I’m looking for a Santa Fe Super Chief for my project. I’ve always loved the look of this train since I was a kid and would like to build a freight layout around it. My question is, who builds a nicely detailed model that will satisfy for years to come? Like most of you I suppose, I’m a sucker for details.
Look on p.18-19 of the 70th anniversary January issue of Model Railroader. Walthers is coming out with an HO set. Haven’t seen the models yet-- their ad uses scale elevations published a few years back by Model Railroader which indicates they are producing models of specific prototype cars, Don’t know how close they match until actual models come out.
A question about building a freight layout around SF Super Chief. The Super Chief operated between Chicago and Los Angeles (and its Amtrak version still does by another name) over a route used by a whole fleet of passenger trains, including the all-coach streamlined El Capitan, in either conventional or all-high-level versions, secondary trains like the Scout economy class train in grey livery and the Fast Mail Express, mostly box express, reefer express and baggage-express type cars with a heavyweight rider car. In other words, to model accurately almost any point along the line, you would need to run SEVERAL passenger trains daily, with distinctively different appearances. You may want to ignore that, but it might be consideration if you are sucker for details.
The Super Chief is not only a very special train in itself, but it also ran on a special kind of railroad, one with very intense and varied passenger service over the Super Chief route.
For instance, about a distinctive look, the Super Chief used the 500 series Pleasure Dome which resembled no other car used on any other Santa Fe train. A couple of other ATSF trains used domes but they were full length domes.
Kenneth L. Anthony, Santa Vaca & Santa Fe Rwy, Corpus Christi, TX
I noticed the Walthers ad and it looks nice. Unfortunately, I don’t think the locomotives will be available until much later in the year. I hate to wait that long. The realism of my layout may suffer a bit but I am hoping to keep it as close to reality as possible with a few compromises made for practicality and my own enjoyment. Are there any other nicely detailed Super Chiefs that are available now?
What is your budget? What you are looking for is "SANTA FE WARBONNET " aka passenger F3 or F7.
Brass: $$$+ to $$$$$
Athearn Genesis, Intermountain $$$
http://www.athearn.com/home2.html
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/141-1015
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/loco/holocpow.htm
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/49005WD.htm
http://www.intermountain-railway.com/ho/html/49505WD.htm
Stewart, Proto 2000 $$+
http://www.stewarthobbies.com/
http://www.lifelikeproducts.com/proto/e89abrds.htm
http://www.lifelikeproducts.com/proto/pa2road.htm
Athearn, Proto 1000, Bachmann $$
http://www.athearn.com/home2.html
http://www.lifelikeproducts.com/proto/erie.htm
http://www.bachmanntrains.com/home-usa/catalog/?function=detail&id=514
If I wanted to model the Super Chief, I’d use the Walthers cars and modify a Proto 200 E6 to look like an E1
I just got the Athearn Genesis F7A and B units that were just released. The details are outstanding. But, according to Athearn, these were supposedly for passenger service (which I’m doing on my layout). Not sure if that would be what you are looking for.
Cindy
Thanks for the info and links.