1954 Santa Fe El Capitan in N Scale

 EMD F7's 40 ABCL heading through the Mojave Desert

The 1954 El Capitan streaks across the Mojave Desert in Southern California heading westbound into Los Angeles.  The following pictures will present the individual cars in the consist. The cars were arranged in a specific manner after the head end cars.  Two chair cars, a lunch counter-diner; two more chairs and the dome lounge; two more chairs, a LCD; Two more chairs, and the parlor observation car.  Additional chair cars were place after the second LCD.

Immediately following the F units we find a baggage and mail car, number 3407 and a full baggage car, number 3436.  The mail section of 3407 was used for sorting and classifying mail according to U.S. Post Office specifications.  This car was not to be confused with a Railway Post Office (RPO), which were on trains with a daily schedule, such as the Super Chief.  These are Budd built cars.  The models are Kato.

The next car in the train is baggage dormitory car 3477.  The dormitory is mainly used by the crews, but is passenger accessible as a lounge.  This car was manufactured by the Pullman company in 1947.  The model is custom made with M&R sides fitted to an American Limited chassis, Kato trucks and wheel sets.

Car 2860 is a Budd manufactured 48 seat chair car from 1953.  These cars were considered the most beautiful cars on the Santa Fe, both inside and out. They were made specifically for the El Capitan, a premier coach train.

 On the Santa Fe Railroad, chair cars differ from coaches in that chair cars have reclining seats, while coaches do not. These models were manufactured by Con-Cor and as most of my passenger cars, were painted with Alcor Polished Aluminum. (Car 2828)

Following the first two chair cars come the first Lunch Counter-Diner.  This Pullman manufactured car, No. 1507, was built in 1940, a single order car. It was a backup car for this train.  The model is custom made with M&R sides on the American Limited frame.

Two more 2816 class chair cars follow the LCD.

Big Dome Lounges 506-513 were built by Budd in 1954, especially for the El Capitan and the Kansas Cityan/Chicagoan.  The custon model is on a Bachman Chassis with M&R sides.

Two more 2816 class chair cars.

Following the first two coaches comes the second Lunch Counter-Diner.  This Pullman manufactured car, No. 1567, was built in 1950.  The model is custom made with M&R sides on the American Limited frame.

These are the final two of eight identical chair cars on the El Capitan.

This parlor observation car was built for the El Capitan in 1938.  The model is from Pecos River Brass.  I replaced the trucks with Kato Budd trucks.

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

              https://youtu.be/2-wJ-bVvbGw