Available Items

January 19, 2008 - M.T.H. Electric Trains has released its 2007 Dealer Appreciatin Program Norfolk Southern F-7 to M.T.H. Authorized Retailers. The Dealer Appreciation Program (D.A.P.) features a limited selection of items, each in a specially marked D.A.P. package, that will not appear in any M.T.H. catalog in their D.A.P. configuration. To make these limited edition products truly special, we offer each Authorized M.T.H. Retailer only two of these special packages.

The 2007 program was headed up by a Norfolk Southern F-7 in the railroad's Executive Train paint scheme. In a nod to its heritage, the Norfolk Southern decided in 2006 to replace the modern engines that hauled its executive train with a set of vintage diesels. Through an equipment broker, they found a set of EMD F7's with a long history. The A-units were built in 1952 for the Baltimore & Ohio, while the B-units were originally delivered to the Chicago Great Western and the Chicago and North Western. In 1981, the four were rebuilt by Morrison-Knudson for a new career with MARC (Maryland Rail Commuter Service). After being retired a second time, they went to RailCruise America for dinner train service and then to the Kansas City Southern, which later declared them surplus and sent them to the equipment broker that sold them to the NS.

This time, it looks like the four wandering F-units have a permanent home. In late 2006, they were towed to the Norfolk Southern's ex-Pennsy shops in Altoona for a full mechanical and cosmetic overhaul. They emerged from Altoona in a paint scheme that harks back to NS predecessor Southern Railway, but with the Thoroughbred, Norfolk Southern's corporate symbol, emblazoned on the nose of each A-unit. Their maiden outing with the company train (minus one A-unit that was not yet finished) was in early April at the Masters golf tournament, and they have since been spotted throughout the Norfolk Southern system.

 

WHERE TO BUY

The M.T.H. 2007 D.A.P. Norfolk Southern F-7 is available in very limited quantities. Check with your local M.T.H. Authorized Retailer for availability. The 2008 D.A.P. package will be announced in February 2008.