# My Favorite Train EVER: Santa Fe Chief with MTH's New Plated Cars



## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)




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## superwarp1 (Dec 13, 2016)

I was never a fan of Alco PA units. With that said the Santa Fe paint scheme really is one of the best schemes ever but since you posted the F3 I'll vote for them.:appl:


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2019)

Just a beautiful passenger train, Lee. The passenger cars are a perfect match to the PA's. Add to that, the Sante Fe Railroad, how can you go wrong.

Good choice!!!!!!!


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## seayakbill (Jan 16, 2016)

Great looking passenger trains Lee. No doubt that MTH has really raised the bar on AT&SF passenger trains that will force the other guys to match or sit on the sidelines. Terrific workmanship by the MTH team.

Bill


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

Passenger Train Collector said:


> Just a beautiful passenger train, Lee. The passenger cars are a perfect match to the PA's. Add to that, the Sante Fe Railroad, how can you go wrong.
> 
> Good choice!!!!!!!


You can't.


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## DennyM (Jan 3, 2016)

Beautiful up even the Lone Ranger and Tonto liked it. I put it on my wish list.


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## Rocky Mountaineer (Sep 19, 2015)

Lee, glad you're happy with the new plated passenger cars. They look great!! I have a set of these coming soon from Stockyard Express, once the RPO is released -- due later this month. Clyde (the owner of Stockyard Express) is also expecting his uncatalog'd "special-run" R50B's in 2 road numbers at the same time -- also in the plated finish. I think MTH has hit a grand-slam with their plated finish process. It is by far the best executed finish out there today.

My plan is to "simulate" the combined Super Chief / El Capitan train... using these new plated passenger cars along with my GGD El Cap cars. It won't be an exact replica, because in real life the combined train had mostly sleepers for the Super Chief part of the train. But I think the effect will be close enough. Doing the honors up front will be my new MTH plated SF F3 ABBA's along with a GP60M. If needed, I also have an extra SF GP60M (i.e., MTH did 3 SF road numbers, plus 2 BNSF's), since the train will be 20 cars with the 2 R50B reefers -- 10 of which are the GGD aluminum cars that are significantly heavier than the MTH passenger cars! 

David


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

Looking great Lee, those are nice cars. If you keep buying this stuff, you're going to have to work longer hours!


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## Norton (Nov 5, 2015)

MTH is now leading the pack when it comes to best paint and finish.
They loose points with me on their passenger cars. Even though finish and detail is top notch they refuse to model anything other than ACF cars. The original Super Chief cars were all Pullman Standard, later they added Budd cars. Most of the early streamliners used PS and Budd like the Daylight, Empire State Express, 20th Century, and Texas Special. ACF cars don't make good substitutes here. IMHO

Pete


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## gunrunnerjohn (Nov 10, 2010)

If MTH would bump up the quality of their sounds, they'd really have the complete package!


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## DJones (Oct 19, 2015)

Having seen these passenger cars in person last week, I can tell you that the photos do not really do them justice. I have always been a fan of extruded aluminum passenger cars but the finish on the MTH plated is comparable to or maybe even better!

Great looking train, Lee.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

:thumbsup::thumbsup: Very nice looking. Between these and the Black Bonnets you could run an all Santa Fe conwiwits on all levels of your layout.


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## Maxum (Apr 10, 2017)

Awesome Lee! Looks great. I'm such a fan of the Warbonnets. I need to finishing laying track on my layout and wire it up so i can get the rest of my trains out, including my MTH Premier ABBA F3's and 10 coaches. I'm jealous of your PA's. I might have to get a set.


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## Guest (Mar 12, 2019)

Lee, those trains are gorgeous! It took me a little while to warm up to the ALCO PA's but in the War Bonnet and Delaware and Hudson livery they are a sight to behold. I ordered two four packs,(wanted two half domes), as well as the add on cars with the exception of the full dome car from Clyde at Stockyard Express earlier today. As soon as the RPO car arrives he will ship everything. I just may have to get some PA"S and F3's as well. You can't beat MTH passenger cars and those are stunning. I will have to break out the Molotow and do some plating to the Lionel ABBA E6 set that I have put together.

Regards,

Gary.


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## CV-62 (Dec 9, 2018)

But, but, Lee, do you like the plated cars? I thought so. 

Nice looking Super Chief all the way around. You get the Commander's Coin!!


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## Wood (Jun 9, 2015)

Yup... I have the Super Chief. 









Lee, your consist is top notch, but these 1995 Lionel units aren't shabby at all. I recently posted these in a thread about the Silhouette windows. They are 24 years old, have incredible platting, chrome top and look beautiful. Notice the rivets in the picture. Notice the incandescent lights.

Runs on my layout all the time.


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## Lehigh74 (Sep 25, 2015)

Love those shiny sided Alcos. The PA1 is hands down the best looking diesel ever made. A few weeks ago, I saw a great price on an old set of MTH 18” ATSF passenger cars, put in a low bid and won the auction before I even knew that I would be getting the new PAs. I’ve been looking for a few full-length dome cars to match them. Now that the shiny sided passenger cars are out, maybe I’ll see more of the older cars.


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## BobS (Jun 18, 2015)

Lee, I just have to ask but one question. Are you planning to "weather" these?


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## PDDMI (Oct 25, 2015)

BobS said:


> Lee, I just have to ask but one question. Are you planning to "weather" these?


Hmmmmmm...and Lee, might be best to steer clear of Harry...something just might accidentally rub off!!! Just sayin...


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## laz57 (Sep 19, 2015)

LEE,
Very nice set of cars you have there along with the ALCOs man they just shine. I got my 3 cars, vista dome, dining, and sleeper from PATRICKs but still awaiting the other 5 cars. They are just beautiful and I do like just the hint of bronze on the tops of the cars. Enjoy!


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

Beautiful Santa Fe consist you have, Lee! Enjoy them in good health. 

I have been wanting a set of Santa Fe PA-1’s for a long time but always passed over them for something else. I don’t know how I missed the MTH plated version. After trying to order them late and being told to forget it by my favorite dealer, I persevered and found an ABA set. It looks like my hesitation over the years was worth it. These PA’s are spectacular!

After getting the ABA’s I vacillated over which passenger set to pair with them. I was looking at the planned Super Chief aluminum set from Golden Gate Depot, which probably wouldn’t be delivered for a long while, or the MTH plated cars. I ended up ordering the MTH set, which will be on my doorstep in a couple days. Even though they aren’t prototypically correct cars, they still look beautiful glistening down the rails in their plated finish. The GGD set, although sensational and correct, don’t have the same shiny finish even though they are aluminum. And they are twice the cost and only eight cars for the basic set. This is the first time I’ve chosen an 18”/ 19” set of cars over a 21” car set. 

I will give my favorite dealer a chance to redeem himself and order the RPO car to have all ten cars.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2019)

Hello Traindiesel. From what I have been told by a couple of dealers the new MTH Premier Santa Fe cars are quite stunning. I only purchase MTH Premier passenger cars. Great bang for the buck, little people included, and nice colour matches. While the Lionel 21's are very nice I have had to many grenaded kinetic couplers on some of there other rolling stock to go with them. Not to mention the last bad run of 21's they had. Dealers worked very hard to correct those problems and I am sure Lionel has addressed those QC issues. GGD cars are gorgeous with outstanding detail. However, they are pricey. I am quite sure that you will be impressed with the SF cars you are about to receive. Enjoy.

Regards,

Gary.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2019)

Good decision, Brian. Also not accepting "no" paid off for you with the PA's. Another good decision.


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## MichaelE (Mar 7, 2018)

Fine looking consist and locomotives. I like the Alco's better than the F3.


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## laz57 (Sep 19, 2015)

I contacted PATRICKs TRains and PAT said the set should be coming in later this week. I sure hope so. The diner and sleeper along with the vista dome cars are very well done. Can't wait for the other cars to come in.


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## Guest (Mar 17, 2019)

Yes Laz, they are expected shortly. Should make a fabulous passenger train. heck, most anything in back of the plated Sante Fe F3's would look good. Best Sante Fe F3's I have ever seen.


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## Spence (Oct 15, 2015)

Brian (TD); any news on your future layout?


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

Gary and Brian, thank you! I can’t wait to run them. 

Spence, the layout has been on hold the last few months because of Lynley’s father passing and her mom moving in with us. But I hope to start interviewing builders soon after the York Meet. I have to guard against being too anxious and make sure we get exactly the building we want.


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## Rocky Mountaineer (Sep 19, 2015)

Traindiesel said:


> ...
> 
> I will give my favorite dealer a chance to redeem himself and order the RPO car to have all ten cars.


Also don't forget to check in with Clyde or Dianne at Stockyard Express. They're due to have their two special-run R50B express reefers in-stock when the RPO's arrive. The R50B's should have the same "plated" appearance as the new passenger cars. 




waitin' 4 the train said:


> ... Not to mention the last bad run of 21's they had. Dealers worked very hard to correct those problems and I am sure Lionel has addressed those QC issues. ...


For those who must buy Lionel, let's hope Lionel has addressed their passenger car issues. I purposefully pre-ordered NONE of Lionel's new passenger cars in the 2019 catalog -- neither 21-inchers nor the 18" heavyweights. Still can't believe how badly Lionel has screwed up what was formerly a first-class set of products when they offered aluminum cars for years. Their cut-over to ABS cars as well as cheap short-cuts with the heavyweight line-up has been an outright disaster. 




Traindiesel said:


> ... I hope to start interviewing builders soon after the York Meet. I have to guard against being too anxious and make sure we get exactly the building we want.


Brian, are you having a layout custom-built? If so, be sure to check out Dunham Studios and TW Trainworx. I can speak first-hand for Dunham Studios who did an absolutely outstanding job with my layout, and TW Trainworx has been pulling out all the stops in 2018 and 2019 highlighting their projects on Facebook.


David


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## Traindiesel (Sep 8, 2015)

Rocky Mountaineer said:


> Brian, are you having a layout custom-built? If so, be sure to check out Dunham Studios and TW Trainworx. I can speak first-hand for Dunham Studios who did an absolutely outstanding job with my layout, and TW Trainworx has been pulling out all the stops in 2018 and 2019 highlighting their projects on Facebook.
> 
> 
> David


David, thanks for the tip on the R50b!!

The layout will not be commercially built. Here in Southern California ther are no basements and a spare bedroom size layout will just not do. When my wife got her amazing job offer to move out here, I asked for only two things for moving to the west coast. That is, still be able to go to York and to have a large space for my layout. 

Well we got lucky to find a home with a large lot. So we will be constructing a building to house the layout that I call The Train Palace. I can’t design it yet until I know the dimensions of the building. Might have to move a palm tree or two, but it will be a size I can do a lot with. And after deconstructing my previous layout I noticed the lumber got a lot heavier than it was 15 years ago! So I’ll be going with Mianne Benchwork to build it. 

I am itching to run my plated PA’s and passenger cars and all my other equipment that hasn’t seen the rails yet. And, I’ll be at the York Meet next month too!


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## Lee Willis (Jan 1, 2014)

A Train Palace. Wow!! Perfect name for it, Traindiesel.




Traindiesel said:


> David, thanks for the tip on the R50b!!
> 
> And after deconstructing my previous layout I noticed the lumber got a lot heavier than it was 15 years ago! !



How true. I noticed the same thing recently while working on the layout. 

There could be another reason, but I explain this simply. Einstein said that gravity is nothing but the curvature of space, and I am certain that all that has happened is that our solar system must have moved into a region of the universe where space is more curved than it was when I built the layout years ago. Hence, gravity has increased, so the boards are all heavier for me to lift. 

That is my story and I am sticking to it!


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## Millstonemike (Aug 9, 2018)

Rocky Mountaineer said:


> ....Still can't believe how badly Lionel has screwed up what was formerly a first-class set of products when they offered aluminum cars for years. Their cut-over to ABS cars as well as cheap short-cuts with the heavyweight line-up has been an outright disaster. ...
> David


I had did a little research on the extruded aluminum cars after I bought a set of Williams SP Daylights (15").

They all seemed to be made by the same mfg (at least the extrusions) and mine had "Made in Korea" listed on the 5-car set's original shipping box.


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