Poor, because there are not trucks
poor, because there are not trucks
good
It's nice. My train finish completely to consist 25 cryogenic train with it. At the end, it has a handmade EOT, that is CSX vision. I wish to make UP vision EOT, that is covered hopper car and its covered remove easily.
.
It was missing the drawbar connection parts between the locomotive and the tender. I have contacted BLI about this.
Your shipping is great.
$217.00 Alaska FedEx Airplanes to 100 Fernvue Dr Coroapolis
Pa 15108 Night’s / Morning’s
Perhaps the finest locomotives I’ve ever purchased, BLI is knocking it out of the park!!
Great Decals
Runs smooth, sounds good, everything lights up that should, smoke unit works well, handles 18" curves fine and has nice details.
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About the McDonnell F-4C/D Phantom II
In May 1958, the McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II prototype was rolled out of their
facility at Lambert Field, St. Louis, Missouri. It was a very large aircraft for
a fighter and it was not very pretty by aviation standards. It looked like some
giant had stepped on its nose and kicked it in the tail; however, it flew on the
27th of that month and is still flying today, 5,195 Phantoms later. From these
beginnings until well into the 1970's the F4 Phantom II would be the primary
fighter aircraft of the free world.
By 1982 the F4 had fought in 5 major conflicts, nine years in Southeast Asia,
twice in the desert of the Middle East and against each other at one time. It
was used in every role; Fighter interceptor, Fighterbomber, Reconnaissance,
Tanker and Drone. They specialized in attack roles as Wild Weasel defense
suppression and laser designator bombers. They also defeated the best aircraft
that the opposition could put against it. The only time it lost was when pitted
against another F4, during the Greek-Turkey conflict. With the U.S. Navy in the
headlines everyday with this new interceptor, the American Defense Department
ordered competitive tests be flown against the best aircraft in the U.S. Air
Force inventory. Convair's F-106 Delta Dart was selected to fly against the
Navy's Phantom II, and the Phantom easily won top speed, low-level speed,
altitude, plus the unrefueled range and radar range. Following this flyoff, much
to the disgust and embarrassment of the Air Force, it was decided that the next
Air Force fighter would be this U.S. Navy design. It would at first supplement,
then totally replace the Air Force F100; F102; F104 and F105 strike and
interceptor aircraft. Under the designation F110A, the Air Force Phantom II was
basically a Navy-4B airframe with changes made to meet Air Force requirements.
Following the F-4C, which was essentially the same aircraft as the designated
F110A, the F-4D version was more closely tailored to meet the requirements of
the Air Force. With these two versions, the Phantom II established its
unparalleled esteem in the U.S. Air Force.
The F-4's in the U.S. Navy had numerous variants through its career to fulfill
various requirements from the Navy as well. Following the F-4G, which was
developed as a trial, the next variant was designated the F-4J to avoid
confusion with the original F4H-1 The F-4J was designed as the follow-on to the
original F-4B, correcting some of the deficiencies which had become apparent in
service. Its maiden flight was made on 27th May 1966, and mass production
started shortly after. As the F-4J was developed for the U.S. Navy in parallel
with the F-4D of the Air Force, they had a few differences. The new J79-GE-10
powerplant was further improved from the previous J79-GE-8 to yield more power.
Internally, upgraded radar, with an improved fire-control system and a new
missile-control system, were fitted to earn even better interception and ground
attack abilities. In addition, a fixed inboard leading edge along with a slotted
tailplane contributed to better maneuverability at low speeds. Lift at low
speeds was further enhanced by furnishing 16.5� dropped ailerons. As a
consequence of these alternations, its approach speed was reduced by 20km/h. A
further noticeable difference from the previous variants was the bulged inner
wingfoot to accommodate the larger wheels employed to cope with its increased
weight. Armament was also bolstered. AIM-7 Sparrows and AIM-9 Sidewinders were
equipped as the main weapons for air-to-air combat, and a wide variety of bombs,
missiles, rockets and explosives could be fitted according to the mission. The
maximum load of armament was 5 tons which made the F-4J's attack capability
outstanding. Further changes were introduced during the course of production,
such as a provision of Sidewinder Expanded Acquisition Mode (SEAM) and addition
of various dogfight-capable computers.
It was in March 1967 when the F-4J's delivery to the corps started. U.S. forces
were in midst of the hard-fought conflict against North Vietnam. Back in 1961,
the U.S. government decided to send their troops to Vietnam to support the South
Vietnamese government, and the conflict kept spreading day by day. Under these
circumstances, the Phantom II played a main role in the sky. The Navy's Phantom
II's were flown from aircraft carriers, and the Phantom II's of the Air Force
and the Marines were flown from their bases in South Vietnam and Thailand to
engage in North Vietnameses's MiGs. It was the end of May 1968 when the F-4J's
carried on the aircraft carrier "America" first appeared over the Vietnamese
sky. On 21st July, an F-4J shot down a MiG 21, which was recorded as the first
kill by the F-4J. F-4J's streamed to the battle field, and achieved outstanding
military results against MiG's especially after resumption of the North Vietnam
bombing. The only "Ace" status in the U.S. Navy during this conflict was
attained by an F-4J on 10th May 1972. Lt. Randy Cunningham and Lt. William
Driscoll, who had already shot down a MiG 1 and MiG 17, gained three MiG 17's on
the day, making themselves the first aces. However, their "longest day" was not
concluded. Soon after their fifth kill, on their way back, their F-4J was tagged
by a missile from the ground and the pair ejected and were rescued at sea.
The mass production of the F-4J ceased in December 1972, recording 522 aircraft
as the total number produced. The F-4J proved its superb combat capability
mainly in the Vietnam conflict throughout its career, and contributed to
establishing the high reputation for the Phantom II series all around the world.
Seven F-4J's were slightly modified for use by the U.S. Navy's "Blue Angels"
flight demonstration team as well. These aircraft had oil and smoke injectors
added, and were beautifully painted in the team's attractive blue and gold
colors. Their acrobat demonstrations fully utilized their full potential at the
many air shows held for the public. Although being replaced gradually by the
F-14 Tomcat in the Navy and the F-15 Eagle in the Air force in recent years, the
Phantom II dominated the sky all over the world as a guardian for western
alignment till the 80's.
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Effective October 1, 2025
Factory Direct Hobbies has a 30-day return policy, which means you have 30 days after your item has shipped to request a return.
To be eligible for a return, your item must be in the same condition that you received it and in its original packaging. All manuals, parts, and accessories must be included.
To start a return, visit our Returns Center. If your return is approved, we'll email you instructions on how and where to send your package. Items sent back to us without first requesting a return will not be accepted and will be returned to sender.
This applies to incorrect scale, color, size, or duplicate orders:
Returns of loose track, small components, O scale items, and special-order items incur a 15% restocking fee. Return shipping is deducted whether you choose store credit or a refund.
Please inspect your order upon receipt and contact us immediately if the item is defective, damaged, or if you receive the wrong item, so we can evaluate the issue and make it right.
The fastest way to ensure you get what you want is to return the item you have and place a new order for the replacement on our website. Please note that we cannot process manual exchanges over the phone.
We will notify you once we’ve received and inspected your return, and let you know if the refund was approved.
Orders placed before this date follow the previous return policy.
If you have questions about a return or warranty, please contact our support team and include your order number so we can assist you quickly.
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Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.
As our preorder offerings have grown, we’ve found that a large percentage of preorder reservations are canceled or left unpaid without notice. We pay our suppliers for every preorder item that arrives at our warehouse, so when a customer does not pay for their item, we are left no choice but to absorb that cost. We have tried our best to cope with the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so.
We understand that this is an unwelcome change, and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies. We must now ask that customers pay a 10% good-faith down payment toward the price of their item. This non-refundable good-faith payment is applied to the price of the product, and the balance (plus shipping and any applicable taxes) will be invoiced approximately 30-45 days before the item is slated to arrive at our warehouse.
We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.
The good-faith down payment is not refundable if you choose to cancel your preorder or do not pay your invoice.
However, if a manufacturer cancels a project for which you have made a down payment, you will receive a refund for your down payment.
Yes. We know that paying ahead of time can be unnerving when delivery dates are distant, and not every project makes it to the production line. Rest assured that, in the event the manufacturer cancels your preorder project, you will be refunded your 10% down payment.
Hobbies should be fun, not stressful!
The manufacturing process involves many different moving parts, and this complexity often renders production timelines unpredictable. Therefore, some level of unpredictability in timing is inherent to preordering hobby products. Down payments are not refundable in cases of routine manufacturing, delivery, or other short-term delays.
However, we know it can be frustrating when a project gets delayed for many months. In the event a project is delayed more than 6 months beyond the delivery window originally estimated by the manufacturer, we will handle refunds of down payments on a case-by-case basis.
Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.
Nope! The policy is not retroactive: if you already made a preorder reservation before this policy update, you do not owe a down payment for that reservation. However, any future preorders you make will require the 10% good-faith down payment.
We make every effort to keep our website updated with information that reflects manufacturers' current estimated delivery schedules. To find the estimated delivery month of an item, you can visit our Preorder Section and use the filters to narrow down your selection.
However, we encourage you to directly visit the manufacturer's site for the most current delivery dates.
Approximately 30-45 days before your preorder items land at the warehouse, we'll email your invoice to you to pay in full. At this point, you'll be able to provide your shipping address and select your preferred shipping method.
Your item will be reserved for 7 days, beginning when your invoice is sent. After 7 days, your preorder will be canceled.
Recently, our suppliers have made a major policy change and are no longer accepting product returns for non-paying end customers. We have tried our best to absorb the effects of this change; however, after more than a year of trying, we have found we cannot continue to do so. After much consideration, we unfortunately must also change our policies to align with the realities our suppliers have created.
As a result, we must now ask that customers pay in full prior to the supplier finalizing shipment to FDH, about 30-45 days ahead of product arrival. This gives us the time we need to cancel with our suppliers any unpaid orders prior to shipment.
We understand that this is an unwelcome change and no one wants to pay earlier than necessary. However, this is unavoidable in order for us to be able to continue to offer the wide variety of preorder options you’re used to getting from Factory Direct Hobbies.
One silver lining is that this change will result in preorder items getting to your door even faster, as all payment processing will be well out of the way and the usual several day wait after product has arrived will be eliminated. We thank you for your patience and understanding. If you have questions or would like further clarification, feel free to contact us through the gold chat bubble.
Manufacturing schedules can sometimes be unpredictable. In the event your preorder item does not arrive at our warehouse within 60 days of your invoice payment, then you will have the option to cancel your preorder and receive a refund OR you may elect to continue waiting for the item.
Friendly Reminder: Should you choose to cancel a preorder, it will no longer be reserved for you; in the event the item becomes available on our website, all customers will have equal access to purchase the item.
We know life happens, and missing out on a great item can be a drag!
We're here to help; just contact us via the gold chat bubble and we'll do all we can to work with you!
If you have an account with factorydirecthobbies.com, you can view all your preorders, as well as your active orders. Login to your account, and select the “My orders” option. All your preorders and active orders will be listed along with the current status of each order. If you have further questions about your order, please feel free to reach out to us through the gold chat bubble.
Although we try to keep our preorder arrival estimates as accurate as possible, we encourage you to visit each manufacturer’s website to find the most up-to-date delivery information.
For instance, with Athearn and Walthers, you can enter the part number into their websites and navigate to the item. Most of the time, the delivery date will be listed there. Broadway Limited has a published delivery schedule, as does Rapido.
Yes. Rewards can be used on both your 10% good-faith down payment and on the balance of your preorder at invoicing time.
Yes! Preorders are awarded reward dollars at the same 5% rate. You'll receive your reward within several days of paying the balance of your preorder invoice.
If we still haven't answered your question, please click the gold messaging bubble in the bottom right of our site, and we'll help in any way we can!
