Railfan Gaming > New 3DTrains ATSF ALCO PAs on the San Francisco Chief

These are similar...actually identical...to the 3DTrainStuff SP Alco PAs over Donner, except that they have been reskinned as ATSF ALCO PAs, available for fifteen bucks at www.3DTrains.com. I urge all, however, to get the nice SP ALCO PAs and the Donner Pass Route (and the "Storm of '52" addon with the PAs in both SP Daylight and the Scarlet & Grey Scheme) at www.3DTrainStuff.com. The same fellow, Rick Grout, did both versions. Lots of people tend to get 3DTrainStuff (3DTS) and 3DTrains confused, thinking they are one and the same.

OK...here is ATSF Train No. 2, the Eastbound "SAN FRANCISCO CHIEF" on the freeware Don Wirth Seligman Sub. I prefer the payware Streamlines Seligman Sub, but, the Wirth version is actually quite nice, and extends eastward to Winslow, AZ, while the SLI Seligman cuts off at Seligman. You'll just have to "pardon" the concrete ties on the Wirth Seligman Sub--this is the way it looks now. In contrast, the SLI Seligman has wood ties from Needles to Seligman, which I'd bet, but am not certain, are now concrete...

(1) ATSF ALCO PA No. 52 with an A-B-A power consist leads the Eastbound "San Francisco Chief" with a mixture of the 3DTrains "Super Chief Set" cars, the "ATSF Passenger Beta Set," and, a couple of the freeware ATSF Full Domes available on TrainSim.Com, seen here east of Flagstaff, Arizona:

(2) The Santa Fe 52 hits a stiff upgrade coming out of a rock formation east of Cosnino, AZ:

(3) ATSF Train No. 2 by Cosnino, AZ:

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(4) The view from the cab of ATSF ALCO PA No. 52 at 80 MPH, closing in on the signal bridge at MP 340. The Throttle is in Notch 1, we are dropping down a steep downgrade, a heavy 18 lb. reduction of air is set (passenger trainline pressure set at 110 lbs.), and, much more air will be set (Full Service in PSGR being a 32 lb. reduction, as opposed to 26 for FRT with a feed valve setting and trainline pressure of 90 lbs.) to slow for a 60 MPH curve ahead--coming in hot, but the speed is rapidly falling with a train equipped with 2 large vented disk brakes per axle, and Decelostats (ABS):

(5) No. 2 races over Canyon Diablo, MP 312.50:

(6) No. 2 headon by MP 338:

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(7) The CHIEF through rock formations at MP 332:

(8) No. 2 eastbound by MP 326 through yet more rock formations:

(9) ATSF ALCO PA No. 52 passes an industry spur by MP 340.5 at 90 MPH:

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Shift to the payware Streamlines Seligman Sub for a study in contrasts, and, Amtrak's Train No. 4, the "Southwest Chief," running a bit late out of Needles, CA with 2 freeware Robert Fontaine GE P42DCs, an F59PHI, and, a mixture of freeware Matt Doti Superliners and ex-ATSF HiLevel cars. The F59PHI is running, but, heading east to Beech Grove for some medium-level maintenance work. Plenty of power for today's train.

(1) I'm not sure how it is on the BNSF, but, the UPRR would refer to this eastbound Amtrak "Southwest Chief" as train number "AMT4," with the locomotive being designated as AMTK 51. So...that's the designation that I'll use. Here, AMTK GE P42DC No. 51 leads AMT4 into Needles, CA:

(2) No. 4 in a scenic, deep cut at MP 570 nearing Topock, AZ:

(3) No. 4 over the bridge at Topock, AZ (on the Western Board, John Benner recently posted a unique broadside shot of 3 brand new BNSF GE ES44DC GEVOs over this bridge from a vantage point not frequently used--an excellent photo that I'd recommend folks looking for--posted 7-07-07 on the Western Board at: http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,1462133):

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(4) A headout rear view from Amtrak Genny No. 51 at MP 558, East Topock:

(5) In the cab aboard P42DC No. 51, we are at 76 MPH at MP 553, at the east end of Franconia. It's a hard struggle all the way out of Needles, with the grade fluctuating between 1.3 and 1.8 percent, so, a 3rd unit is coming in quite handy, here:

(6) The Assistant Engineer's (Fireman's) side of Genesis No. 51. Quite a contrast in "interior decorating," here, when compared with ATSF ALCO PA No. 52!!!:

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(7) One of the remaining Phase III Baggage Cars, AMTK 1209 at Athos behind 2 Phase IVb Baggage Cars behind the Phase V painted power. I'm getting used, I suppose, to Phase IVb on the cars, and Phase V on the locomotives--if they achieve uniformity with this and quit messing around with the scheme. Personally, though, I thought that Amtrak had achieved "perfection" with Phase III F40s, "Modified Phase III," aka, the "Pepsi Can Scheme" on the 500-Class GE P32-8BWHs, and Phase III on every car in the consist. Of course, some folks haven't accepted the loss of the red & silver Warbonnet PAs and F-Units, and pure ATSF stainless steel cars, and yet others thought it was "all crap" when they stopped running the 3751 and 2900-Class Northerns out here, so, it's a relative thing...aesthetics...I suppose!!!:

(8) Matt Doti did a FINE JOB on this Phase IVb Superliner I car...he has a mixture of Superliner Is and Superliner IIs in this scheme. It appears that Amtrak has wisely returned to flat black paint on the car and locomotive trucks within the past couple of years...I think they look better, at any rate, as the black "weathers" better:

(9) An overhead of No. 4 over a trestle at MP 559. We TRULY are out in the "middle of nowhere," here...in the land of Route 66:

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(10) No. 4 by Athos, MP 524:

(11) A broadside of Gennies 51 and 61 at Athos:

(12) No. 4 nears Kingman, AZ, and has already crossed over to the Westbound Main for the entrance into Kingman, as the depot is on the left-hand side, as it passes the Chloride Spur Switch at MP 521:

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(13) No. 4 in Kingman Canyon, getting very close to the station stop at Kingman, AZ:

(14) Cabview coming into Kingman. The depot is just past the water tank visible to the left:

(15) P42DC No. 51 hits the grade crossing at the west end of the Kingman Depot:

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(16) No. 4 in a full throttle depature out of Kingman, AZ:

(17) No. 4 over the Highway Overpass at MP 516 in East Kingman, with the Eastbound Main visible to the right:

(18) The rear end of No. 4 crossing back over the the Eastbound Main at Getz, just east of Kingman. As soon as the last Superliner car negotiates the crossover, the throttle will be opened wide in 90 MPH territory, and, the three-unit set of combined GE and EMD power will attain it quite rapidly, as the grade is level for some distance in this location:

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(1) ATSF GP60M 104, a GP60B, and a couple of other units await departure from Needles, CA on an eastbound intermodal Z-Train:

(2) ATSF 104 East blasts out of Needles:

(3) Local power at MP 564.5 as seen from the cab of ATSF GP60M 104 East:

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(4) This eastbound intermodal, following right behind Santa Fe 104 East, literally has it all. While I always liked the GP60Ms, I consider the last EMDs to be added to the "Santa Fe Proper" roster, the EMD SD75Ms, typified here by the ATSF 242 East--to be the absolute EPITOME of modern Santa Fe locomotive design--a beautiful 4300 horsepower 6-axle behemoth. And here, this newest EMD on the Santa Fe is followed by a true classic, a Super Fleet FP45, No. 90, a unit that once led the Chiefs in passenger service across the Transcon at 90 to 100 MPH, then, 2 more GP60Ms. 15,500 EMD horsepower, here, as good as it gets:

(5) A rear view of the ATSF 242 and 90 eatbound out of Needles:

(6) The ATSF 242 East at Topock:

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Great shots Red! Gotta love that modern #4! Keep up the great work!

If you don't already have it, Red, I recommend my GE Genesis sound set for those P42s...

http://members.trainorders.com/mc5725/

>>MC

mc5725 Wrote:
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> If you don't already have it, Red, I recommend my
> GE Genesis sound set for those P42s...
>
> http://members.trainorders.com/mc5725/
>
> >>MC

I got it...and am working on it...time permitting. Thanks, buddy!!!