Back in 2018 I posted about how I went about putting a drive in a Hallmark-Lionel F3. A collectable item produced by Hallmark in 1999 (a miniature version of their O gauge F3), a drive may be worked out several ways. I opted to use an Athearn GP35 drive and frame, widening the wheels to OO gauge.

Functionally it operated well. Besides the front pilot sticking out too far, the thing I was even more unhappy with was the visual of the small, HO sideframes. Subsequently also I had converted another of these models into a companion dummy engine, using unpowered Tyco GP20 trucks as a basis for the dummy trucks. These models have sideframes and a wheelbase that scales well in American OO, if a little blocky and toylike.

Finally, I had an idea, what if I changed just the sideframes on the powered engine to match the dummy? The wheelbase would be off but I realized it would probably not be very visible – and I was correct, it was not very visible, you can’t really even see the wheels when it is sitting on the track.

The model runs well, and the pair looks great together. As I have said elsewhere, it is a reminder of what could have been if Lionel had stuck with American OO after WWII (instead of switching to HO for their small scale models). Can you imagine if they had offered an OO gauge train set led by these engines?