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Santa Fe passenger F units to debut this spring
Any plan for public trips?
Many, if not most of ATSF’s F-7’s were converted to CF-7’s. An A and a B unit went to the California State Railroad Museum from the Santa Fe collection that had been held at Belen, NM. Pretty much all of the earlier FT and F-3 units were traded in on newer power during the 1960’s. The major difference between actual Santa Fe passenger units and other railroads’ power would probably be all those stainless steel panels. Otherwise, the mechanics are basically the same, unlike steam power. Having 645 power assemblies makes parts availability a bit better, though I’m sure there are still plenty of 567 parts out there. I’ve always liked the warbonnet F’s, so even if they are cosmetic, it will still be a treat to see them.
Are the ATSF F7s gone or not easy to get now? It seems odd for a museum to “restore” a loco to a paint scheme of a different loco, though maybe there are difficulties in that. I prefer the original paint scheme of the SP over the ATSF, but that probably doesn’t fit the museum’s local mission.
Congrads on your acquisition! Nice to see equipment being restored and placed in service. Good luck and I hope it attracts many new riders.
Congrads on your acquisition! Nice to see equipment being restored and placed in service. Good luck and I hope it attracts many new riders.
Congrads on your acquisition! Nice to see equipment being restored and placed in service. Good luck and I hope it attracts many new riders.
Congrads on your acquisition! Nice to see equipment being restored and placed in service. Good luck and I hope it attracts many new riders.
Beautiful!!! There’s nothing like a restored “F” or “E” unit ~ the best looking locos ever! I hope the program is a real success!!!
Does Amtrak still have any converted CF-7s? Any others still around?
Great news, but I’ll bet they won’t be able to find ControlledSlack couplers! No matter; this is the iconic paint scheme of the streamline era, and I can’t wait to see these units.
Anyone know if the museum still has the old Texas Limited F’s that used to pull the now defunct excursion train between Houston and Galveston? Or did Ike wipe them out?
Still THE BEST paint scheme.
I’ve always been curious about the intellectual property rights involved in a project like this. I’d imagine BNSF owns the rights to the “Warbonnet” paint scheme. Does the museum have to get permission from BNSF, or is it somehow exempt due to representing something historical? Does the fact that BNSF doesn’t actively use the silver-and-red version of the Warbonnet matter? (Do they use any version at this point? Can’t remember.)
I’m glad to hear that the head end power for the
PATrain is still around. I have a copy of the last schedule Port Authority published before discontinuing it in the 1980s.
Good choice to paint them in the Warbonnet scheme. I know it’s easier to say than do, but a couple of B units to make a complete “set” would be great.
Given Galveston’s chronic tendency to flood in a hurriccane, it may be a mistake to send these precious F-7’s to that city as a permanent home. After all the hard work of The Galveston Railroad Museum to recover from flooding by Hurricane Ike, what will the museum do when the next hurricane comes? Perhaps the musem should have relocated to higher ground in the Houston area before commencing their recovery efforts.
I was fortunate enough to be able to chase and photograph these units when they were operating on the Wellsville, Addison & Galeton on tracks that were often BARELY visible through the weeds. I BELIEVE these Fs ALSO operated in Louisiana for a while on the North Louisiana & Gulf. They have lived a “charmed life” and are REAL VETERANS of the rails.
Since they will be operational, I’m sure they will be used to haul rolling stock out of Galveston, over the newly rebuilt causeway on BNSF line into Houston area - or beyond - in the event of a major hurricane. Rest assured that there is no place in Metro Houston to match the present home in the restored Galveston Union Station which houses their collection.
Lots of questions raised, but no answers given.