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Life-Like - 7499 - Locomotive, Diesel, Fairbanks Morse, Erie-Built - Undecorated

Collectors value this item at an average of 160.00160.00Collectors value this item at an average of 160.00
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N Scale - Life-Like - 7499 - Locomotive, Diesel, Fairbanks Morse, Erie-Built - Undecorated
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Stock Number7499
Original Retail Price$160.00
BrandLife-Like
ManufacturerLife-Like
Body StyleLife-Like Diesel Engine Fairbanks Morse Erie-Built
Prototype VehicleLocomotive, Diesel, Fairbanks Morse, Erie-Built (Details)
Road or Company NameUndecorated (Details)
Paint Color(s)Undecorated
Coupler TypeRapido Hook
Coupler MountBody-Mount
Wheel TypeChemically Blackened Metal
Wheel ProfileSmall Flange (Low Profile)
MultipackYes
Multipack Count2
DCC ReadinessNo
Release Date2002-01-01
Item CategoryLocomotives
Model TypeDiesel
Model SubtypeFairbanks-Morse
Model VarietyErie-Built
Prototype RegionNorth America
Prototype EraNA Era III: Transition (1939 - 1957)
Years Produced1945-1949
Scale1/160



Specific Item Information: A + B units, both powered
Model Information: Model introduced in 2002, with Rapido couplers and a dummy knuckle front coupler. Very limited and unique run.
It re-used the same chassis structure introduced by Life-Like for its 2000 Alco FA-1/FB-1 and 2001 F-M C-Liner, though longer.
Sold in A/B pairs or as A Unit singletons.

Features:
- Modern split-frame design.
- Non-Directional bulb headlight on A units
- 12 Wheel electrical Pick-Up with Heavy Metal Chassis
- Five-Pole, Skew Wound Armature motor w/dual machined flywheels
- dummy knuckle front coupler on A units
DCC Information: No provision for DCC.
Prototype History:
The Erie-built was the first streamlined, cab-equipped dual service diesel locomotive built by Fairbanks-Morse, introduced as direct competition to such models as the ALCO PA and EMD E-unit. As F-M lacked the space to manufacture the units in their own plant, the work was subcontracted out to General Electric, which produced the locomotives at its Erie, Pennsylvania, facility, thereby giving rise to the name "Erie-built."

The unit's 2,000 hp (1,500 kW), ten-cylinder opposed piston engine prime mover provided ample power to its A1A-A1A wheel set. F-M retained the services of renowned industrial designer Raymond Loewy to create a visually impressive car body for the Erie-built. The initial windshield configuration utilized rectangular glass panes, whereas those units manufactured after March, 1947 received windshields with a curved upper contour. Most units rode on conventional General Steel Castings trucks, but many were fitted with specialized, fabricated, assemblies. Eight of nine KCS Erie-builts were later repowered with an EMD 567 series diesel engine rated at 1750 horsepower.

82 cab-equipped lead A units and 29 cabless booster B units were built for American railroads between December 1945 and April 1949. Afterward, F-M continued to market dual service streamlined units under its Consolidated line of locomotives, more commonly referred to as "C-liners".

No FM Erie-Built units are known to survive today.

From Wikipedia
Read more on American-Rails.com

Full F-M Erie-Built data sheet on The Diesel Shop.
Road Name History:
Although they may be molded in color, unpainted and unlettered, undecorated products are marketed to modelers who seek to custom decorate their models for private roads and/or road and/or company names that were not commercially produced by any of the major manufacturers.

Undecorated models are frequently also unassembled or only partially assembled and required modelers to be comfortable with glue, paint and sometimes solder in order to prepare their models for display. Materials for these models can vary but often include plastic, pewter and resin. Models may or may not come with decals or other decorations such as plastic signage, railings and ladders to enhance the appearance of the final product.

Brand/Importer Information:
Life-Like Products LLC (now Life-Like Toy and Hobby division of Wm. K. Walthers) was a manufacturer of model railroad products and was based in Baltimore, Maryland.

It was founded in the 1950s by a company that pioneered extruded foam ice chests under the Lifoam trademark. Because ice chests are a summer seasonal item, the company needed a way to keep the factory operating year round. As model railroading was becoming popular in the post-war years, they saw this as an opportunity and so manufactured extruded foam tunnels for model trains. Over the years, Life-Like expanded into other scenery items, finally manufacturing rolling stock beginning in the late 1960s. At some point in the early 1970s, Life-Like purchased Varney Inc. and began to produce the former Varney line as its own.

The Canadian distributor for Life-Like products, Canadian Hobbycraft, saw a missing segment in market for Canadian model prototypes, and started producing a few Canadian models that were later, with a few modifications, offered in the US market with US roadnames.

In 2005, the company, now known as Lifoam Industries, LLC, decided to concentrate on their core products of extruded foam and sold their model railroad operations to Wm. K. Walthers.

In June 2018, Atlas and Walthers announced to have reached an agreement under which all Walthers N scale rolling stock tooling, including the former Life-Like tooling, will be purchased by Atlas.

Read more on Wikipedia and The Train Collectors Association.
Item created by: Alain LM on 2018-08-01 03:01:54. Last edited by Alain LM on 2020-10-04 15:32:12

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