In the July 2006 MR, Buzz Lenander describes superdetailing the Santa Fe’s El Capitan. I was wondering if all the details he mentioned for the locomotives were/are the same on all Santa Fe passenger locos, or if they are specific to El Capitan? Also, can most of the car detailing be applied to Kato’s passenger cars(modeling the Super Chief)? I know the Super Chief is only one level so the diaphragms would be different.
Thanks for your help!!
The engines were drawn from a psgr pool and all psgr trains changed engines at Barstow (the system eng maintainence base) so the details would be consistant from one engine to another. Even where similar engines when delivered had significant differences (painted side panels on early psgr F-3s rather than stainless steel as on later units for example) Santa Fe tended to retrofit so that an F-3 that had painted side panels and three portholes and a single headlight when delivered would eventually wind up w/ two headlights, stainless steel side panels and F-7 style side louvers.
Some classes of engines (Alco PAs for one) tended to get downgraded to less than premium trains, but the bulk of the psgr F units could be seen on the Chief one trip, the Super Chief the next and the El Capitan after that.
As you note in your post, there are obvious diferences in the various styles of cars.
Thank-you very much (again) for your help. Your knowledge is helping my dad and I have two great looking passenger trains on our layout!!
Thanks again!!!
From my memeories of riding Santa Fe passenger trains, I have never seen the ATSF change passenger locomotives in Barstow on east or westbound trains. Freight trains would swap motive power.
Ch
I think what was intended here is that passenger power was pulled from the locomotive pool in Barstow.
SANTA FE’s ‘name’ trains were certain consists and pulled by a ‘pool’ of motive power. Example: The ‘Chief’ was extra fare all sleeper; ‘Superchief’ was similar with a with the ‘Pleasure Dome’ added,; and ‘El Capitan’ was an extra fare all-coach train - later Hi Level - on the 39:45 hour schedule between Chicago & Los Angeles.
E-6’s were replaced by F-3’s, which were replaced by F-7’s, then PA’s, and later FP-45’s as newer power became available. How much horsepower was needed depended on the number of cars being pulled.
Santa Fe generally used ABBA F-3’s with helpers over Raton, but ran their F-7’s and ABA PA’s all the way. Seemingly 6000 hp sufficed for Cajon, Raton, & Glorietta grades. I don’t recall engines being changed at Barstow, or anywhere enroute including a 3 section combined 'Super / El Cap.,however this was common practice for freight & steam.
The record setting ‘Death Valley Scotty’ train used 12 or more engines - from ‘Atlantics’ to ‘12 wheelers’.