NEW PRODUCT ANNOUNCEMENT: N Scale E7 and N Scale E8/E9

The E7, a 2,000-horsepower passenger train locomotive, was manufactured by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in La Grange, Illinois. From February 1945 to April 1949, a total of 428 cab versions, known as E7As, were produced, along with 82 booster E7Bs from March 1945 to July 1948. Its 2,000 hp was generated by two 12-cylinder model 567A engines, each powering its own electrical generator to drive the two traction motors on one truck. The E7 marked the eighth model in a series of passenger diesel locomotives with a similar design, known as EMD E-units, and it quickly became the best-selling E model upon its release.

The E7A featured a less slanted front nose compared to earlier EMD passenger locomotives, earning it and its successors, the E8 and E9, the nickname 'bulldog nose' units. Some of the earlier units were referred to as 'shovel nose' or 'slant nose' units. More than 20 different railroads acquired E7s for their passenger trains. Currently, only one E7 example survives, with ex-Pennsylvania Railroad E7A #5901 being preserved, cosmetically restored, and on display at the Railroad Museum of Pennsylvania in Strasburg, Pennsylvania.

In this production, we are modeling A and B-units from 6 railroads with prototypically accurate road numbers and paint schemes. We are offering A-B sets with Powered A-units (w/ Paragon4 Sound) and unpowered B-units, and also separate single A and B-units (where appropriate) with our full Paragon4 DC/DCC/Sound system. All of our models have road-specific details and lighting. 

Road-specific detail options in this production, prototypically accurate for each road name:

• Pilot prototypical for paint scheme
• Operating Mars Light where prototypical
• Small horizontal and Large 45-degree numberboards
• Prototypical horn
• Water fill hatch location
• Sand fill hatch location
• Dynamic brake where prototypical
• Cooling fans and exhaust hatch accurate per each prototype
• Winterization hatch present where prototypically accurate
• Multiple MU door options on front of model
• Multiple skirt options above fuel tank
• Ladder rest grab irons present where prototypically accurate
• Grab iron ladder present where prototypically accurate
• Eyebrow grab irons present where prototypically accurate
• Grab irons above cab side windows where prototypically accurate
• Roof antenna present and correct where prototypically accurate
• Front and Rear lift lug present where accurate
• Nose door number plate present where accurate
• Trainphone antenna present where accurate

Industry-leading Model Features:

• Paragon4 Sound & Control System featuring ROLLING THUNDER
• Integral Dual-Mode Decoder with Back EMF for Superb Slow Speed Operation in DC and DCC
• Precision Drive Mechanism Engineered for Heavy Towing and Smooth Slow Speed Operation
• All Wheel Electrical Pick-up
• ABS Body with Die Cast Chassis for Maximum Tractive Effort
• Premium Caliber Painting
• Prototypically Accurate Paint Schemes and Road Numbers
• Many Separately Applied Details such as Grab Irons, Horns, and Bell
• Prototypical Light Operation
• Prototypically Accurate Sounds for the EMD E7 Diesel Locomotive
• MicroTrains-compatible Couplers (2)
• Will Operate on Code 55, Code 70 and Code 80 Rail
• Minimum Operating Radius: 9 inches

 

Next up we have the E8's and E9's! Before we go into the details of the locomotives, let's show you the many paint schemes we are making in this production run. 

Following the success of the EMD E7, the E8 and E9 locomotives gained equal popularity among many Class 1 railroads. The E8 and E9 marked the culmination of the "E-Unit" series of passenger locomotives produced by General Motors' Electro-Motive Division in La Grange, Illinois. The E8 was capable of producing 2,250 horsepower, thanks to its two 12-cylinder model 567B engines, each driving a generator to power the two traction motors on one truck. From August 1949 to January 1954, a total of 450 cab versions, or E8As, were manufactured, with 447 for the U.S. and 3 for Canada. Additionally, 46 E8Bs were built exclusively for the U.S. from December 1949 to January 1954.

The E9 followed the success of the E8. These locomotives produced slightly more horsepower than their predecessors, the E8s (2,400 compared to 2,250), and featured a different, flusher-fitting mounting for the headlight glass as the only visible difference. E9s powered American passenger and mail trains from the 1950s through the late 1970s. E9s were frequently seen pulling some of America's most iconic trains, including Union Pacific Railroad's "City" fleet, Burlington's "Zephyr" fleet, and Southern Pacific Railroad's Coast Daylight and Sunset Limited. Between April 1954 and January 1964, 100 cab-equipped A units and 44 cabless booster B units were produced, all for service in the United States.

E9s, along with their E7 and E8 predecessors, traversed the country on lesser-known passenger trains, Chicago's commuter train network, and various mail and express trains. As America's passenger train network diminished due to declining ridership, Union Pacific, Rock Island, and Illinois Central repurposed E9s for freight trains. Burlington Northern and Chicago and North Western upgraded their fleets of E9s with Head-end power and EMD 645 power assemblies for commuter operations in the Chicago metropolitan area, a practice that continued into the early 1990s.

Numerous examples of E8s and E9s are preserved across the country. Many are still operational at museums and tourist railroads nationwide. Union Pacific, in particular, maintains a fleet of three E9s, occasionally deploying them for excursion services or for transporting railroad executives across the Union Pacific system.