[LateStarter]

MSRP for A/B set is $290 with sound (dummy B).
MSRP separate (powered A or B) is $209 ea. with sound.
Eight road names plus undecorated.

 

[LateStarter]

Ordered a B-unit to mix-in with my Walthers Mainline Widows.

 

[LateStarter]

Couldn't resist... I'm a serious F7 fan.
Got a Bloody Nose A-unit.
Noisy runner though... shell-buzz.
I hope it doesn't take a lot of trial and error to fix. Took me forever to quiet a Proto B-unit. Dabs of FlexSeal was what finally worked.

 

[Gramps]

Just curious about SP numbering. On the nose and rear sides it has the locomotive number, but where the numbers appear on the lighted front end an X precedes the number.

 

[LateStarter]

Just curious about SP numbering. On the nose and rear sides it has the locomotive number, but where the numbers appear on the lighted front end an X precedes the number.

Trains on some railroads, such as UP and SP, displayed the train number on a locomotive's train indicator box. When an extra (train-order/non-timetable) train was called, an 'X' was put in the locomotive's train indicator box, ahead of the locomotive number.
So if locomotive No. 6384 was assigned to an extra train, the number board would read “X-6384.” This would tell any other train crew that this train was not one of the regularly scheduled (timetable) trains, but was made up on a train order.

 

[LateStarter]

FWIW, locomotive models of railroads that follow this practice are for the most part, pulling 'extra' trains made up from train orders.
I suspect that in the future, (if anyone is willing to pay for it) DCC CV files will let us play with this feature.

 

[Gramps]

Thanks for the info. I knew some trains ran as extras but I didn't realize this information could be added to the indicator box.

 

[LateStarter]

Also, on the UP and SP, it was common for helpers (on point) to carry the number of the extra loco.
In lieu of that, they bore white flags.
It's my understanding that not very many roads followed these practices. The UP and SP are the ones I'm fairly certain of.

 

[LateStarter]

Also, it's my understanding that an 'extra' train carried "inferior" status, and would be subject to passing-track waits and confinements before any others.
How this would be handled with block signaling is anyone's guess. That's above my paygrade.

 

[J.Albert1949]

"How this would be handled with block signaling is anyone's guess. That's above my paygrade."

In most signaled territory, whether ABS rule "251" (where trains run in a specific direction on specific tracks) or CTC rule "261" (where trains run in either direction on a particular track) the block signals "supersede" the authority of extra v. regular (scheduled) trains.

In other words, all you need is the signal (from dispatcher, or operator where authorized by the dispatcher) to enter the main track. Once you're on the main track you just run as would all the other trains, governed by block signal indications.

Some early block signal installations did not go this far.
All they showed you was the condition of the immediate track ahead.
In this territory, trains still needed timetable or train order authority to occupy the main track.
I would imagine that extra trains would still be required to "clear" regular trains (at passing sidings).