(erielack) Highliner A-unit review and other EL goodies...

["Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" <paultup_@_lucent.com>]

Folks,

	Just picked my Highliner A-unit yesterday... my quickie review:

	It's molded in cream color! It's not the same gray that the B-units
were. It also comes with a LOT of parts. If you can't make a prototype's
F-unit from this thing, something is seriously wrong. It comes with
freight/passenger pilots, correct side panels, LOTS of etched stainless
steel parts (including porthole frames, classification light gaskets, etc.),
pre-cut window glass, and a whole lot more. The kit is actually fairly
overwhelming. You'll spend a good evening just figuring out what's what, and
what you'll need to assemble your prototype. But once you nail down the
prototype, all the parts are in this kit. The only thing it doesn't come
with are the stainless steel grilles for "F5"/F7/F9 diesels, and an
underframe. The detail is crisp, and even the tiniest items are
well-defined. It was worth the wait, folks. Mine is already being prepped to
be an EL F7 Phase 1a (and by the way, the instructions give an excellent
explanation of all the F-unit phases - I might post these up later)

	I also picked up four EL ACF 4650 covered hoppers, new from Atlas -
absolutely beautiful! One of the best EL pieces of freight equipment I've
seen to date - etched roofwalk, the correct roof hatches (bravo, Atlas!),
beautiful paint, great rolling trucks, and it's ready-to-run. Atlas has also
adopted a new box style that seems to be a bit more secure than previous
ones, too.

	And with any luck, I should have photos of the new ELHS Stewart
hopper cars online by this weekend, along with ordering info... keep those
eyes peeled!

	- Paul


Paul R. Tupaczewski_______________________
Lucent Technologies
Wireless Networks Group                Phone: 973-386-4966
Mobile Internet Applications                  Fax: 973-386-3538
67 Whippany Road, Room 15C-121  
Whippany, NJ 07981                            
_______________________________________________

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