After researching the San Diegan on wikipedia, I decided to create one myself to run on the club layout
Here is the Consist so far :
Athearn Genesis Diesel EMD F7A-B Set -Assembled - Santa Fe “Super Chief”
(Powered #47L (A Unit) & #47A (B Unit) “Passenger Warbonnet” Silver and Red
Walthers Budd 73’ Baggage
Walthers Budd 48 Seat Coach
Walthers Budd 48 Seat Coach
Walthers Budd 48 Seat Coach
Walthers Budd 48 Seat Coach
Walthers PS 4-4-2 Sleeper (plan on installing a tailight on the vestible end). [:)]
The locomotives are numbered for the Super Chief, But since I only have one car for the super chief (the sleeper) others seem pretty difficult to track down or locate, so with the Superchief Set notwithstanding, I retained the original numbers and assigned the diesels to either the “San Diegan” or “General Passenger Service”.
The locomotive set I described is the last one listed on ebay right now, sitting in my cart.
(waiting for my check to come in) [:D]
The consist may not right, but I would like to hear your input.
That’s a nice rendition of a typical San Diegan, although the sleeper (Regal series) is a little out of place. Maybe an observation car might be a better option if possible.
The ever changing consist makes it tough to model the San Diegan. Basically you have to pick a year/season/and in some instances a specific train number to model an accurate San Diegan.
And it isn’t easy to model a proper San Diegan in plastic using ready to run cars. An accurate Santa Fe 52 seat coach is the hardest part of any San Diegan consist.
The double RDC San Diegan consist is possible, but it was a fairly short lived. And that service ended in tragedy.
I’m confused on what you mean by the “locomotives are numbered for the Super Chief”
Santa Fe did not put train numbers on their F units. For example; train numbers 70 - 83 for the San Diegan.
So any passenger F unit in the local pool could theoretically be used on the San Diegan. Your F units (47LA) are fine.
Another cool little add on you might consider for your train is a drumhead. Could be what you mean by tail light.
Tomar makes a nice San Diegan drumhead (#99). Here’s a link:
The Locomotives were part of an Athearn/Walthers team up release as motive power for the super chief -copied the words from Walthers Website as I was typing.
type in Athearn Genesis Walthers 99041 on google
I have seen Santa Fe RDC’s in HO with the bright red Warbonnet painted on one end, but are offered in BRASS (which is out of my reach).
The sleeper car is basically connection service.
(Sleeper travels from Chicago to LAUPT on the Super Chief).
(Then on the San Diegan from LAUPT to San Diego).
Did the San Diegan have a snack bar coach or a cafe car for passengers ?
A 29 Seat Dorm Lounge could sometimes show up in the train except for the restroom, the Dorm area would be “off limits” with the passengers sitting in the Lounge area.
The sleeper replaces the observation car. (I was told by someone in our club that obs were gone from trains when ridership dwindled).
You might find this useful. The SF Railway Modeling and Historical Society has good information on consists on their website…it’s what I used to put together a representative consist for the San Francisco Chief before Walthers came out with their version.
Sorry I haven’t been on lately, I’ve been tied up with work and other stuff.
Thanks for all of your input, I guess the 52 seat coaches were more common on the San Diegan than the 48 seat coaches, however on the “Amtrak Detailing Project” Thread, I saw photos of coaches with the roof off and since the 48 Seat Coaches have divided windows, they looked like they have more space to relax and stretch your legs then the cramped 52 seaters, So I decided to use these former El Capitain coaches for the San Diegan after the El Capitain became all Hi-Level.
Are the 52 seat coaches that Walthers made correct for Seaboard, Incorrect for Santa Fe ?
Are the 48 Seat Coaches Correct for Santa Fe to be used on the San Dieagn ?
6-7 Cars is enough for a San Diegan, even if I am freelancing a little bit. [:)]
LION rode on that train from San Diego to Los Angeles when him was in the Navy (Think 1960s and the Vietnam war) Him got off of the train in Los Angeles, lloked around and then asked a cab driver “Where’s the city?”
At least when you get off of a train in New york, you do not need to ask where the city is.
It was a nice ride with nice equipment, but it was not the commuter train that I was used to on Long Island.
A Quarter Century of Santa Fe Passenger Consists; Fred W. Fraily
Santa fe Passenger Trains in the Steamlined Era; Patrick C. Dorin
Passenger Trains ib California; Patrick C. Dorin
The Warbonnet 3rd Qtr 2017
Motive Power is also discussed in the Warbonnet 3rd & 4th Qtr of 1996
Pretty much TCY Coach Yard, Soho, Lambert & Oriental Limited cars have to be used. The only plastic cars correct out of the box would be the Athearn Lwt 60’ RPO, 73’ Baggage & Express Boxcar Fe-24. The old tin sides Walthers kits build up quite well for the Del Mar Race Specials and Hvywt Baggage & Chair car consists.
