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 Posted - April 06 2019 : 09:32:39 AM
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I have never found a Life-Like B Unit in the UK, so when this lot came up I made an offer that was accepted, as the spares looked useful:
E Bay - 113695849589
As soon as it arrived I could tell that the source for the two items was not the same - The Loco is indeed a Life-Like f7, from the old Penn Line tooling, but in bits and not complete. The B Unit however has different details all round and is Mehano. Looks great alongside the LL F7, but did Life-Like B Units come from Mehano? What do you have?
As I am short of non powered bogies, to get it back on the rails, it may have to run on Spare GP40 bogies for the time being. Maybe painting them silver will help!
Option two is to have it powerd by an 8WD Mehano mech!
James
Edited by - Highwayman97 on April 06 2019 10:02:13 AM
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Posted - April 06 2019 : 12:28:53 PM
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Life Like B's from Mehano. I wouldn't have the first clue. Sounds like
you got some work, James!
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Posted - April 08 2019 : 06:58:23 AM
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Thanks Chops,
The B unit project is in hold as there are too many bits missing. Ironicaly my CP Rail Mehano A unit (the only one I have from that make) is much shorter? What is that about?
The LL Santa Fe A Unit in that lot was easliy put back together and soon sparked into life and now runs well. So the money spent was not wasted.
It seems that LL did make thier own B units some time ago. The odd A & B set comes up on e-bay USA. I will keep an eye out for one.
Take a look at this page: http://ho-scaletrains.com/life-like-f7/
James
Edited by - Highwayman97 on April 08 2019 06:59:08 AM
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Posted - April 08 2019 : 11:06:56 PM
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I looked that up James. I've heard about HO Seeker, but never gave it
much thought until now. Some very interesting highlights there. I was
a little surprised that it only showed 9 different locomotives by Athearn,
however.
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Posted - April 12 2019 : 12:47:51 PM
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Thanks Chops,
You are right there!
It is not comprehensive. Even the LL section isn't, but as somewhere to look at nice illustrations and identify things. So I class it as useful, but not exhaustive.
As a US-1 fan I love the Tyco Trucking Resource, which is really good, but even then, it is not 100% complete, but very helpful…
http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycous1trucking/ <http://tycotrain.tripod.com/tycous1trucking/>
James
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Posted - April 12 2019 : 1:14:09 PM
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oh I wants the BN units hehe
course I needs some BN passenger cars too 
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Posted - May 07 2019 : 10:26:53 AM
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Well I am delighted to say that I have finally acquired a genuine and complete Life-Like B Unit, together with a matching A unit. It came with 6 wagons and in all cost me 20 GBP plus 4 GBP Postage ($31.50 USD)
First impressions are that the body mouldings are generally similar but not identical. Obviously one end is different, but clearly one moulding is not a modified copy of the other.
Love that the A unit has the number 4472 - In Britain train enthusiasts will go misty eyed, as that is the 'Flying Scotsman'! Curious that the B unit has no number or owning railroad mark either...
Then I took the bodies off and it all got a little weird:
A unit much as you would expect inside. Standard late motor etc.
B Unit! What? A non powered Uni-Drive mech from 1977!
Thanks to HO Seeker for that image. I have still not found a powered Uni-Drive. For a while I thought that they had never been made. I guess this proves that they were, but presumably, not for long.
Anyone know why?
On the plus side it would be possible to power your B unit if you wished to, by putting in an A unit mech. Luckily I don't need to do that on my Life-Like and Tyco US-1 layout, as the trains are too short.
As a teenager I had some old Triang Railways F7 (ish) looking diesels, with a powered A, plus unpowered B and a dummy A as well for good measure. Sadly the terrible plain sleeved wheel bearings made it impossible for the poor old powered loco to pull much at all with that lot dragging behind it!
I recall powering up one of the others too, then it romped around with a presentable looking train!
James
Edited by - Highwayman97 on May 07 2019 11:41:22 AM
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