be willing and able to contact Highliners or Athearn, who I believe
now own Highliners, to get HO passenger pilots sold separately to detail the
Stewart, Life-Like, and standard Athearn F3 and F7 A units more accurately to
reflect Q practice? I am known as a "rivet counter" but having these pilots
on Q F models would make them much more recognizable as a Q unit. Possibly
BRHS could help in marketing such aftermarket details to Q modelers.
- John Manion
Denver, CO
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