Lionel Legacy Santa Fe "Blue Bird" F-7 Diesel A-A Set

Are you sure they weren’t the F3 ATSF Cat Wiskers?  These would make a great special run. I’ve looked for them through the years, as well.

https://www.lionel.com/product...-200-dmy-201-6-34635

https://www.lionel.com/product...b-unit-200-a-6-34638

https://www.lionel.com/product...b-unit-200-b-6-34639

@PRREnola - I don’t know about your F7 query but in 2011 Lionel released a nice F3 Santa Fe ‘Cat Whiskers’  AA set (6-34635) in SF’s traditional blue/yellow freight colours. Consequently you may want to google that set number on the Lionel.com website to see it and determine whether that is the one you’re thinking of.  BTW, matching B units - powered and dummy - were also available, which were numbered 6-34638 and 6-34639 respectively.

Hope this info is of some assistance.

Oops, Rider Sandman beat me to it. 😉

@PH1975 posted:

@PRREnola - I don’t know about your F7 query but in 2011 Lionel released a nice F3 Santa Fe ‘Cat Whiskers’  AA set (6-34635) in SF’s traditional blue/yellow freight colours. Consequently you may want to google that set number on the Lionel.com website to see it and determine whether that is the one you’re thinking of.  BTW, matching B units - powered and dummy - were also available, which were numbered 6-34638 and 6-34639 respectively.

Hope this info is of some assistance.

These are always tricky to find on the Lionel site (for me, anyway) because they are titled “Cat Wiskers” instead of “Cat Whiskers” (as you have properly spelled). I have no clue if it’s a typo on Lionel’s part or if the original units were known by this unusual spelling. Either way, they aren’t easy to search for on a site that isn’t easy to use to begin with.

@Rider Sandman - I’m surprised that ‘Spell Check’ didn’t correct it when they were putting the catalog together 😉.  BTW, I have hard copies of all of Lionel’s catalogs going back to the mid-1990s and your comment prompted me to pull out the 2011 Vol. 2 catalog.  Guess what, following the introductory description after which they list the product number and the MSRP it’s spelled ”Cat Whiskers” so they got it right in the printed catalog.

@PH1975 posted:

Guess what, following the introductory description after which they list the product number and the MSRP it’s spelled ”Cat Whiskers” so they got it right in the printed catalog.

Well, there ya go. Good catch. Spell check is why they’re hard to find on the site - it keeps changing my search term to the correct spelling and their search engine isn’t sophisticated enough to produce results of the misspelled variant.

I still would like to see them released again. I once saw a B-unit for sale on eBay way over MSRP. The only A-A pair I’ve seen was from a dealer (former forum sponsor) who bought them out of an estate and was reselling them at a price over the original MSRP.  Admittedly, I haven’t searched in a few years, so maybe they’ve started surface more readily.

Funny enough, I purchased the AA set and then, a week later, the unpowered B unit back in May and June of this year at reasonable prices a little under MSRP. The AA units were listed as “Cat Whispers” (sic) and the B unit as “Cat Wiskers” (sic), so searching for the correct terms might not have picked up either one.

Hello All,  The Lionel 6-34635 "Cat Whiskers"  F-3 Set is not the Set I was referring to. The Set Santa Fe F-7 Set I'm referring to was released later than the 2011 release of the "Whiskers" Set.  It had the front Nose Decals as shown in the HO Model I've attached a photo of. I did purchase this Lionel F-7 Diesel Set and am going to say it was released around 2015-2016 give or take. I probably have the receipt someplace but it has become misplaced at the moment. It was a stunning A-A Set and I purchased it because it was the O Gauge version of the Revell HO Santa Fe Train Set I received as a Child from my Parents in the mid-late 1950's, which is what I photographed here. "THANKS"  to all who have replied today, but I know this Lionel Set exists as I did buy it when it was released. Again, Thanks all...Hopefully, it will turn up....

This is a little closer, but it’s an FT (and Lionchief).

https://www.lionel.com/product...20-ft-aa-set-1934090

There was an earlier version of the same engine sold in a set.

https://www.lionel.com/product...ionchief-set-6-85258

Beyond that, I’m stumped (but, intrigued).

Hello again,  I know I probably sound crazy, but no, this was not an FT or Lionchief...or part of a Set, It was a scale sized, Legacy F-7 A-A  Set...I'm going to start digging through my old receipts ...I probably have the receipt around someplace but was hoping to avoid that mess....but I will try and find the receipt, or maybe someone will solve the mystery on the Forum... 

Maybe it was some dealers custom run and won't show up on Lionel site

@PRREnola - I wish you luck in finding it.  That said, tonight I reviewed (fairly carefully) all of Lionel's printed catalogs from 2008-2018 inclusive and the only blue & yellow Santa Fe F freight set I saw is the aforementioned 6-34635 F3 AA duo.

Incidentally @PRREnola, if you are able to find the receipt and can identify the Lionel product number please do a follow-up Post as I'm sure all of the rest of us would be interested in knowing it. 

Any chance it came in a purple box?  2015 catalog. Delivered in 2016.  F-7. Correct nose art.  

https://mthtrains.com/20-20559-1

https://mthtrains.com/20-20558-1

@PH1975 posted:

Incidentally @PRREnola, if you are able to find the receipt and can identify the Lionel product number please do a follow-up Post as I'm sure all of the rest of us would be interested in knowing it. 

Agreed.  This thread has renewed my search for the Legacy F-3s from 2011. I believe a catalog or custom run of these would do well given how hard it is to find the previous release.

Hello All,  I know time and memory can play tricks and of course, I could be wrong, (about  it being a purple, and not an Orange box)...but at the time, and even now, I am, and have been primarily a Lionel Collector/Operator. I have purchased a few MTH Premier Steam Locomotives for their fidelity to scale, but the Legacy System is my operating System and my memory is saying Lionel. Tomorrow I will begin the search for the receipt (I'm pretty certain it's around), and will certainly photograph it and post it to the thread as soon as I find it. I kn ow I purchased it at a major Dealer.  I am not so vain as to not admit it f I am in error, but even I was perplexed when I couldn't find it in the Listing of all Lionel Diesels on their website....Could it have been a Dealer special offer, I guess that's possible. I will find the receipt....give me a few days...Thanks all, for all the help and assistance..! 

I'd be interested to see what the OP is referring to as well. Other than the no. 34635 mentioned above, I've never seen any other Lionel Legacy Santa Fe blue freight scheme F units, and I've been watching. I passed on the 34635 set because I didn't like the black roofs. If they'd done the engines with blue roofs, I would have jumped on them.

Interesting that PRREnola mentioned his Revell H.O. Santa Fe F7. I had (and still have) that same engine, received as a Christmas present in the later 50s (along with its set). It always bugged me that it came with only a single F7, and not an A-A set. A number of years ago I got the Lionel traditional Santa Fe blue F3 set with the A-A, and also added TMCC to them (picture below). Felt good to finally get an  A-A set!

@PRREnola - If it turns out that the MTH version of the F7 is the one you were thinking of, the one fortunate thing that you may want to consider is it appears you might be able to purchase an AA set (1 powered and 1 non-powered) directly from MTH on their On-Line store, as I just checked this out on line. The product description is…

F7 A unit 20-20559-1 (Powered, Dual Motors, Proto 3.0)

F7 A unit 20-20559-4 (Non-Powered)

The MTH S-F  F-7 Units could be an option, but I've not yet given up hope on finding that Receipt.....Stay Tuned....I'm still looking....It's going to take me a few days to check all possible "hiding places"...(You "married" O Gauge Collectors know what I mean there...no need to elaborate)....After I've exhausted all such places...I will report back....So, give me a few days...I know "whatever" I purchased, be it Orange, or Purple, there's a receipt here for it someplace.  And again, I "Sincerely Thank All" who have given of their time and expertise....PRREnola..

Great thread. It certainly seems like there would be strong interest in a special run of this livery the next time Legacy F3s/F7s are on the menu.

I did this graphic on behalf of 3rd Rail for their 2016 run of the F7.  It is a nice paint scheme.

Hello Everyone...I hang my head in defeat...I have searched these past 2+ weeks high and low for the "Receipt" showing a Lionel F-7 A-A Set I purchased in the Warbonnet Blue and Yellow scheme but it is not to be found....I found a lot of Receipts from "Mario's Trains" from 2014 thru 201, a Lionel/MTH Dealer I was buying heavily from back then...I found Receipts for several Locomotives both Lionel and MTH but no F-7 (or F-3 for that matter), Santa-Fe Diesels. Maybe it's as someone suggested in an earlier Post that I did in fact purchase the MTH F-7's that were shown...but then, I should have found the MTH Receipt for that purchase..? I am perplexed by this...I know I'm not losing my marbles yet...(at least I don't think I am), and had I not had the memory of those S-F Units, I would not have been asking help in finding them again..? I will continue to search for paper work to back up my apparently faulty memory of a Locomotive I can vividly remember.  Without dismissing the search for these Diesel Units, can I shift gears here and put another "question" before the "Panel"...?  I recently came across an Article in a publication about real  1:1  Steam Locomotives about a Lehigh Valley T-3;  4-8-4 Northern Type Steam Locomotive. I never knew the prototypical Lehigh Valley owned and ran any 4-8-4's.  Does anyone know if MTH ever put out a Premier Line Lehigh Valley 4-8-4 Steam Locomotive..?  I'm pretty sure Lionel never did, but I'm not up on all the 3-rail Premier Steam Locomotives MTH released.  The T-3 in the Article looked like an imposing Locomotive worthy of having on my Layout....Again...Any help is appreciated if anyone has any info on this....Thanks again for everyones' help on the S-F issue....PRREnola 

@GG1 4877 posted:

I did this graphic on behalf of 3rd Rail for their 2016 run of the F7.  It is a nice paint scheme.

I have those 3rd rail diesels. thanks for such a great design.

@Ron H posted:

I have those 3rd rail diesels. thanks for such a great design.

Thank you for sharing the photos of your locomotives!  I often work on these projects and never see the final results outside of the photos on this forum and the ones I end up acquiring.

In this case mine were PRR 2 rail units and I am hoping for a future run so I can pick up a set of ABBA Warbonnet units for my El Capitan / Super Chief.  Currently I am using Railking Scale FP45s or an E6 AB set.  Neither are ideal.

@GG1 4877 posted:

Thank you for sharing the photos of your locomotives!  I often work on these projects and never see the final results outside of the photos on this forum and the ones I end up acquiring.

In this case mine were PRR 2 rail units and I am hoping for a future run so I can pick up a set of ABBA Warbonnet units for my El Capitan / Super Chief.  Currently I am using Railking Scale FP45s or an E6 AB set.  Neither are ideal.

Seems such a shame! It would be cool if Scott could take snapshots of all the variations he makes and put them on the 3rd Rail website. I’d think it would help sell current projects!

@rplst8 posted:

Seems such a shame! It would be cool if Scott could take snapshots of all the variations he makes and put them on the 3rd Rail website. I’d think it would help sell current projects!

Agreed!  It is getting better though.  There are good photos of recent projects.  Just something to add to the checklist of project requirements.

@GG1 4877 posted:

Agreed!  It is getting better though.  There are good photos of recent projects.  Just something to add to the checklist of project requirements.

One more thing that no one has time to do! Understood, lol.

@PRREnola - Regarding your inability to find a receipt for the Santa Fe ‘Blue Bird’ F7 set, perhaps one explanation - if your wife is like mine - is that your wife discovered your ‘hiding place’ and may have just discarded the receipt (without mentioning it to you) knowing that the financial damage to the household had already been done. 😉 Alternatively, if you’re like me, as a precautionary measure you came up with a new hiding place for the receipt - so new that now you can’t remember where the hiding place is.  If it’s the latter, welcome to my world! 🤪

PS - Regarding your latest inquiry as to whether MTH ever put out a Premier Lehigh Valley 4-8-4 Northern Type steam locomotive, I think you might be more successful in obtaining feedback if you created a new Post for that topic. Good Luck!

's and B's  and you purchased whatever you desired to make a Set of your preference..?  Were they TMCC equipped for Sound and Control..?  Were the equipped with fan driven smoke Units..?  Can anyone provide any additional photos like a head on pic, or any other operating stats..?  Maybe I could "watch" for a Set...I never knew 3er Rail made them...?   Thank you....

@PRREnola - By any chance was it MTH's 'Blue Warbonnet' blue & silver paint scheme (which has recently come up on another Post) that you were thinking of?  To see what that scheme looks like go to MTH's website and type in 20-2485-1. 

@prrenola  Are these what you had?

https://ogrforum.com/...a-fe-f3-aa#lastReply

Hello,   Thanks for replying but those are not what I had....I believe someone in an earlier post had described those as the "Cat Whisker" Santa Fe design from Lionel. I have come to the conclusion that either I had the MTH Premier S-F Blue and yellow Freight Scheme mentioned above or..?  The Photo of the 3rd Rail Santa Fe A-B Set in the Blue and Yellow Freight scheme shown in a posting 3 or 4 Postings  back is very close to what I had....but I've never owned a 3rd Rail Locomotive so I know it wasn't them. I have given up on my search, and once again,  "Thank Everyone" who has taken the time to reply to my original Post....Thank you    PRRENOLA 

@PRREnola - Well don't forget, as I mentioned above, you 'might' be able to purchase an F7 AA set (in the blue & yellow paint scheme) directly from MTH's website - if you want them.  🤔

Have a good day!

@PRREnola - Just wondering if you've seen Lionel's new Yellow Bonnets?  If you'd like to check them out with the naked eye so to speak there's photos of them on the OGR Forum now.  Just do a Search of the heading New Lionel Legacy F7 Yellow Bonnets. 

There is a Trainworld exclusive F-3 in those colors. Mth part number 20-21616-1. Roof is black. They have 5 in stock.

Thank you all, for the Updates to my original Post about the Blue and Yellow Freight Scheme F-3/ F-7 Diesels I "seem" to remember purchasing some time ago.  That scheme wasn't actually a Blue and Yellow "Warbonnet" scheme...It was a solid dark blue Body with a yellow Cab Roof blending into a yellow band running the length of the Car Body just below the roof line on the sides;  with a thin yellow trim line along the bottom of the Car Body with the Yellow Santa Fe Oval Nose Herald and yellow  Santa Fe lettering on the sides....a very attractive freight scheme on an F-Unit.  I believe the MTH Premier Units are the closest, except for the Black roof.  Thanks again for your Posts...