About 50 different railroads purchased F3 locomotives, plus several more if you count various subsidiaries such as Wisconsin Central separate from the Soo Line or International & Great Northern separate from Missouri Pacific. Of course, the locomotive’s success was partly due to pent-up demand resulting from slow locomotive production during the war but it was also because of some railroads that hadn’t purchased FTs were catching up on Dieselization.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

In December 1946 GM delivered the first of 27 F3 units, mostly A units, to the Monon Railroad, which was trying to quickly Dieselize. Although number 51 was the first unit delivered, Monon also bought GM’s second F3 demonstrator, which included one of the B units from the first demonstrator.

This card is signed by Harry Bockewitz.

In January, Northern Pacific received 20 F3s painted for freight service and numbered in the 6000 series plus seven more painted for passenger service and numbered in the 6500 series. Note that the passenger locomotive in the picture consists of three units while the freight locomotives came in four units.

This painting is signed by Harry Bockewitz.

Here is an original painting of the same locomotive that is somewhat different from the one on the card.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

In April, 1947, Spokane, Portland & Seattle received two A units, numbered 800 and 801. SP&S would buy one more FT, number 802, that would be delivered in November 1948.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

Union Pacific purchased 179 F3s, including 89 A units and 90 Bs. The first ones, starting with number 1400, arrived in May 1947.

This card is signed by Ben Dedek.

Also in May 1947, Monon received eight F3s painted in passenger colors. Two of the demonstrators that it later purchased were also in passenger colors.