Does anyone know where I could get one?
You won’t find a RTR one that I’m aware of. Its a good kitbashing project. I think one of the other magazines recently had an article on either the prototype and/or modeling one. In the model case you could still build a power unit, or start with a LL or Walthers dummy. It doesn;t look to tough of a project - did they remove the fans on the roof?
Yes, there are no fans on F40-derived cabbage cars.
-scax330
Why do I get a feeling this is headed towards “GOTCHA!” but what in the aitch is a cabbage car?
A Cabbage is slang for the F40s that Amtrak turned into cab/baggage cars for their push-pull runs. The engines were de-powered, and the space where the internal workings used to be was turned into a baggage compartment. These are used on the Milwauke-Chicago Hawathas, the Cascades Service and others where short-haul trains cannot be turned at the end of a run.
Cheers!
~METRO
Cabbage = cab-baggage. Here’s a page of Amtrak Cabbage cars.
Metro: you beat me to it.
GOTCHA HAHAHAHAHA
No, just kidding
A cabbage is not actually a car(corect me if im wrong) but it is a Non powered control unit(NPCU)
It is usually an old amtrak F40 with the guts removed like prime mover, traction motors, etc… but the controls are kept intact to be used in push pull, it is put on the oposite end of a train then the powered engine and used to control it in push mode, this can be seen in the second picture.
here are some pictures (not mine)
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=26884
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=489417
Notice how all of the side detail like doors, hatches, and roof fans have been removed and a slideing door for baggage has been added hence the saying cabbage (cab+baggage)
Here is a site I have book marked on how to kitbash one (also not mine)
http://www.trainweb.org/asamtrak911/model/amtk90213.html
this seems fairly easy to do and I will probbly make one myself one day when I have time.
Hope this helps
Joe
Every so often a person on eBay sells one made from a Bachmann F40PH.
Phil
Personally I’d use one of the Walthers Trainline models, the height is correct and they are cheaper, you could aslo use the new Kato model but those are quite expensive if you’re going to make it unpowered. The doors are easy enough to make, but I’d leave at least some electrical work inside in order to keep directional lighting.
Cheers!
~METRO
AND ON THE HEARTLAND FLYER!!!
Thanks for the enlightenment gang; now I know what a cabbage is!
I didn’t think amtrak sold vegetables LOL [(-D].
Haha, true, Amtrak is more used to being sold lemons, the P30CH, E60, and F69 come to mind there…
I wasn’t aware of the P30CHs being considered lemons. I do know there were few produced and I actually was able to catch one on film years ago. They were basically a cowl bodied version of a U30C with a steam generator. The other loco that might be classed as a lemon would be SDP40Fs. Consider the derailing problems they experienced causing speed restrictions. I always thought that one of the reasons why F40PHs became their standard was that the SDP40Fs were trade in for F40PHs and their components were used on the new locos. The other reason was a desire to standardize equipment to reduce maintenance costs.
Didn’t know that they were now using cabbages on the Flyer. Are the hi-levels still being used? I know I have asked a few times over the years, but I like to know if one of my personal favorites are still in revenue service.
Where the “door” is on the loco, isn’t there a motor or stuff or chipmunks on a wheel or something, just what is behind the door? what powers the locomotive? is this stuff new??? I have it ! ! green power–no engine --no pollution.
Unfortunately…no. They have beem replaced by 3 Phase V Superliner 1s. The santa fe cars were sent to work in Illinois.
Well to be more specific…they were overhauled in Beech Grove and were sint to work on the Chicago to Quincy line.
Well, at least they are still rolling. Looks like Budd/Santa Fe really knew what they were doing. I saw a pic of a hi level diner on the Sunset Limited that was taken in 2001 I believe. I wonder if they are still in service as well.
Guys, if you write to Walthers, or Bachmann and let them know that there is interest in the F40 Cabbage units. Since they (o.k, there Chinese producers) already have the tooling it might not be an extremely expensive unit to produce one.
The SDP40f did redeem itself remarkably well on the Santa Fe after Amrak traded 18 of them for a batch of CF-7s. . Santa Fe got rid of the hollow bolster trucks and the high water tanks and the steam generators. Collectively they racked up mileage in the millions before retirement in 1999!