Fox Valley Models N scale ES44AC diesel locomotive

A General Electric ES44AC is the debut locomotive from Fox Valley Models. The direct-current ready-to-run N scale model, based on GE’s Evolution Series locomotive, uses a split-frame mechanism and features numerous railroad-specific details. A package of modeler- installed etched-metal and wire details is also included.

The GE Evolution Series locomotives are designed to meet the United States Environmental Protection Agency’s Tier II emission requirements. Each has a 4,400-hp GEVO-12 diesel engine and high-impact, puncture-resistant fuel tank.

BNSF Ry., Norfolk Southern, and Union Pacific were the first railroads to use the GEVOs. Others, including Canadian Pacific, CSX, Ferromex, Iowa Interstate, and Kansas City Southern, have added ES44ACs to their rosters.

For more information on the ES44AC, read Jeffrey Capps’ article in the November 2004 issue of Model Railroader.

Though marketed by Fox Valley Models as an ES44AC, BNSF Ry. no. 5719 is one of 30 locomotives originally classified by the railroad as an AC4400EV. (The BNSF Ry. also classified these units as ES44AC and AC4400CW-T2.) These units were the preproduction models for the ES44AC. Though the AC4400EVs are the same length over the coupler pulling faces as the
later-production ES44AC (73′-2″), they’re slightly narrower (9′-11″ compared to 10′-3″) and shorter from rooftop to railhead (15′-5″ compared to 16′-0″). Both have 42″ wheels. The dimensions of the Fox Valley Models locomotive matches the earlier AC4400EV.

The model uses an injection-molded plastic shell with a separate cab, walkways, and radiator housing. The X-panels are well defined, and the radiator air-intake screens are crisp. The air-to-air dual-fan heat exchanger is particularly well executed, with the fan blades visible under the grill.

As on the prototype, there are two global positioning system domes on the cab roof. The
cab features an accurate BNSF Ry. window arrangement. The side windows are trimmed in flat aluminum, and the ridges around the front windows are flat black to simulate rubber gaskets.

The press-fit handrails are molded in prototypical colors, and the vertical portions in the step wells (and the step edges) are painted white. The pilots have separately applied uncoupling levers and m.u. hoses; the m.u. receptacles and spare knuckle holders are molded. There’s a plastic snowplow attached to the front pilot, but it’s slightly oversized compared to the prototype.

The one-piece fuel tank press fits to the bottom of the chassis. It features molded air tanks and pipes, emergency fuel shutoff switch boxes, fuel sight gauges, and a bell. A separate plastic piece, which fits over the mechanism, has molded traction motor cable detail.

Our sample is decorated in BNSF Ry.’s Heritage II scheme and has evenly applied paint. The yellow stripes and lettering are opaque, but there are a few small voids where the stripes pass over
body louvers.

I compared the model 5719 against prototype photos and noticed a few paint discrepancies. First, the top black stripe is missing from the yellow band above the BNSF lettering. The bottom of the sand box is painted orange, but it should be solid green. Also, the pie-shaped wedges on the rear BNSF herald should be yellow, not orange. These three errors can be fixed with paint and decals.

The model closely matches dimensions of the drawings published in the November 2004 issue of Model Railroader. One detail difference between the model and prototype is that the horizontal screens for the air-to-air dual-fan heat exchanger are too short. Units 5718-5724 have full-length screens. Engines 5725-5747 have short screens, appropriate for Fox Valley’s other BNSF Ry. ES44ACs, 5738 and 5745.

Mechanism and performance.

To see what was under the hood, I removed the shell by gently pressing up on the front and rear pilots. Underneath the shell is a die-cast metal split-frame mechanism. The model has a five-pole skew-wound motor with dual brass flywheels.

A printed-circuit (PC) board is attached to the top of the frame. Straight from the box, the model is designed for direct current operation. The locomotive can be converted to Digital Command Control with either the Digitrax DZ125IN or Train Control Systems EUN651 decoders.

Golden-white light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are soldered to each end of the PC board. Clear plastic tubes carry the light from the LEDs to the directional headlights and ditch lights.

On the test track, the ES44AC crawled along at 1.3 scale mph at 1.6 volts. The locomotive accelerated to 128 scale mph, which is more than 50 mph faster than the prototype’s top speed. Converting the locomotive to DCC would make it easier to control the speed range.

The model’s drawbar pull is equivalent to 20 freight cars on straight and level track. Traction tires would help increase the drawbar pull.

Fox Valley Models is off to a good start in the N scale locomotive market. With three different cab and body styles, the firm can offer its N scale ES44ACs in several railroad-specific configurations. Look for the firm’s ES44DC diesel locomotives this summer.

N scale ES44AC
Price: $119.95

Manufacturer
Fox Valley Models
P.O. Box 1970
Des Plaines, IL 60017
www.foxvalleymodels.com

Road names (three road numbers each): BNSF Ry. (Heritage II), Canadian Pacific, CSX, Ferromex, Iowa Interstate, Kansas City Southern, and Union Pacific. Undecorated models are
also available.

Era: October 2003 to present

Features
Brass air horn
Correctly gauged wheelsets
Hi-adhesion or steerable truck sideframes as appropriate
Micro-Trains knuckle couplers, screw-mounted to shell at correct height
Minimum radius: 11″
Modeler-installed painted wire grab irons, etched-metal cab sunshades, and windshield wipers
Weight: 4.2 ounces