I’m looking to model a rare locomotive, the Santa Fe’s SF30C, which was a class of engine created by the ATSF in the mid-80s from rebuilding U36Cs. Does anyone know where to find drawings? The most difficult part is the smaller nose, and I need drawings to be able to scratch-build this part. thanks!
If you are taking about a U30C, I believe MR had a center fold of one that was painted in the classic war bonnet scheme. You might try contacting MR directly about thier archives. Mayby they can pull it up and send you a copy. Good Luck!!
I don’t have any drawings, but here’s a shot of what I believe is one of the ex-ATSF SF30C’s, working in Apizaco, Tlaxcala, Mexico, in Ferrosur paint. If photos would help, I have several more I can send you.
Regards
Ed
There was an article about these in Railfan and Railroad Magazine May 2003 issue. This one is published by that “other” publisher but I found it listed in the Kalmbach Index of Magazines with a search for “sf50c” (always use lower case letters in a search). According to the article, they were rebuilt form General Electric U36C’s. The horsepower dropped from 3600 to 3000. The nose was longer and narrower than the original, and there is a bulge on the long hood in front of the radiator to make room for the oil cooler. Additional vent openings were cut into the rear and the stack was lengthened. Some of the early ones were painted in the SPSF premerger (that never happened) paint scheme, commonly called the “Kodachrome” scheme. The rest were painted in the Santa Fe’s freight Warbonnet scheme.
That’s an SF30C. There was an article on kitbashing one from the Atlas U36C in HO in the Warbonnet, the SF Historical society mag, but I can’t remember which one, and can’t lay my hands on it right now.
The article that I’m familiar with in the Warbonnet was about building a U36C by Greg Fuhrman. It was an excellent article, but not for the locomotive you wish to build. It was in the 4th quarter 1997 Warbonnet. I had a friend build an SF30C and he used 3 different shells and had to scratchbuild a nose and long hood section. He swore he would never build another! Sean Graham-White is soliciting for interest in an SF30C to be built by Kaslo Shops. This would probably simpify the process of owning one or more of these locos. They would probably cost about $90.00 and use an Atlas drive. The website for this is http://www.qstation.net/SF30C_Model/ . If this site doesn’t work just look up qstation. Hope this helps.
Mikie
I don’t have any drawings, but I do have some good overhead shots of the cab roof. Some of the SF30Cs were equipped with radio control units. Even numbers were the master units and the odd numbers were the receiver units.
Overland Models produced this HO model in brass some years ago. You may still be able to locate one. I am hoping that Atlas will produce one. They produced the SD-26 which was almost an exclusive ATSF unit until they were retired and sold to some other railroads. If they were willing to do this one hopefully they will produce the SF-30C.
Len
I would very much be interested in seeing those photos of the cab. Sorry, I had put this project aside due to not being able to replicate the nose and just now checked back with this forum just to see if there was anything “new”.