GGD SF El Capitan Set Change

Scott, thank you for the email and your post here. For those that ordered a complete set of twelve El-Cap cars, is there need to change that order?

I personally think that's an excellent decision Scott.

Scott, thanks for the email and the post, I've replied back to you with my new request. Personally though, I sure would like to see the RPO and Baggage cars Budd Built and not ACF as you stated in your post, most photos I've seen of the EL Cap show Budd cars on the head end. I wonder what other forum members preferences are who also ordered the set, Budd Built or ACF Head end cars? 

 

Joe

I received the following email this morning.

 

Dear Valued GGD Customers,

 

The AMTRAK livery of the El Capitan will be Phase I. Not Phase III as previously Stated.

 

Thank You,

 

Scott Mann

Scott -

 

I would like to echo Mill City's question:

 

For those that ordered a complete set of twelve El-Cap cars, is there need to change that order?

 

I would think not, since the same 12 cars are being ordered, but I would be more comfortable hearing it from You.

 

Thanks.

Sounds like a great testimonial to how well Scott listens to and cares about his customers. 

 

Art

Yep, I am with Art, Scott always is concerned about doing the best job he can and is open to his customer's wishes.  Can't get any better than Scott!!

 

Alan

Santa Fe advertised the El Capitan as an all Budd built streamliner. This  referring to the Hi-Level cars. As far as the Baggage being an ACF car and the transition being a Pullman Standard car, I'm sure Santa Fe mixed and matched these cars as needed. Can't wait to see finished product.

Thank you Scott.

If you ordered a step down chair car as an add on car, you might want to update your order.  Since an add on step down chair car is still listed on the reservation webpage, you might end up with three of them in the total set.  Unless that's how you want it.

 

I updated my order at my dealer today.  Just switched out the add on step down chair car for another 72 seat chair car.

Brian, thanks for the heads-up. As you correctly alluded to, I have no need for three step down cars. A call tomorrow is in order.

I went ahead and pre-ordered a Sante Fe set.  You may wonder why this die-hard Amtrak fan made that decision.  Believe me it was not an easy one as I have plenty of GGD Amtrak single level cars to mix in with the El Cap. 

 

At the end of the day, I decided that since these will predominantly run on the high rail club I belong to, the Paradise and Pacific in Scottsdale, AZ, that the Santa Fe cars would be the best fit.  Power was also a consideration in trying to find an appropriate set of locomotives.  I was able to pick up a set of MTH FP45s in Warbonnet with the correct numbering and lettering for 1970 which would still be pre-Amtrak and I prefer cowl units over cab units for some odd reason. 

 

However doing some quick research, Amtrak did lease 5944 and a few others up into 1973 to pull the Super Chief so there is a short window of FP45's pulling Amtrak prior to the arrival of the SDP40F.

 

Could I have caught the Warbonnet bug?  Hmmm....at least in high-rail I guess I have.  Excited for this unique train!

 

Santa Fe experts.  What years did the baggage RPO run?

The Post Office canceled all RPO services in 1968.  Gave all the subsidies to the airlines.

Richard - Thanks for the info.  Looks like I'll need to renumber my FP45s after all since I ordered the RPO or live with the fact that I have a two year disconnect between my power and the forthcoming cars. 

 

As a side note, RPOs ran on the NEC until June 30, 1977.  A Penn Central painted M70 did the honors in an Amtrak train.  As I understand, Conrail inherited the mail service, while Amtrak did not.  Of course Amtrak got mail service back for a while in the 80's and 90's only to give it up again.

Jonathon:

 

In any regard, that RPO will look good behind your engines. I doubt that anyone who goes to your club shows would ever know the difference anyway.

Yeah, try finding a set of Bowser Amtrak Roadrailers.  And, I'm extending some MTH 50' hycubes to 60' for some express/mail cars.

After spending hours and hours painting the diaphragms on my 10 car set of Super Chief cars (and finding a paint that is close in color and stays flexible).... I am begging Scott..

 

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE paint the diaphragms silver on the El Capitan cars.  PLEASE

 

There's not many things I can say about this hobby that I truly did NOT enjoy doing... but painting those 19 diaphragms is at the top of the list I assure you. That sucked!

PLEASE

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE paint the diaphragms silver on the El Capitan cars.

 

Look at the pictures Erik Lindgren posted in his Super Chief thread.  

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...-1951-53-super-chief

 

Pecos River Brass also used a silver colored material for their Super Chief diaphragms.  Perhaps Scott (and you ought to email him) can work something out with the production facility to come up with some silver diaphragms.

 

Scott, Has THE Canadian train arrived yet? the suspense is dragging out forever...

re silver diaphragms: is there a silver fabric paint? Ought to remain flexible if it will adhere, etc.

I tried a couple different fabric paints but they didn't stick well. That paint is meant to go on very thick, and I guess if you put 50 thin coats on, it might look OK. I did find a paint that has worked so far. Stays flexible after it dried but took 2-3 coats to get a good color. It was not very fun hand painting 19 diaphragms 3 times though

 

It comes in 4 different colors.... I chose Sterling, and it's pretty close. Like I said, it took me hours and hours to get them painted though.

 

That's why I'm asking Scott to have them factory painted

Use a silver sharpie marker. It works great on fabric diaghrams. 

They're not fabric diaphragms on the Super Chief cars, and I'm sure they will be rubber on the El Capitan too. 

It was not very fun hand painting 19 diaphragms 3 times though 

 

It is possible that the factory tried to get silver rubber or paint some black rubber and decided that it was not worth what it would add to the price?  Maybe Scott didn't want to deal with complaints of paint flaking off?

There are sometimes scale limitation to actual sized items.

 

Diaphragms are one of them. Either the scale diaphragm material is too flexible and weak OR strong enough but way too rigid.

 

Painting them poses similar issues; paint at 1/4 scale is way too thin on a flexible material and with a myriad of coats too thick and prone to flake off.

 

so maybe you just have to accept the gaps.

 

 

So the question is, why use rubber? The fabric type used by walthers since the 50s looks far more prototypical and easier to color, imo.

Lat me go on record by saying there is no way I will ever paint diaphrams. 

 

Nope 

 

Sorry

 

No Way

 

Ain't gonna happen.

it took me hours and hours to get them painted though.

Perfect for watching baseball on TV :-)

It has been awhile since there has been any activity on this thread.  I checked the GGD web page and they are still taking reservations for these cars.  I thought by bumping it up Scott may update us on the status, or perhaps a member knows if the cars will be produced and when they may be available.

 

thanks

Scott stated in a post about the progress on the FT diesels that the El Capitan cars would go into production later this year.

Scott,

Remember Fred Hill over at The Original Whistle Stop used Trojan to mold his HO diaphragms in colors and used Tampo decals for the striping. If you want I can chase down more info for you on this methodology.

John Smith used stickers looks like you did too with some success.

I've painted GGD rubber diaphragms on the heavyweight coaches and the silver turned yellowish. Odd

 

That would be amazing... considering the GGD El Capitan first broke on this forum back on February 6th of this year, when Boilermaker1 posted this topic:

 

https://ogrforum.com/topic/ggd-el-capitan

 

This has got to make the poor folks that have been waiting 5-6 years for tha Atlas California Zephyr, just a bit uneasy.

 

Go Scott !!!

This project was long overdue in the O-Gauge community. I give Scott a lot of credit for moving this to the forefront. This gives anyone the opportunity to own and run a set of Sante Fe Hi-Levels the opportunity to do so. They are so impressive on a layout, and of course they represent one of the most popular railroads, ever.

 

Jim, you are not alone in loving the Sante Fe and Hi-Levels.

Scott Mann, how about update on the progress of El Capitan cars??