I am thinking about modelling my layout with a Santa Fe theme. I’d like to use some of Santa Fe’s latest locos up to when they merged with BN. Can anyone please list me some good locos to get? I want to get both Warbonnet versions- both the classic red/silver and yellow/blue.
If anyone has pics of some engines, they too would be appreciated:)
Which are the higher quality models?
Thanks in advance
Roger
Gday, There are quite a few models out there, I’ll list what I can remember,
Atlas GE 8-40B/BW ATSF Warbonnet (BW Silver, B Blue) BEST
Atlas GE8-40CW ATSF Warbonnet, Silver. BEST.
Athearn RTR GE 9-44CW Warbonnet, Silver. Between good and Best.
Athearn RTR EMD GP60M/B Warbonnet, Silver. Between good and Best.
Bachmann GE 8-40CW Warbonnet, Silver. Average-Good.
There are more, But I can’t think of them just now…
Hope that helps!
EDIT: I have a photo or two of models, i’ll post them soon.
www.photobucket.com/ozjim if you look on about page 7 there is a few pics.
The major type not mentioned by James is the SD75M, which was Red and Silver Warbonnet. Athearn make a Genesis model of this unit which looks very nice and should run well.
Many of these were built in Red and Silver lettered for BNSF, but the earliest locomotives were delivered to AT&SF.
M636C
I knew there was an obvious omission! Thanks for that M636C
There is a ton of Santa Fe equipment out there, at least in HO. There’s also quite a demand for it, so it can be hard to find if you don’t order in advance, or after the production run is finished. Not impossible, just spotty. The silver lining is that discontinued locomotives are often sold at rock bottom prices for clearance.
There are other paint schemes besides Warbonnet too. Straight blue/yellow, cigar band blue/yellow, pinstripe blue/yellow, and zebra stripe black/silver come to mind, all pre-BNSF merger. Generally, red/silver equipment was used for passenger trains, blue/yellow for freight, and sliver/black for yard and maintenence equipment. Keep in mind the major high-quality manufacturers, Kato, Atlas, Athearn, Stewart, BLI, and Lifelike, and scour the net and hobby shops for sales. You can find lesser quality, lots of it, but why fight locomotives that derail, don’t run smooth, or don’t look good?
After you acquire your newest diesels and run them awhile, you might look into older Santa Fe equipment, for more variety. I have about 25 ATSF diesels, from NW-2s, to GP-7s, 9s, 20s, 30s, 38s, 50s, 60s, to F series to U23s, and love every one of them. Just started getting into SF steam too. One nice thing about the older diesels over the newer ones, you can run steam too, and not look “out of era”.
Santa Fe, all the way!
The first fifty one SD75M’s numbered 200 to 250 were Santa Fe, but the second and third group were labled BNSF.
The following were not the latest, but were the first repainted back into Warbonnet before the GP60M arrived and were used at the time you are looking for.
You can use the most famous of them all, the FP45’s also. 90 to 98