PRE-ORDER: Kato 176-1209-S - EMD F3B (DCC and Sound) Western Pacific (WP) - N Scale

Pre-Order Due Date:  Sept 30 2026 3pm CST

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Pre-Order FAQ

Most manufacturers give an ETA on when they expect to release the pre-order which can be seen near the "add to cart" button on the product page. They also give an order due date (found in the product description) which is indicative of when the product is expected to go into production.

There is a 5% NON-refundable deposit for preorders, this amount will be deducted from the price of the product when it arrives. You will see how much downpayment is required after adding the item to your cart. We do not store your payment information and it is not charged by us when the product arrives.

For any pre-order submitted after the due date, we will try our best to fulfill your pre-order, but are at the mercy of the manufacturer and if they produce more than were preordered by their dealers. If we cannot fulfill your pre-order we will credit the 5% deposit to you.

When the pre-ordered product(s) are available to ship, you will receive an email requesting the remaining 95% payment that will take you to your cart. It is at this point you are asked for shipping address and method OR in-store pickup.. We will never charge your payment method without you checking out. At this time you are also able to add other in-stock items if you wish.

Please note that Estimated Arrival Dates can change at any point. Midwest Model Railroad is not responsible for manufacturers delaying production. Visit midwestmodelrr.com/pre-orders/ for more information.

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Prototype Information:

The F-Unit is probably the most recognized diesel locomotive in North American history. It was found on railroads from East to West and North to South. Eastern railroads favored a “Single Headlight” version of the F3, while Western railroads favored a “Dual Headlight” version.

F3 locomotives were used in both freight and passenger service. For passenger service, it was necessary for the locomotives to have a Steam Generator to provide heat and electricity in the passenger cars. In later years, many F3 locomotives originally intended for passenger services were downgraded to freight duty.

Model Information:

The Kato EMD F3 comes in both A and B (cabless) variations. All current variations of the F-unit locomotive chassis are DCC friendly. Passenger units are commonly identified by their Steam Generators vs. freight units which lack this detail. The 2014 run of CB&Q Freight F3’s have a number of passenger features, such as the straight pilot, as they began their life as locomotives pulling the California Zephyr before being repainted and repurposed as freight locomotives.

Model Features: