Santa Fe 1971 "Super C" N Scale

Super “C”

In 1968, Santa Fe provided trailer/container service from Los Angeles to Chicago (and vice versa) in less than 40 hours, basically a passenger train schedule. The inaugural run was completed in less than 35 hours. Shippers could obtain this service for an extra $1400 per trailer. Typical trains consisted of 4-20 cars. The service ended in 1976 when the USPS contracted with another carrier, and private shippers could not support the service profitably. However, Santa Fe gained a reputation of reliability in expedited service, which helped them provide leadership in modern intermodal shipping.


 



"Super C"
Westbound leaving Needles, CA, on the California-Arizona border.  FP45's 106 and 100 on Train No. 99. 

FP45's, GE U28's and U30CG's were used as often as possible.  On some trains where only one or two cars were shipped, you might see an F7 as the only motive power.  Later, SD45's did a lot of the work.



Thes units are Lima units from the 1970's as you may have surmized if you read a certain previous blog.  I installed the BLMA 48" fans, added steps, created a pilot and......

.....modified a Kato C44-9W, and added SD45 trucks from the parts department at Kato.  Runs extremely smooth.



Santa Fe 40' trailer and SP 40 footer.  The ATSF trailer is from the recent Athearn run and the SP trailer is a custom painted Micro Trains model.

C&O and NW trailers, same sequence as above.  NW trailer is a shortened 48" trailer.

It is important that the flat cars be weathered.  They were constantly exposed to weather and all sorts of abuse from loading and unloading, whether circus style or with the use of cranes/and or off loaders.

I have found that Rust n Dust does a great job re-creating the rust that would be appear on these flat cars.  It is a four step process that produces very realistic results.  The car sides are still done with oils and chalks.  Don't forget the trucks and the wheels.

Private carrier and a custom painted and decaled PFE 40' trailer.

I always liked these old Atlas 20' trailers.  Santa Fe actually had some of these, but maybe they were 24 or 28 feet.  Athearn PC corrugated panel 40' trailer. Note green undercarriage.

Two custom painted and decaled trailers (Northern Pacific and Western Pacific), both MT models, both lightly weathered.

40 and 20 foot containers of the era.

Sea Land and NOL 40' containers

Again, 40 and two 20 foot containers, weathered

New Athearn trailers. With a Sharpie, you can fill in tail lights' and then reflectors on the sides. Middle of trailer reflector is orange.



Custom WP trailer (MT) and weathered Bangor and Arostook 40 footer.

PC post trailer from Athearn, Kansas City Southern from MT, and a beautiful Caboose Hobbies ATSF waycar.  Santa Fe went on a massive rebuilding program on their cabooses, turning mineral brown waycars into the great looking Red cars with the yellow Circle Cross. 

You can find a "Super C" train similar to this on YouTube at:

http://youtu.be/jAzAaUEIQMY