Features: O-31 operation. Scale dimensions, two can-style motors, coil couplers, smoke unit, ProtoSound 3.0 command and sound system
Current production run road names: Amtrak, Baltimore & Ohio, Chicago & North Western, and Ontario Southland Ry.
Gradually these locomotives had drifted down the pecking order from hotshot freight to local peddler to finally arrive at railroading’s fringes – impoverished short lines, industrial operations, or museums. These were the products that made good the diesel revolution, and after three or four decades of valuable service their day was done.
It was pretty sad. But fortune is with us, since in the world of toy trains the calendar never changes and we can run whatever trains we desire to run.
The MTH RailKing Electro-Motive GP7 is a commendable salute to this steel warrior. It is a scale-sized addition to the RailKing line measuring 14¾ inches long (59 feet in O scale) so don’t worry about getting an undersized steel pony.
Opening the box
This model has a friendly, familiar face. I can’t say the GP7/GP9 body has never been a particular “gotta have it” style for me, but over the years I probably have bought more of them than any other carbody. The only competition might be the dissimilar cab units from Alco, Baldwin, Fairbanks-Morse, and the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors.
The truth is, that if you model any time from the 1950s through the early ’90s, you probably need to have a few of these road diesels around (and the more different road names the better).
This model uses the old Premier line tooling. It is scale-sized, but the detailing is more 1994 (when the MTH model was introduced) than 2014. Still, it is a well-balanced model and looks very good.
The detail points are there, but they are simplified. For example, the footboards on the pilot are there, but they have a smooth surface. The brake line/multiple-unit cables are cast-in, not separate add-ons. The drawbridge is simply a flat piece of metal that is part of the frame.
The rivet and seam details on the nose are very nice, and there are cast-in grab irons running up both ends of the locomotive. Near the top of the snouts you’ll find illuminated number boards and a headlight. The markers are simply cast into the shell and do not light up.
The handrails are all wire, and there are safety chains by the handrail gap for the drawbridges.
The front cab windows have cast-in wiper arms in the panes, and there are two crew figures in the cab. The sides have general door, latch, and hinge detailing. Screens and vents are all cast in.
The top of the locomotive has the key reference spots: sand-filler hatches, grab irons, and rooftop fans (all cast-in). The lift rings are nubs, but the upside to that is that they won’t break off easily. There is an add-on horn on the roof and, of course, the two exhaust stacks for the smoke unit.
The Baltimore & Ohio’s freight scheme is fairly basic and is well executed on this model. Both ends have the B&O’s Capitol Dome logo surrounded by the railroad’s short-lived sunburst design. The side of the locomotive simply has the letters B&O, and the cab has the locomotive number and the FSE-1 locomotive class.
Yellow safety striping runs along the edge of the frame and below the cab, and an EMD builder’s plate can be found. The paint was smooth and even, and we noted no overspray.
On the test track
The conventional-mode low-speed average was 2.68 scale miles per hour, while the command-mode low-speed average was 2.1 scale miles per hour. Our high-speed average was 74.3 scale miles per hour. Drawbar pull was a surprisingly robust 2 pounds.
The truck sideframes are die cast metal with cast in detailing. The casing for the speaker feels as though it is die cast metal, and the lip over the side features a fueling port and simulated sight gauge.
The Geep has a smoke unit, and the control can be found on the frame beneath the cab. The volume control is also located on the frame, on the opposite side.
The digital locomotive sounds are fine – the prime mover sounds are authentic and the sound reproduction is solid.
There are two power pickup rollers on each truck, and about 7 inches separates the innermost rollers. Each truck has a coil coupler that can be triggered remotely using a ProtoSound DCS controller.
Is this is a “put ’er in the roundhouse” locomotive? The RailKing GP7 by MTH is a fine, basic locomotive. It has the sound and command elements of the MTH DCS system, smooth low-speed operation in conventional or command modes, and a good sound package. Combine it with RailKing line pricing and this becomes a serious contender for expanding your fleet.
Well, I don't care what MTH calls it, but it sure looks like a GP9 to me—not a GP7! And yes, I know, Lionel started the confusion by taking their postwar GP7, adding a dynamic brake bulge on the roof, and calling it a GP9! But anyway, these are toy trains after all…and this MTH engine is light-years ahead of that old Lionel—whatever they want to call it! And nice review, Bob! I have to say I much prefer this current layout compared to the old bare-bones test track! Keep the reviews coming!