SANTA FE MODELER

Volume 14 Number 3
Third Quarter, 1991
THE FREIGHT LOCOMOTIVES
Electro-Motive F-3's

Road numbers 200LABC and 201LABC

Only two sets of F-3's were purchased by the Santa Fe for freight service. Locomotives 200LABC and 201LABC were delivered in October and November 1948 just before EMD shifted production to the F-7. Santa Fe had concentrated on early F-3 purchases for use as passenger locomotives in order to dieselize all of the remaining major passenger trains on the system and by the time that was accomplished, the F-7 was ready to enter production.

In external appearance the 200LABC and 201LABC were nearly indistinguishable from F-7's since late production F-3's featured low roof fans, stainless steel grilles and the same porthole/side louver arrangement that was carried over into F-7 production (in contrast to the "dead give-away" three porthole feature of early F-3's). Their single external feature that identified them as F-3's was the slit type dynamic brake openings in the roof.

These units were mechanically upgraded to F-7 standards early on except they retained the F-3 style dynamic brakes for their entire careers. That the Santa Fe did not consider them as a separate class points out just how close they were mechanically to the freight F-7's that followed.

Stewart has just released an F-3A in Santa Fe freight colors that represents the cab units of these two locomotive sets very well. Matching B-units are scheduled for summer 1992 delivery according to sources attending the recent Chicago hobby show. Stewart followed the EMD painting color specifications correctly for units as-built prior to 1953 (i.e. black roof. Unfortunately however, the contour of the "vee" in the roof striping is incorrect (but better than anything heretofore available). The 'Santa Fe' nose badge color is also incorrect-a problem easily solved using Champ's nose badge decal.

All locomotives in the 200 class through 268 were delivered in the "catwhisker" paint scheme. Refer to the FT styling diagram for painting and lettering of the as delivered paint scheme.

Brand new freight F-3 200 LABC with an eastbound GFX train leaves San Bernardino the day after Christmas 1948. The "almost F-7" appearance of EMD's very late F-3 deliveries tends to confuse many modelers. Only the absence of a circular dynamic brake fan on the roof reveals it is not an F-7. 200 and sister 201LABC were the only freight F-3's purchased by the Santa Fe.

- Stan Kistler

Stewart Hobbies has truly blessed Santa Fe modelers with this exceptional locomotive. A superb runner and highly detailed, it will make a handsome addition to any modeler's layout. Discrepancies with the painting and lettering can easily be solved using the information contained herein and on the styling diagrams. Additional products from Stewart will likely be forthcoming.

- Jay Miller

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Updated 08-12-2002