I have a couple questions about this kit because I saw it in my local hobby shop today.
Were the stations Branchline modeled more common than the prototypes for Walthers’ ATSF station? What colors were the Santa Fe’s wooden stations painted, and what model colors match them (or come close)? Which kit would be more appropriate for a branchline operation in Texas/New Mexico? Which kit more accurately depicts its prototype?
Thanks for your help.
Were the stations Branchline modeled more common than the prototypes for Walthers’ ATSF station? The Branchline #4 was more common than either the Walthers brick (N) or stucco (HO) depots, and the Walthers were more common than the tiny little Laura depot.
Branchline BRL-865 “Santa Fe #4 station” (N scale) or 665 (HO) corresponds to all features of Santa Fe standard frame depot #4 for branchline as shown in Santa Fe System Standards. Vol.2 p.164-165.
Branchline BRL-868 “Santa Fe Laura Station” (N scale), (#668, HO) appears very similar to Santa Fe standard frame depot #1 for branchlines with a couple of variations. It has the same type bay window, trim, etc, most features. It is definitely Santa Fe in design. But it has no trackside window in the waiting room end of the depot, and appears a bit shorter than the #1. And it is deeper front to back. The #1 standard had only 2 windows in the waiting room end wall where the Branchline model has 3 and a door.
The Branchline Laura depot in fact closely duplicates the actual Laura, Illinois station, located between Chillicothe and the Iowa State Line on the Santa Fe main line between Chicago and Kansas City. Photos and scale drawings of the Laura depot appear in Santa Fe Modeler for March/April 1979 p.3-5.
Even if this exact design of depot was not common on the Santa Fe, it reflects a very common appearance. Either the #4 or the Laura station would say “this is typical Santa Fe” to anyone seeing it. Perhaps more so the #4.
The Walthers N scale brick depot is a Santa Fe “county seat” design used in larger towns where Santa Fe wanted to show a more elaborate face. These were somewhat common but not nearly as much so as the frame stations. I once photographed one of these stations at Marion, Kansas.
I understand Walthers is, has
Thanks for your help, Leighant. I appreciate all the info!
I went ahead and bought the Branchline kit, which is the ATSF #4 station. The directions say the station is yellow, with dark green and white trim and a red roof. Do you know what paints to use, either out of the bottle or mixes, to match the picture? (Of course, if the picture’s not prototypical…)
Thanks again.
When I get home, I will try to find the instructions that came with the AMB Santa Fe structures I purchased. It gives the paint mixes for the colors that were used on the Santa Fe wood depots.
Sorry it took so long. Here you go…
Great! Thank you very much for your help!
The Stucco covered station is very popular in New Mexico. The Walthers model fo the station in Portales, New Mexico is an excellent model of the station. I used to live five blocks from it while I taught there. Outside of New Mexico you were much more likely to see brick and mortar or wood stations than the semi-Spanish colonial stucco ones found in New Mexico.