EMD F125 Shells at Muncie Facility

After a search around the forums, I didn't see anyone say anything about the pics that have surfaced of this F125 shell at EMD's Muncie facility. Are these photos new or have I simply missed them?

Now we have an idea of how they'll look when completed. So far, there are a few noticeable differences between this shell and the artist renderings of this Spirit locomotive. Any thoughts on it?





Artist's rendering:


Also found this:

I don't know if it's real or not. According to the image's caption, it's the options for the livery the F125's will be wearing. They presented this to be voted on by board members, with Metrolink staff recommending Option A.

I'm praying it's not real. Metrolink trains already look weird enough with the Hyundai-Rotem cars in stainless steel with the locos painted white. At least those both had the ribbon paint scheme over them. A different paint scheme for the F125's would look... weird.

But option B is so much nicer! It's great to see a continuation of the mighty F series the started with the F3.

It's a weird looking locomotive. When EMD first presented this as a new model, how long ago now?, I thought they were still in the conceptual stage like those artist renderings of future cars and other transportation equipment.

I too like option B. The transit cars should be painted to match with the turquois stripe going down to the end with cab cars repeating the orange nose on one end. With equipment being intermixed, turned around, and sets broken up this unfortunately leads to odd-looking train-sets. This is unlike the old days when railroads were proud of their passenger railroads and tried to keep everything together.

John

JCitron said:

It's a weird looking locomotive. When EMD first presented this as a new model, how long ago now?, I thought they were still in the conceptual stage like those artist renderings of future cars and other transportation equipment.

I too like option B. The transit cars should be painted to match with the turquois stripe going down to the end with cab cars repeating the orange nose on one end. With equipment being intermixed, turned around, and sets broken up this unfortunately leads to odd-looking train-sets. This is unlike the old days when railroads were proud of their passenger railroads and tried to keep everything together.

John

Click to expand...

They're supposed to be delivered by late 2015 - early 2016, and in service by 2017. I believe the announcement for Metrolink's order was made back in 2013. I checked, and these photos turned out to be posted on Metrolink's Facebook page back in January of this year.

The problem with the paint scheme is that Metrolink has already repainted a majority of their locos and some of their older Bombardier bi-levels in the ribbon scheme to match the Hyundai-Rotem cars they're already in the midst of receiving. They already have enough to almost fully equip each train with them. Here's what they look like:


Compared to any of the paint schemes that were voted on, none would seem to even make an attempt to match up to the ribbon scheme.

The body shell looks like it was made from plastic. Maybe it's the paint tricking me into thinking that the body shell was made from plastic.

jeffmorris said:

The body shell looks like it was made from plastic. Maybe it's the paint tricking me into thinking that the body shell was made from plastic.

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I think it's just a primer coat. Someone in another forum site I found the photos on joked that in addition to the Tier IV rating whatchamacallit, the F125 will come in DCC with sound.

hauntedclipp said:

They're supposed to be delivered by late 2015 - early 2016, and in service by 2017. I believe the announcement for Metrolink's order was made back in 2013. I checked, and these photos turned out to be posted on Metrolink's Facebook page back in January of this year.

The problem with the paint scheme is that Metrolink has already repainted a majority of their locos and some of their older Bombardier bi-levels in the ribbon scheme to match the Hyundai-Rotem cars they're already in the midst of receiving. They already have enough to almost fully equip each train with them. Here's what they look like:


Compared to any of the paint schemes that were voted on, none would seem to even make an attempt to match up to the ribbon scheme.

Click to expand...

hauntedclipp said:

I think it's just a primer coat. Someone in another forum site I found the photos on joked that in addition to the Tier IV rating whatchamacallit, the F125 will come in DCC with sound.

Click to expand...

The delays are not expected when things get designed by committee in industry; been through that many times in manufacturing. By the time the secretary of the president and CEO have the last say, the members discuss this with the janitor for his 2-cents along with the guy in the mailroom, it can take months before something gets off the ground.

The problem now with the paint scheme is someone on the design committee did not think to discuss the options when they were having the new BBLs built so now they have something that won't match their locomotives, again! Our T locos have this gawd awful looking purple scheme which doesn't quite match anything including their Rotems! I wish they'd scrap it completely and start over, but that's another issue and another thread.

Yeah! I thought the same thing with the plastic look. I thought maybe it was all fiberglass, but primer makes sense. Will there be a fine-gear motor, or will it sound like the old Model Power cheap plastic toys which used to invade the hobby shops? The DCC option is good, but will it come with lights too?

John

Actually, the new Hyundai-Rotem cars started arriving back in 2010 with the ribbon scheme already applied. Metrolink didn't order the F125's until 2012 - 2013. So, management already knew what the ribbon scheme looked like when they ordered the new locos.