There have been some recent conversations among frequent RYPN participants (outside the site) relating to EMD F-units as a result of the very successful ARHS convention. One of the questions that has been circulated relates to available information sources.

Just for general information, the EMD F3 Operating Manual, 5th Edition, dated November 1948, is probably one of the best sources of information relating to F3 and F7 locomotives. This manual was printed after the "three relay" automatic transition system was introduced, and includes information on manual transition and all automatic transition systems to that time. As a result the content of the manual is generally applicable to most F3 and F7 production. For F9 information you are better off looking for the F9 manual with the FL9 supplement.

The F3 5th edition was one of the last F-unit manuals printed in large fold-out diagram format, EMD cheapened the manuals to save printing costs after that and the diagrams in most F7 manuals are much harder to view. It also was printed before EMD introduced their Maintenance Instruction publications, which separated a lot of information out of subsequent operators manuals. The drawings in the 5th Edition manual are late production F3 with stainless steel side grilles and low cooling fans.

The 5th Edition manual is less common than some of the earlier versions but it shows up sometimes on eBay and at train shows. It has a blue printed cardstock cover.

PC