EMD F-units were a line of diesel-electric locomotives produced between November 1939 and November 1960 by General Motors Electro-Motive Division and General Motors-Diesel Division. Final assembly for all F-units was at the GM-EMD plant at La Grange, Illinois and the GMDD plant in London, Ontario, Canada. They were sold to railroads throughout the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

Structurally, the locomotive was a carbody unit, with the body as the main load-bearing structure, designed like a bridge truss and covered with cosmetic panels. The so-called bulldog nose was a distinguishing feature of the locomotive’s appearance, and made a lasting impression in the mind of the traveling public.

The F-units were the most successful “first generation” road (main line) diesel locomotives in North America and were largely responsible for superseding steam locomotives in road freight service. Before this, diesel units were mostly only built as switcher locomotives, and only used in rail yards.

F-units were sometimes known as “covered wagons”, due to the similarity in appearance of the roof of an F-unit to the canvas roof of a Conestoga wagon, an animal-drawn wagon used in the westward expansion of the United States during the late 18th and 19th centuries. When a train’s locomotive consist included only F-units, the train would then be called a wagon train. These two usages are still popular with the railfan community.

CNW FEATURES:
F3 Phase II
No dynamic brakes (4061-C and B)
Dual single-note air horns (A-units)
As-built skirts
As-built grab iron configuration
Freight pilot (A-units)

The CNW ordered a group of 33 F3 units in 1947, initially delivered in 3-unit sets. A-units carried “A” or “C” suffixes, and B units carried “B” suffixes. They were the premier freight power on the line until the arrival of the F7 units in 1949.

F-UNIT SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
Coupler cut levers
Trainline and MU hoses
Windshield wipers
Lift rings
Wire grab irons
Sanding lines
Lit signal lights and/or beacons, if equipped
Bell placement & type per prototype
Directional constant lighting
Headlight brightness remains constant
Separately-applied photo-etched metal and injection molded detail parts
Detailed fuel tank with fuel fillers, fuel gauges, breather pipes & retention tanks
Speed recorder unless noted
See-through cab windows and full cab interior
Etched metal fan grilles
Body-mounted McHenry scale knuckle couplers – Kadee compatible
Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
Accurately painted and printed paint schemes
Genesis driveline with 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
LED Lighting for realistic appearance
Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
Minimum radius: 18″ – Recommended radius: 22″
DCC-ready features Quick Plug plug-and-play technology with 21-pin NEM connector