Santa Fe "Topeka" Business Car

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I was looking at this car…

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&ih=012&item=220001934420&rd=1&sspagename=STRK%3AMEBI%3AIT&rd=1

…and was curious if the “Santa Fe” lettering was ever on the Budd cars, and if so, when was it removed? Thanks

2

I seem to remember seeing pictures of Budd cars with Santa Fe on them.

3

I realize that the revenue Budd cars had Santa Fe on the letterboards, but I was wondering about the business cars in particular, if that is what you mean. The only pics that I can find of the Topeka and Santa Fe show that they don’t have the Santa Fe.

4

I don’t think I can help you on the business car.

5

Thanks nonetheless. Any and all input is appreciated.[:)]

6

I can’t be sure without looking into my Santa Fe resources (which I will and get back to you), but off the top of my head the Santa Fe business car (not the Atchison/Santa Fe car) only had the name board of the car not the top “Santa Fe” lettering. My guess would be the Topeka was similar, as they were both built at he same time. So perhaps this eBay model was mistakenly lettered.

Beautiful car nonetheless.

Update
Looking at my Budd book, there is a factory photo of the “Santa Fe” (from now on let’s call her #50). It does not have the letterboard. The car diagram of these two twin business cars does not show a letterboard. But I was not able to find any factory photos of the Topeka. I did a quick online search and found this:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/rsPicture.aspx?id=1949
Although from a much more modern era, they show the Topeka without a Santa Fe letterboard.

So without definitive proof I can’t be sure. However the factory photo of #50 and the car diagram shows no letterboard. So my guess is no letterboard for the Topeka. But I’m hesitant as #50 obviously did not need the leterboard, but the “Topeka” may have due to no Santa Fe lettering.

7

On the ATSF Budd business cars, only the car name appeared on the sides. Santa Fe appeared on the rear of the car just above the light. Southwest Chief, # 50 is the Pullman Santa Fe/Atchison. 51 is the Budd Santa Fe and 52 is the Budd Topeka. You’d be smart to snatch the car for 207.55. I picked up my Coach Yard Santa Fe/Topeka for 305.00-uses.
Ch

8

I already have one of these cars, but it never hurts to have a couple. I don’t think that this car came lettered or with glazing from the Coach Yard. I am also about to letter my car, so I wanted to verify.

I had assumed that the lettering was never there, but when I saw this car I thought I would check around.

9

Number 50 “Santa Fe” and 51 “Topeka” were built by Budd in 1957. They were rebuilt in December 1989 and May 1990 respectively. Noteably, nbr 50 was used on Eisenhower’s funeral train in 1969. This web site shows pictures of them with their names on the center nameboards.

http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr162.htm

Also, the book, “Santa Fe 1992 Annual” by Kevin Eudaly has a picture of nbr 50, and has a list of business cars (Superintendant cars not included) the Santa Fe had.

So, if one was to model the nbr 50 “Santa Fe” business car after 1989, the one listed above on Ebay would not be correct.

Take care,

Russell