California Dreamin'

[Switch Track]

I am absolutely delighted with my new Genesis F-7 locomotive. So here's what I hope to do. I plan to buy a consist of BLI California Zephyr passenger cars. I was going to pull them behind a nondescript Paragon2 Hudson. I am not sure if a Hudson ever pulled a California Zephyr car, not that I am all that much inclined to be swayed by railroading accuracy. But now I am considering pulling my proposed Zephyr consist behind a Genesis F-7 tandem. So if I were to pursue historical accuracy, how should my train look?

Regardless, I'm buying a Hudson, if for no other reason than this is America and I should be able to have what I want. So I'm gonna buy one! But if I were to pull Zephyr cars with a Hudson, how inaccurate would it be? Is a Genesis F-7 a better idea?



Happy Railroading,

ST

 

[UP2CSX]

ST, normally I'd say any steam engine is close enough but the California Zephyr is a special case. It was inaugurated in 1949 and never ran behind any regularly assigned steam power. Motive power was provided by the CB&Q, Rio Grande, and the Western Pacific. None of these railroads ever used F-7's in regular service for the Zephyr. The CB&Q used F-3's until they were replaced by various models of E units. The Rio Grande uses a mixture of PA-1's and F-3's. The WP used F-3's exclusively until about 1955, when they placed an order for the FP-7. This is similar to the F-7 but is about five feet longer and has a noticeable space between the last louver and forward porthole.

So, the WP FP-7's would be the closest, but not exact, match for use on the Zephyr. The F-3's looked considerably different with their chicken wire grilles.

 

[SSW9389]

Jim: Both Rio Grande and Western Pacific regularly used F7s on the California Zephyr, although the Western Pacific's were F7B units #804B and 805B. The Rio Grande had the following F7s delivered with steam generators: 5552-5553, 5562-5563, and 5571-5574. Steam generators were added to 5582-5583 when removed from FT units. The Grande also had six passenger F9 locomotives with the four booster units equipped with steam generators: 5762 (2nd) 5763, 5772-5773. Sources of data: Locomotives of the Rio Grande by the Colorado Railroad Museum 1983 and D-Day on the Western Pacific by Virgil Staff 1982. Western Pacific's FP7s #804A, 804D, 805A and 805D and their booster units were all built in January 1950.

Ed

ST, normally I'd say any steam engine is close enough but the California Zephyr is a special case. It was inaugurated in 1949 and never ran behind any regularly assigned steam power. Motive power was provided by the CB&Q, Rio Grande, and the Western Pacific. None of these railroads ever used F-7's in regular service for the Zephyr. The CB&Q used F-3's until they were replaced by various models of E units. The Rio Grande uses a mixture of PA-1's and F-3's. The WP used F-3's exclusively until about 1955, when they placed an order for the FP-7. This is similar to the F-7 but is about five feet longer and has a noticeable space between the last louver and forward porthole.

So, the WP FP-7's would be the closest, but not exact, match for use on the Zephyr. The F-3's looked considerably different with their chicken wire grilles.

 

[UP2CSX]

Thanks, Ed. I forgot about the Wobbly F-7's but I wasn't really thinking of B units. I wasn't aware the Grande ever used F-7's on the Zephyr but I'll take your word for it.

 

[el3637]

Athearn made a Genesis WP F3 A-B-B set about 5-6 years ago which is correct motive power for the WP leg of the California Zephyr. They released these locos several years before BLI did the train, so by the time the train was released they were hard to come by. I lucked into a set - in San Francisco of all places, had to pay full sticker. They are quite nice.

Not a great picture but - you get the idea:

Andy

 

[Switch Track]

el3637,

Your three Western Pacific locomotives make a handsome set. Are the two "B" units powered?

It would be too tempting should Genesis make another run of these locomotives.



Happy railroading,

Tom

 

[Mogul2-6-0]

(Nice setup Andy)
Kool pics, info and links here:
http://wplives.org/roster.html
Did you see the movie "Rails and Ties"
I watched it On demand a few weeks ago.
I think that was a CA Zepher? (CZ)
,Richard

 

[el3637]

el3637,
Your three Western Pacific locomotives make a handsome set. Are the two "B" units powered?

It would be too tempting should Genesis make another run of these locomotives.

Yep all powered. The only dummy Genesis F units ever produced were for Walthers - they did a Santa Fe warbonnet set to go with Walthers' Super Chief - this was before Athearn was purchased by Walthers rival Horizon. The 47L and 47A (A-B set) was powered, the 47B-C were dummies.

At the time the CZ was released I inquired about another run from Athearn and was told it wasn't in the works in the near future, of course that was 3+ years ago. I just lucked in to the first run set. BLI did a set themselves to go with the CZ, but not near as nice as the Genesis units.

Same thing happened with the Walthers Empire Builder... the GN F units had been previously done by Athearn. Those were the ones I wanted - although Walthers did a decent job on their own Proto 2000 F units. I found a slightly used set at a decent price.

I have two complete CZ train consists but only one set of appropriate motive power. I wouldn't mind having some CB&Q F3s to round out the set, but not really in the market at the moment.

Andy