Randy's CF7 kits are coming!

[randgust]

Digging through more pictures I found another confirmation of the wierdo 'third frame' - on 2590, which makes zero sense.   2590 built Dec '72 when 2616 was May '72, both had this oddball feature and the units in the middle didn't.  After this I 'think' they were all closed frames.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=50877

This appears to the the last unit with an open frame...maybe.

Meanwhile back on the front, I finished up my own 2615, as-built June of '72.

This is the unit that is featured in the kit instructions.  This body shell is shown on the modified GP15-1 chassis.  Other than the air horn, it's a 'stock' kit build.  There's wierd stuff in early '72 that didn't last, like black trucks, yellow stepwells, and the ACI label.









I am going to make a master for the very early cab with the F-unit windows, I enough order confirmations now to go ahead with that.

I'm shipping daily off of the original email list now.

[randgust]

I'm not sure it's "popular" demand, but I did receive enough orders to go ahead and make the master for the original ATSF CF7 cab 2649-2639 (first units) that had the oddball windows that were taken from the F-7's.    That will now be the fourth cab option on the kit.



I'll admit to being a fan, but man, that's really stretching it hard!

Now, as far as I can tell, these cabs lasted until maybe 1978 at the latest before they were rebuilt.  But, the frames were converted much faster - I've seen several of these cabs with the closed frames.  I have yet to see a photo of one of these cabs in yellow warbonnet; I'm pretty sure it never happened but if you stumble on one please send a link.    None of these cabs survived into the shortline CF7 era.    At least half - and maybe more - of these first 10 units had three different cabs - this original one, the round-roof one with the bigger windows, and the final angular cab with the centered window - and that's all before they left ATSF.  Good example is #2641 up on the Roaring Camp & Big Trees, it had all three.

[randgust]

OK, just to post an update....

I 'think' I've got everybody on the waiting list at least one kit.   This has taken since August!

Now, if you have not received notification by now to be able to get a kit, you're either not on the same email as before, marked my response back as spam (so you better try contacting me again at cf7@randgust.com).   Or decided to wait.  So contact me now before round 2 starts to get a single kit.

So this is 'last call' for the first pass on the waiting list.   I'll start going through the additional confirmed and reserved units again, which will take a while, there's now more of them than there were on the first pass.   

Last I checked Atlas was still out of the undec long hoods but did have Phase I body shells.  I'm cleaned out.

I'm still expirimenting to see if the Bachmann GP9 chassis can be used but the body shell....ugh.   Maybe, although I don't know why.   The chassis is a smooth running and it looks like it will take less hacking than the GP15 chassis did.

[randgust]

Latest update:  Phil H. let me completely mutilate a brand-new Bachmann GP7 to see if it could be modified to be the base for the CF7 modification.

It was a success.   Not a total one, but a success.   It takes some frame cutting on the edges and ends - which means complete dissassembly.  You have to grind the air tanks down to allow the battery box casting to fit.  The one thing that I did have to acknowledge was that the Bachmann-supplied DCC/DC board is just way too long and can't be used.  That's the only thing that's a real negative here.

But the big surprise was that the body casting can be cut apart and used for the long hood, works with the resin parts.  In case you didn't know, you can strip the Bachmann shell with 91% alcohol quite well.

The Bachmann drive does run rather smoothly and quietly for a unit without flywheels.  If you're doing a DC unit only you might save a few bucks.





Still making and shipping out units on the reservation list...