Question for Trainspotters re. the Santa Fe Super Chief

[kyphur]

So I've been looking into the equipment used and it seems the LEGO Official Set is an EMD F7A or older EMD F3A both of which saw operation from the mid 50's onward.

I also noted that the list states that per company policy there was no Observation Car used while the EMDs were serving as the Chief's Locomotive.

Is this correct? Did TLG give us an outdated car when they should have given us a Dome Car?

Edited December 21, 2011 by kyphur

[LEGO Guy Bri]

According to Brickset, it's an EMD F7, most likely an early one (1949-1950). They apparently did pull observation cars until they were converted to blunt ended cars in and returned to service, 1956. They were permanently pulled from service in 1958 along with the trains being refurbished. Hope this gives correct insight into the Super Chief, as I find this trains history quite interesting

BTW, how is your layout coming? Haven't seen any new news in a while

Edited December 22, 2011 by Leg Godt Gud

[kyphur]

Thanks for the info...

For the layout I've got the hardboard sub-surface cut and should have it layed on most of the tables within the next week.

Then I can start laying the main loop in it's final configuration next week.

[GRogall]

So I've been looking into the equipment used and it seems the LEGO Official Set is an EMD F7A or older EMD F3A both of which saw operation from the mid 50's onward.

I also noted that the list states that per company policy there was no Observation Car used while the EMDs were serving as the Chief's Locomotive.

Is this correct? Did TLG give us an outdated car when they should have given us a Dome Car?

I don't know a lot about the Super Chief that Lego has created but if they done a better job the would have given instructions and pieces to add B units for the train.

after all in all the pictures I have seen the train was never without any.

But for more info this site has a lot of info!

hope it helps.....

[Hechristensen]

After searching a bit on wikipedia and google I will put my money on the EMD F3 or EMD F7 engines.... On this site http://www.american-...uper-chief.html there is a commersial video of the Santa Fe layout and if you pay close attention to it, you will see a passing Superchief with a dome car and a observation car in the end!

[JopieK]

After searching a bit on wikipedia and google I will put my money on the EMD F3 or EMD F7 engines.... On this site http://www.american-...uper-chief.html there is a commersial video of the Santa Fe layout and if you pay close attention to it, you will see a passing Superchief with a dome car and a observation car in the end!

Indeed! Nice find! Looks great. Hope it is doable in LEGO. The windows stick out just a bit!

[kyphur]

According to Brickset, it's an EMD F7, most likely an early one (1949-1950). They apparently did pull observation cars until they were converted to blunt ended cars in and returned to service, 1956. They were permanently pulled from service in 1958 along with the trains being refurbished. Hope this gives correct insight into the Super Chief, as I find this trains history quite interesting

Again, thanks for the spot-on info.

I don't know a lot about the Super Chief that Lego has created but if they done a better job the would have given instructions and pieces to add B units for the train. after all in all the pictures I have seen the train was never without any.

But if they had done that then there would just be more complaints about everything that's wrong with their version! Seriously in the day when you buy 10020 brand new all it would take is 2 sets and you have everything to build the B-Unit with lots of spare parts for MOCing so I don't see this as a major gaff on TLG's part.

After searching a bit on wikipedia and google I will put my money on the EMD F3 or EMD F7 engines.... On this site http://www.american-...uper-chief.html

Thanks for another site with lots of good info on the Chief, I just might buy some of the books listed there.

For me the Super Chief is the most iconic train to date that TLG has given us. I have all 6 official components (5 cars +1 Loco) and built my own Modded version of James Mathis' B-Unit (That cost way too much). I'm just about to begin building the Mathis Pleasure Dome and will probably Mod it once complete.

Most of my spare money in 2012 will be split between my Massive Table Layout and my other guilty pleasure (Scuba Diving) but I do plan to begin a new Super Chief Project also. Basically I want to remake the entire Train (Both A & B Unit Locos, 5 Official Cars and a Pleasure Dome) in modern (bluish) grays with slight design modifications to eliminate some of the more expensive parts (like clear macaroni). At over $3 each for lt BlGray buffers I'll probably just have to live with using black buffers, I wonder if it will look better with the bogies being black also? There are a few cosmetic (and playability) changes I'd like to make also so we'll just have to see what I can come-up with. This project will begin by getting all of the official TLG Designs into MLCAD/LDraw so I can make the modifications I want and product instructions to share with everyone.

Edited December 29, 2011 by kyphur

[clcwong]

I don't know a lot about the Super Chief that Lego has created but if they done a better job the would have given instructions and pieces to add B units for the train.

after all in all the pictures I have seen the train was never without any.

But for more info this site has a lot of info!

hope it helps.....

This site is very nice.

Having a lot of more details!

Sadly can't buy any santa fe nowadays =[

[Hechristensen]

But you can! They are on Bricklink, ebay and Amazon. Yes they are expensive but if it is a MUST OWN item, then get on with it!!

Best of luck

[kyphur]

Sadly can't buy any santa fe nowadays =[

So MOC yourself one.

Make a few part substitutions:

* - Airplane windows (Replacement Part)) for the portholes.

* - Windscreen from 3677 (Replacement Part) for the one with trans clear glass.

* - Replace all Old Gray with Blue Gray equivalents.

* - Build the rolling carriages (Bogies & Buffers) in black instead of light gray.

These four changes alone should make the Santa Fe Super Chief much more affordable.

Follow this strategy for all of the official cars, EMD B Unit and Pleasure Dome for a complete train at a fraction of the amount I laid-out for mine in the original colors (you really don't want to know how much just the B Unit cost me to build using the original Old Grays and 6 of the portholes)...

[GRogall]

Again, thanks for the spot-on info.

But if they had done that then there would just be more complaints about everything that's wrong with their version! Seriously in the day when you buy 10020 brand new all it would take is 2 sets and you have everything to build the B-Unit with lots of spare parts for MOCing so I don't see this as a major gaff on TLG's part.

Thanks for another site with lots of good info on the Chief, I just might buy some of the books listed there.

I have a proper A-B-B-A Unit combination, just saying that with just a little more parts in 10020 the could have solved the problem and sold more sets!

With two sets you would also only have 4 bull's-eye windows (grey) and for a proper B-Unit you need 6, Called customer service back then and she sent me 2 pairs free of charge.

At least they gave us 2 different numbers for the A units.

Edited January 1, 2012 by grogall

[WesternOutlaw]

Very nice Grogall. I also like how you extended the red and yellow stripes to the passenger cars - a nice touch that LEGO should have done. A red baseplate makes a big difference to the otherwise drab SF cars.

[JamesP]

The _number_ on the A units should be the same, as should the number on the B units. They were done that way to get around union rules of what constituted a separate locomotive...

Proper numbers would be 301L, 301A, 301B, in a ABB set up. I have mine as ABA though...

Santa Fe Historic Society F7 Page

Hope that helps,

James

[GRogall]

Very nice Grogall. I also like how you extended the red and yellow stripes to the passenger cars - a nice touch that LEGO should have done. A red baseplate makes a big difference to the otherwise drab SF cars.

Eh? Sorry no Passenger cars in the picture! this only depicts the power units the passenger cars are sadly a little drab but still IMO a well done job from James Mathis.

[Hechristensen]

Very nice Grogall. I also like how you extended the red and yellow stripes to the passenger cars - a nice touch that LEGO should have done. A red baseplate makes a big difference to the otherwise drab SF cars.

What you are seeing on that first picture are actually four locomotives.... Two with a cap and two without a cap. They are respectively referred to as A-units and B-units. -I think

Here lined up in a ABBA configuration....

ABBA! Music to my ears...

[WesternOutlaw]

Eh? Sorry no Passenger cars in the picture!

Oh, I see. I should have known that. I've seen a few engines with the A & B units in real life. For whatever reason, I thought they were passenger cars in the picture. Thanks for clarifying.