Hello Jonathan,
Please forgive my ignorance, but can you elaborate in greater detail how the 3rd rail F7s will differ from the Atlas F7s? I don't have extensive knowledge of the prototype nor do I have the "WTF attitude" toward spending the $2400 it would cost for a 3rd Rail ABBA configuration. Though, I have in the past rationalized what many would have considered to be outlandish amounts of money on trains.
I too contemplated mixing 3rd Rail powered As with Atlas dummy Bs. But the numbers won't match up of course. Then they will likely have different finishes. And if the 3rd rail engines have more/different detail then wouldn't that make the contrast between the two types more glaring? These questions are probably impossible to answer without having production samples. Which makes committing the funds even more unlikely for me.
thanks
You ask great questions.
As far as the lineage of all F7s, ATSF's in particular, the details changed as the locomotives went through various maintenance cycles and major shoppings. As delivered the F7s came to Santa Fe EMD in what has been simplified into two phases, phase I and phase II. The phase is simply determined by the year it was built. In reality the EMD products are always evolving so there really much more minor phases of production, but that gets to a point of detailing that is rediculus.
In reality some ATSF locomotives got more modifications than others. Many of the phase I units ended up with phase II grilles over the years, grab bars were added on the engineer side of the unit in 1960 to meet federal law, dynamic brake fans were changed out and some other minor changes. This didn't happen all at once so for anyone modeling after the mid 50's, it wouldn't be uncommon to see mixed number consists, units with different specific details and even minor color variations depending on when the unit was last painted. If you look at photos online of the F7s in service, it isn't uncommon to see the differences between individual units in the same consist. The LABC and LAB numbered sets didn't stay together in service.
The key question has been the stainless steel sides. They will likely be different between the Atlas and 3rd Rail models. I can say that both Atlas and 3rd Rail are working to achieve what they consider to be the best finish for their models, but getting that match will be difficult. As for other road specific details, the 3rd Rail units will be accurate to 1956-1960 roughly and will be phase II F7s in the 42-47 number range and in the 300 series. The 37LABC that Atlas is proposing if done properly and I have no doubt it will be, will have different style louvers, grilles and horns from the 3rd Rail one.
There is the whole concept of gearing of the prototypes and which ones were mixed service vs. passenger only and some will care about that while others may not. I'm primarily a Pennsy modeler so I know that the PRR had a matrix of what maximum speeds were allowable in consists with mixed geared F7s depending on the road number. I can't say if the Santa Fe had a similar system or not.
Does that help at all?
