Santa Fe F-Units

F-Unit HO Scale Models Commercially Available

Updated 5-11-2011

Footnotes:

01. Athearn's F7A and B are closest to units 202LABC through 258LABC as is. Lower headlight and steam generator (S/G) fittings need to be removed from the A-unit, but the castings could be left on the B-unit if model is numbered 254AB through 258AB as those units did have S/G. Originally available in a mid-1950's freight scheme with passenger style nose emblem ("cigarband"), the paint contours on the cab roof and on the top of the nose are incorrect as is the lower headlight. Side grilles on the model were painted yellow but they should be silver colored. Currently the model is available as number 271 in the yellow warbonnet but the 271 was a phase II F7 and Athearn's model is incorrect for that unit in several respects including different side grilles and different fuel tank and skirting arrangements. Best bet would be to buy an undecorated SHL unit and start over using the styling diagram and photos as guides.

02. Stewart's Santa Fe freight F3A represents cab units 200L and C and 201L and C as delivered with the "catwhisker" paint scheme. As delivered the two Santa Fe freight F3's indeed had black roofs (see the revisions noted on the styling diagrams and the modeling notes). Nose emblem color is incorrect and the roof stripe contour is also slightly incorrect. Much detail work could be done to the model if you decided to repaint it such as adding diaphragms, number plates, hoses. etc. However the model is a vast improvement over what previously was available. This model also available as undecked.

03. Athearn's and Stewart's F7 passenger units are closest to units 326LAB through 331LAB out of the box. Horizontal-slit grilles makes these models incorrect for most other Santa Fe passenger F7's because most had a vertical slit grilles. Steam generator fittings need to be removed from Athearn's A-unit and added to the Stewart B-unit (such as Details West part 118).

04. Stewart's "Phase I" passenger F3A has been available in two versions. The single headlight version is correct for the as-delivered appearance of units 16LABC through 21LABC. The dual headlight version may be incorrect on a "Phase I" carbody as those units may not have received the lower headlight until they were rebuilt to "Phase II" appearance.

05. Athearns's single headlight F7A is available in undecorated form only and is very useful for modeling cab units in the 202-258 number series. S/G fittings should be removed from the roof as a basic first step and the modeler can add or remove other details as appropriate to the specific units he is modeling.

06. Athearn's undecorated F7B needs only removal of S/G fittings to make it close to the appearance of most boosters in the 202-258 number series. S/G fittings can be left in place for modeling units 254 through 258 as those units were so equipped as built. As with the A-units, the modeler can carry detailing out to whatever extent he wishes.

07. Stewart's undecorated "Phase II" dual headlight F3A and F3B could be reworked to represent units 16LABC through 21LABC as rebuilt to "Phase II" appearance in the late 1940's. Addition of S/G fittings on the B-unit and a paint job is required.

08. Stewart's F9A and B is incorrect for Santa Fe appearance as is. Reworking of the fuel tank and skirting would be required as well as the addition of roof air piping. Not a difficult job considering the side grilles and filter panels are of the correct vertical-slit type. Factory painted in the B/Y cigar band scheme or undecked. High-Tech Details makes a large fuel tank for the SF F9.

09. Highliner's A and B-unit kits are supposed to have components to build up any F3, F7 or F9 A or B unit variant. The modeler can detail and paint it for passenger or freight (as the kit has come either in plated or plain finish) as desired. It should be very useful to Santa Fe modelers for modeling the 260-267 series units that never had stainless steel grilles. High-Tech Details makes a large fuel tank for the SF F9.

10. Athearn's undecorated dual headlight F7 would be useful for modeling passenger F's in the 326LAB through 331LAB number series with removal of the S/G fittings from the A unit.

11. Stewart's undecorated dual headlight F7 phase I is basically the same as Athearn's in appearance and is also useful for units 326LAB through 331LAB with the addition of S/G fittings to the B-unit.

12. Hallmark's various brass FT imports with carbody side number boards on the A-units are useful for Santa Fe FT's number 118 and up because of the dynamic brake (see modeling notes). Modelers can add whatever level of detailing to the units as they were imported in as delivered appearance.

13. Hallmark's brass F3 was basically a "Phase I" unit and useful for Santa Fe passenger units 16LABC through 21LABC in their as-delivered appearance.

14. Stewart FT's have been delivered in the dual HL Passenger Warbonnet scheme (numbers 158LABC - 168LABC) and the single HL Freight Catwhisker scheme in LABC. The CW scheme has been released in the full red stripe, the cab only red stripe, and the "no red stripe" versions by Stewart. The kits come with different variations of the dynamic brake housing for you to decide which is appropriate. We anticipate the release of the Cigar Band freight unit sometime in the future. (written Feb. '04)

15. The Athearn Genesis F units have been available in numerous variations of the passenger and the freight schemes, and will be offered in many more. They use the Highliner shells and are finished beautifully. F3's in several phases and F7's in several phases, both freight and passenger schemes, have all been offered so far. No undecked are available due to the partnership with Highliner, which has the exclusive on the undecked units.
     Athearn GENESIS has done a nice job of releasing Santa Fe F-unit HO models in "modernized" versions that represent Santa Fe's F-unit fleet in their final years during the early 1970s. As it applies to the Athearn GENESIS F-unit model, "modernized" means applying all the modifications made to the F-units over the years to keep up with federal regulations and industry standards in order to model the locomotive as it looked in its later years compared to its as-built appearance.
     Up to this time, Athearn has released (or announced) "modernized" Santa Fe F-units in 200 Class F3s, 281 Class F9s, 37 Class F7s, 300 Class F7s and one F3B, and dual-service 325 Class F7s. The 200 Class F3s are painted in the as-delivered blue/creamy yellow "catwhisker" freight scheme. The 281 Class F9As and F9Bs are painted in the standard freight blue/yellow "cigarband" freight scheme, the 37 Class F7As and F7Bs are painted in the passenger red/silver Warbonnet scheme, the 300 Class F7As and F7Bs are painted in both the passenger red/silver Warbonnet scheme and passenger yellow/silver "Yellowbonnet" scheme, and the dual-service 325 Class F7As and F7Bs are painted in both the freight blue/silver "Bluebonnet" and freight yellow/silver "Yellowbonnet" schemes. See Summary of the Athearn GENESIS Santa Fe "Modernized" F-unit Releases table below for road numbers, paint schemes, release dates, and model details. Athearn has photos of all the Santa Fe F-unit GENESIS releases on its Web site. Most of these Santa Fe F-unit models indicate "Sold Out".

16. Stewart's F7 freight is a Phase I early unit, and was painted in both the Cat Whisker and the Cigar Band paint schemes. As with all Stewarts, they come un-numbered, so you can model which ones you desire. These units are best suited for numbers 202LABC - 258LABC, pre-1952 for the CW, and post 1952 for the Cigar Band scheme.

17. Model Rectifier Corp. makes an F7 A and B passenger unit. They are available with and without a DCC decoder installed.

18. Intermountain has offered the F7 phase I in several paint schemes. Both A and B units are offered. They have a unique unpowered chassis that is called a "Smart Dummy", that has power pick-up trucks so that you can more easily add sound to a multi-unit consist. These are nicely detailed units, and IM continues to bring out more variations of the F7. The passenger Warbonnet, the Catwhisker freight, and the Cigar Band freight have all been offered. They have also offered the Yellow Bonnet, and the Blue Bonnet schemes. IM is producing an F3 phase II with single or double HL. No SF model is yet announced on their web site (2/04) The IM models have a separate pilot, so the correct "passenger" or "freight" pilot can be applied where needed. These are offered seperately as detail parts, as are their Farr or horizontal grills for both the A and B units.

Intermountain Santa Fe FTs in The Regal Line -
     Santa Fe passenger FTs red/silver Warbonnet scheme in four road number A-B sets: 158-158A, 160-160A, 166-166B, 168-168B. The body side number boards are molded as appropriate to the prototype. Both units are powered, with DC and DCC function; and are also available with optional SoundTraxx® Tsunami® sound. Kadee® couplers are included. Model photos on the IM Web site.
     Santa Fe freight FTs blue/creamy yellow "catwisker" scheme with the as-delivered red separating stripe in four road number A-B sets: 122-A, 122B-C, 127-A, 135-A. Both units powered. Models will be factory ready to run on DC or DCC with optional SoundTraxx® Tsunami® Sound and are equipped with Kadee® couplers. Model color scheme artwork on the IM Web site, but the Santa Fe nose badge plate is not shown. Jun/Jul 2011 release.

19. Overland, Division Point, Oriental, and Challenger have all offered brass F units over the years in painted and unpainted versions. Since all are still in business, more variations might be expected in the future. It is beyond the scope of this chart to give a detailed listing of all the different models that they have offered over the years. The "X19" mark in the box indicates that one of these have been offered at some time, in some variation. PFM has offered almost every variant (FT, F3, F7, and F9; A and B) at one time or another. Hallmark's offerings are discussed in other footnotes. Please reference the Brown Book for production statistics.

20. Model Power has offered an F7 A unit only. Warbonnet paint, all metal model. See thru vents and lighted number boards.

21. Stewart's SHL undecked F7 phase II is like the Santa Fe's freight units 269LABC thru 280LABC. Their undecked DHL units are like passenger units 42LABC thru 47LABC +48A, 306LAB thru 314LAB, and 336LAB thru 340LAB, and 341LA thru 344LA. Some Santa Fe details will need to be applied.

22. Release with the Walters name train series for Santa Fe's Super Chief and El Capitan. See Summary of the Walthers PROTO 2000 Santa Fe Name Trains Series F-unit Releases table below for road numbers, paint schemes, release dates, and model details. These Santa Fe F-unit models indicate "Limited Run".

First Compiled by Lee Berglund and Jay Miller with assistance from John Moore, Bryan Moseley of Abajo Depot and Guy Middlebrooks of Bobbye Hall's Hobby House. 2004 revision by Paul Brown. 2011 revision by Ralph Back. Please consider this a work in process. It has been over 10 years since its creation. Much has happened since then. The brass listing alone is daunting.

Feel free to make suggestions/corrections. Send to atsfpb1@comcast.net. Thank you.

Question: Please refer to note #09. Was the Highliner A unit ever available in plated kit? (yet?) I know the B unit was.

Model and Prototype References:

Brown, R.A. The Brown Book. 2nd ed. Darwin Publications, 1982.
Glaab, John. The Brown Book of Brass Locomotives. 3rd ed. Chilton Book Company, 1994.
Bergland, Lee. "Forty Years of Santa Fe Covered Wagons." Santa Fe Modeler. Third Quarter 1991: 7-41.
"Santa Fe F-Units." The Santa Fe Railway Historical & Modeling Society. Online. Available
    http://atsfrr.net/resources/funits/index.htm. May 11, 2011.
Priest, Dr. Cinthia. The Santa Fe Diesel Volume One: Dieselization-1960. Paired Rail Railroad Publications, Ltd., 1997.
"Santa Fe's F-Unit Fleet - The Final Years." Diesel Era. March/April 2001 Volume 12 Number 2: 9-24.