1954 GFX Extra 248 East in N Scale

GFX 248 East leaving Barstow with EMD F7's having total
6000 H.P.

The hottest freight train on the Santa Fe Railroad in 1954 was the GFX (Green Fruit Express) trains, from the farmlands of California to points all over the map.  For those trains making it all the way to Chicago, distributions were made to all points Midwest.  Many entire trains were transferred to the Erie RR for Northeast delivery.  The B&O, PRR, and NYC covered D.C., Pennsylvania, and New York respectively.  All types of fruits and veggies grown in the West were on these trains, and time was of the essence.  Most cars were filled with ice on both ends of each car to keep everything cool.  Ice stops were to be made daily.  The train took 6 days to reach Chicago, reaching its destination on the morning of the sixth day.

The GFX ran from California to Kansas City or Chicago.  Others stops included Galveston, Dallas, and Houston.  These Texas trains ran as CTX or BTX. Cars could be pulled from the GTX at any junction point for delivery to places such as Denver or St. Louis, for example.  It was a very complicated system of delivery with too little space here to go into it further. 



Forty ft. Ice refrigerator cars passing Shell refinery.

Shell refinery, 1954.

In Needles, CA yard.

Here are photos of several classes of ATSF ice refrigerator cars that you could see in any Green Fruit Express train, no matter the destination...


Intermountain model RR23, with 1947 revised slogan herald, The Route of the Chief.  On the right is a RR25. 



Intermountain Santa Fe RR25 on left.  Straight Line map on the left, revised "Ship and Travel..." slogan on the right, a RR25.  Probably a repaint?



IM RR25, with original slogan.



IM RR25, with straight line map.

Intermountain RR27, with revised lettering, 1947-1959.

Intermountain RR27

Two Athearn 50' RR30's, with original slogan lettering on the left, and revised lettering on the right.

Athearn RR30, revised "Ship and Travel..." lettering on the left, straight line map on the right



 IM RR32's with original lettering.

IM RR32's with original lettering

Plug door RR53's of mid fifties manufacture for the Santa Fe. I cannot remember the manufacturer of these N scale cars.

Micro Trains wood side cars with heavy weathering.  I do not know the class name of these cars as they are general wood side reefers made by MT.  I added additional wood walkways near each icing door.

 

A video  of this train can be seen on YouTube at:

 

 

 

              https://youtu.be/yL_qrkt-SIY

Thanks for viewing the Needles Division, 1954!

1954 #20 Santa Fe Chief in N Scale

This 1954 version of the Santa Fe Chief consists of both Chair cars and Sleepers.  This train, however, is not the carrier of trancontinental sleepers as in the past.  The trans con sleepers have now been transferred to the Super Chief.  It is labeled as the #20 (even numbered) as it is an eastbound train from Los Angeles to Chicago.  It remains a vital train on the Santa Fe.

 

Following the Budd baggage car, No. 3448, we see the "San Fernando", No. 1382, a Budd built Baggage Dorm Lounge.  The Dormitory section had berths for the crew, and a toilet in the baggage section.  The car was built with M&R brass sides and American Limited frames.

Two chair cars, Nos. 2900 and 2908, poised in front of the Barstow station.  Santa Fe defined chair cars as having reclining seats with footboards for more comfort.  Coach cars had no such amenities.



Chair car no 2884, one of four on the Chief,  comes from the Pullman Car Co. order of 1947.  This is how the car would have looked at delivery, with full skirting between the wheel sets.  Built from M&R brass sides and American Limited frames.

 

No. 2871, from the same 1947 Pullman order, 2861 class, 44 seat cars, with side skirting removed. Built from M&R brass sides and American Limited frames.



The Lunch Counter diner is a modified Kato car.  The reverse side of the car has an M&R side in place of the diner side as produced by Kato.

The diner Cochiti is from the from Oriental Limited, Santa Fe Super Chief set. Prototype manufactured by Budd in 1937. 

Shown here is a Bar Lounge Dorm, no.1347, built by Pullman.  A Budd built car would be more appropriate, but M&R has not produced "sides" for those Budd cars. Built from M&R brass sides and American Limited frames.

The first of the sleepers is a 10-6, named the Pine Leaf, manufactured by Budd. I modified a Kato CB&Q car by opening up the wheel wells and removing the side skirting.  The prototype often had skirting removed for easier maintenance.  See below for explanation of the 10-6 room arrangement.

Next, is a 4-4-2, the Mojave, manufactured by Pullman in 1939. Bedroom cars were becoming more in demand as passengers desired greater privacy.  The 4-4-2 remained popular on the Santa Fe for decades. Built from M&R brass sides and American Limited frames. Painted with Alcad Polished Aluminum paint. 



This is a stock Kato car from the Smooth Side passenger Set E.  The two tone gray on the Monument Valley 6-6-4 was correct for the time as the shadow stripe paint scheme had been phased out by this time.

The Tonto is a 17 roomette, 1 section car.  Built by Pullman in 1938, part of an eight car order.  Built from M&R brass sides and American Limited frames.

Bringing up the rear, the 3-2-1 lounge observation sleeper Navajo.  This car was the only Budd built sleeper observation on the Santa Fe.  Other Budd observation cars were chair cars.  The model is from the Super Chief set from Oriental Limited.  The lounge area is, of course, at the rear of the car.

                        PASSENGER CAR DESIGNATIONS

10-6                      10 Roomette, 6 Bedroom

4-4-2                    4 Compartment, 4 Bedroom, 2 Drawing Room

6-6-4                    6 Section, 6 Roomette, 4 Bedroom

17-1                      17 Roomette, 1 Section (for porter)

3-2-1                    3 Compartment, 2 Drawing Room, 1 Bedroom Lounge-Obs

Thanks for checking out my blog.

A video of this train can be seen on YouTube at:

              https://youtu.be/DmOMy0csc1Q