All About Aurora Postage Stamp Trains
F9-A Diesels

Prototype Information

These highly successful diesel-electric locomotives were manufactured by the Electro-Motive Division of General Motors; the F7s were produced from 1949 to 1953, and the F9s from 1953 to 1960. The F7 was the single most popular locomotive in its class, and saw use in both freight and passenger service on well over fifty railroads in North America. Trix's model is correctly referred to as an F7 in their catalog, whereas Aurora inexplicably changed it to F9, which is incorrect. That said, the main difference between the two is the pattern of smaller grilles along the side between the porthole windows.

Model Information

Catalog Numbers/Road Names, 1967

4861/210 Union Pacific
4861/211 Canadian National
4861/212 Canadian Pacific (photo courtesy of Bob Williams)
4861/220 Santa Fe
4861/230 Pennsylvania
4861/240 Baltimore & Ohio

Catalog Numbers/Road Names, 1968, With Headlight

4848 Santa Fe
4849 Penn Central
4850 Baltimore & Ohio
4851 Union Pacific

Catalog Numbers/Road Names, 1968, Without Headlight

4858 Santa Fe
4859 Penn Central
4860 Baltimore & Ohio
4861 Union Pacific*

*Note that 4861 creates a conflict of sorts with the 1967 series.

Bob Williams photo

Note that it's very difficult to find B&O diesels in good shape. The gold printing is not durable, and is sometimes almost completely worn off by the Styrofoam nest; also, the pale grey paint chips easily. Likewise the dark grey paint on the Union Pacific scheme is prone to chipping. In all cases, the horns are often a casualty from rough handling or, as is most often the case, being placed in the set tray backwards.

Incidentally, all F9-A units are numbered 510, regardless of road name. Why? It may have to do with the fact that 510 is molded into the number board inserts.

In the early 1970s, American Tortoise became the sole importer of these locos, which were sold under the Minitrix and Model Power brands. Production continued until the late 1990s, when Trix went bankrupt, and their new owner, Märklin, ended production of all North American models.