Your Santa Fe Streamlined varnish, what type of motive power do you run? Would you consider variety?

[Texas Zepher]

Well, the poll states using the Walthers set, so I had to answer F7.

The only El Capitan cars I know of are brass, or the plastic "Detail Associates" or "Train Station Products" kits (which are the same kits just different names on the box). I have the Hallmark set which don't look good mixed with the plastic ones, sigh.

My sentimental power for any of them would of course be the PA's. They were much more often assigned to the Grand Canyon, or Express & Mail Limited (train 23?). I can't wait until Walthers or someone else produces good plastic RTR High level El Capitan, or the older 1937 Super and El Cap cars. THEN this will be a much more interesting question and could even have E1 power.

Totally unprototypical for these Super Chief cars but what got ooohs and aahs at a public showing was the Walthers Superchief cars without the shorty RPO, a head end of a green REA reefer, a heavy weight baggage, pulled by E6 AB with a 4-8-4 helper on the point.

[Anonymous]

I use E units (A & B), and model the late 1940s-early 50s because it's my favorite railroading era.

trainluver1

[Don Gibson]

My 2 KMT U30CG's were horrible runner's and remotored with Helix humper's and outfited with Hyperllite Mar's headlight's. They were C.P. into Warbonnet's and ran better than my similar KMT FP-45's, which remained in my case..

[Don Gibson]

To (other) Santa Fe freak's out there ...

The SUPER was largly pulled by 'F's - F-3' and F-7's which later became (2)FP-45's
Other engine's could have been pressed into service, but these were the mainstay's.

The U30CG's, DL109, and FM Erie built's, may have been intended for 'Super' service, but were found lacking and shifted to other service: DL 109 to 'flatland', U30CG's to Texas, and FM to San Diego. as were GM's E unit's.
ALCO PABA's were purchased for El Capitan and fill-in sevice. They could climb Raton's 3.5% at speed w/o helpers, where it took 4 F-7's.

[Anonymous]

Nothing at the moment, but if I can get some ATSF Passenger cars, I'll put my Superfleet FP45 on the point and make it a Santa Fe business train!

[1shado1]

QUOTE: Originally posted by AntonioFP45

Neat to see this thread going nearly a year later.

I mentioned on another thread that in the book "Trains, Tracks, and Travel" (1956 edition) there is a cool shot of a pair of Alco DL109's hauling the Super Chief through the desert!

Interesting because did not Santa Fe have only 2 DL-109s?

Actually, Santa Fe had one DL-109 (all DL-109s have cabs), and one DL-110 (all DL-110s are cabless 'B' units, only 4 were built).[:D]

JEFF

[AntonioFP45]

Neat to see this thread going nearly a year later.

I mentioned on another thread that in the book "Trains, Tracks, and Travel" (1956 edition) there is a cool shot of a pair of Alco DL109's hauling the Super Chief through the desert!

Interesting because did not Santa Fe have only 2 DL-109s?

[Anonymous]

Would consider variety for my 1954-1956 San Francisco Chief but would not use Athearn F-7's unless I decide to use Alcad (spelling?) on cars; otherwise the simulated stainless steel on the enignes would make the painted plastic cars look rather odd. I like my F-3's because they have the "extended" warbonnet scheme-there's an Espee video that includes a single ATSF shot of such a set pulling the westbound SF Chief. I have made no changes to the engines but am going to research the headlights. I am mainly an Espee modeler.

[Don Gibson]

THE 'SUPER CHIEF' (AT&SF)

was pulled by different engines at different times - despite what Walthers advertises.
the 'Super' was all 1'st class Sleeper and compartment, built entirely by Pullman at one point, and hauled by 4-6-4's, 4-8-2's, EMC F-1's 'Amos& Andy', Later, ACF cars were added as were PA's, and F-3's Budd built cars also added to the consist - as were F-7's.

Since the F-7's came on the scene late - as did the Budd cars - I'm sure the Santa Fe used their latest and best for the 'Super'. Exception was the High level El Capitan. With the possible exception of Baggage cars, it was all-Budd.

A side note; With delivery of EMD F-7's Santa Fe rebuily their F-3's to match them.

[Anonymous]

Leighant--

RE: TX GCSF

From someone willing to admit he is old enough to have been there in the mid- to late-'60s, here is what I either remember or photographed:

15-16 Normally 4-5 F's replaced by 3 of the U28's in summer 1966 (rode behind them--ugly beasts!)

115-116 DAL-Gainesville Normally F7AB (no steam on A units) or one E (including one of the really old ones-forget the no. but 15 comes to mind, 86 was a common unit also) for 4 cars--5 required an extra crew member under the contract so it was rarely done. Holidays when they ran a complete train CHI-DAL, usually 3 F's replaced by 2 of the U28's for the last couple of years

11-12 Normally 3 F's (ABB) (308 leading was typical) or 2 E's (AB) (85 got the lead job a lot) with about 3-5 HE, 2 chair and a Valley-series 6-6-4. Picked up a LCD in Wichita and a lounge in OKC thru to CHI (typical until mail contract dropped)

77-78 FTW-BRN Normally 1 PA (don't have pix but some old timer from FTW can probably give you a #-there were 2 assigned and they just turned FTW-BRN with about 3-5HE (RPO and maybe 1 bag turned in BRN), 2 Chair and a Blue-series 10-3-2. Died with mail contract.

66/75 & 76/65 HOU-Clovis 2-3 Alco PA-PB-PB. I also remember 3-4 F's late summer 1967 when I rode EBound. Out of HOU 3-5HE, 2-5 CC, DLC, Lounge, 10-6 and 6-6-4(peak). Picked up DAL cars from 77 in BRN. Died with mail contract.

UT-OU specials, usually F's. I remember at least once the OU train had HiLevels. GCSF didn't serve Austin, so when and if they ran from south (and I think that at one time they did and those moves ended early) it was from HOU with a stop in TPL to pick up Austin psgrs that were bussed.

I also remember riding a Boy Scout special from DAL-Ardmore in about 1959-60. F's and heavyweights.

Hope this info is useful to you.

[Anonymous]

I don't actually model Santa Fe's passenger trains, but their business and excursion fleet and use an F7A and B, #'s 347C and B unit, using modelers license in that the ATSF retained the units rather than donating to CSRM.
Ch

[SSW9389]

I model the trains of Stockton, CA. The San Francisco Chief gets either a 4 or 5 unit set of F7s or an FP45/F45 combination. The Fast Mail runs with either a set of F7s or a
PA-1 PB-1 PA-1 set. It all depends on what time frame I want to run.

[leighant]

I don't run my Santa Fe passenger trains yet, because my existing layout is too small, too tight curves, etc.
I have a set of F7-ABBAs for the Texas Chief partly because I just like the F units AND because that is what I have actually seen and ridden behind when I rode the Amtrak version of the Texas Chief in the 1970s.

(My rendering of Texas Chief leaving island seaport city of Karankawa- my version of Galveston, Texas- on the causeway on my proposed future layout. Pleasure piers were actually on the Gulf side of Galveston where the tracks didn't go but I thought maybe I could work one in by putting it on the bay side of the island alongside the causeway.)
http://www.railimages.com/albums/kennethanthony/abz.jpg

I know the PAs were extensively used and I have a PA-PB-PA lashup for the California Special/ Texan. However, I have seen a photo of the California Special/ Texan entering Houston with oddball DL-109 #50 on the head-end, mismated with an E6 or E7 B-unit. I have a DL-109 already and material to kitba***he B-unit.

Or I might use either the PA or the DL-109 on the Ranger mail, express and accommodation.

I have some old E-8s which I could detail as E-8m (rebuilds of early E units) and possibly use for a passenger extra or a secondary train. Even on my future dream layout, I expect to have more equipment than available staging track space.

By the way, I am not using the Walthers models. I am in N scale.

[Anonymous]

I use some very unprototypical locos - my two bilevel commuter sets (one of Walthers C&NW cars and the other of Athearn Metrolink cars) use a Proto 1k Erie-Built in C&NW paint and an Athearn PA in SF Warbonnet paint respectively. I may be swapping the PA round with a Milwaukee road FP7 - have just managed to find some of the ER Models examples at a ludicrously cheap price from a hobby store over here (list price was £80, they have them for £30). Anyone have any experience of these?

I've also been known to use an SP SD9 (Athearn), and a NS high-nose GP50 (Bachmann) on passenger work, as well as a pair of Athearn F7As (The Lehigh Valley SE set from a few years ago - one powered, one dummy, have fitted the Walthers detail kit). As my line is a fictional museum, I tend to use any loco that was used in any form of passenger service - planning to buy a couple of the new Walthers SP bilevel cars to run with my SD9 when they are available. My excuse for situations like the Erie-Built running with bilevels (these need HEP, which Erie-Builts didn't have) is that the museum bought the loco as a hulk and re-engined it, fitting HEP at the same time!

[Anonymous]

QUOTE: Originally posted by Don Gibson

QUOTE: Originally posted by TEFFY

"F" units from Genesis. Helper service from BLI's 4-8-4. Every once in a while, as the story goes, the diesels ]have to be serviced and the steam makes run by itself.
Bob

TEFFY:

The Genesis 'F's are running near top speed and all BLI's 'sit' until 9 volts is reached . I can readily believe you need your "diesels need to be serviced".

Wait until BLI comes out with QSI wired F's - or Do you use DCC to 'program' your diesels to start at 9 volts?

As a (Santa Fe) freak, 'helpers' were generally 2-10-2's over Cajon, Tehachapi, and Raton - and later other diesels such as 'F's or GP-9's. With BLI's announcement of bringing out AT&SF 2-10-2's, help is on the way, if you have DCC.

Don:

I'm not in the train room right now so I can't tell you what number I've got programed into CV02 but both my hudson and northern start at 2% on my Digitrax DT400 throttle. It's fairly easy to double head with the northern just use both knobs. About the 4-8-4 running the train by itself, that's just a story for the northern to be on the head end. I've got two 2-10-2's and one 2-10-4 on order; so I have to improvise until they come in. I've got several United 2-10-2's and 2-10-4's but none of them have decoders in them, I'n waiting for the new decoder from Soundtraxx.

Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY

Bob

[Don Gibson]

QUOTE: Originally posted by TEFFY

"F" units from Genesis. Helper service from BLI's 4-8-4. Every once in a while, as the story goes, the diesels ]have to be serviced and the steam makes run by itself.
Bob

TEFFY:

The Genesis 'F's are running near top speed and all BLI's 'sit' until 9 volts is reached . I can readily believe you need your "diesels need to be serviced".

Wait until BLI comes out with QSI wired F's - or Do you use DCC to 'program' your diesels to start at 9 volts?

As a (Santa Fe) freak, 'helpers' were generally 2-10-2's over Cajon, Tehachapi, and Raton - and later other diesels such as 'F's or GP-9's. With BLI's announcement of bringing out AT&SF 2-10-2's, help is on the way, if you have DCC.

[Anonymous]

Antonio
I also have the Alco PA's that I can use on the Super Chief and they are admired like you said in your reply.
The F7 is the standard for many years on most of the name trains and probably will always be the favorite to most fans.

[AntonioFP45]

Hey Don Gibson!

You definetly got your point across!

I was curious as almost everytime I see pictures of the Santa Fe Walther's cars, they're always being pulled by F-units. I was wondering if some Santa Fe modelers here used the other locomotives listed that pulled Santa Fe's "Hot shot Varnish". [8)]

Guess this goes to show that the old F7 is still a winner and thats why so many of these units are still produced! I was actually hoping to read that some of you guys put a U30CG, an FP45 or even those admired (and smokey!) Alco PA-1s at the head of your late 1960s Santa Fe passenger train. [;)][C):-)]

Have any of you considered using the locomotives listed in the poll? Does make for interesting variety that's still "prototypical".[:D][8D]

Cheers!

[Anonymous]

"F" units from Genesis. Helper service from BLI's 4-8-4. Every once in a while, as the story goes, the diesels have to be serviced and the steam makes run by itself.

Have a blessed day and remember SANTA FE ALL THE WAY

Bob

[Anonymous]

At my SUPER CHIEF (Walthers) I use the first Genesis F7 set #37 L-A-B-C. (Iknow that the model train is a little bit overpowered).

At my SUPER CHIEF / El CAPITAN (Walthers/Train Station Hi-Level´s) I use 2 FP45

[Anonymous]

I use F units,and the Genesis units are really great looking and run fair.

[Don Gibson]

I am only answering this for AntonioFP45,

A. All the above (except Erie Builts) .

[AntonioFP45]

The Walther's Super Chief series cars are gorgeous and nicely detailed. Seems like they're popular, even with modelers "that don't do Santa Fe". This railroad has always commanded respect as did the locomotives pulling the streamliners. [:D][8D]

Do you primarily use one type of locomotive to haul your Santa Fe streamliners, or do you mix them around a bit?