Santa Fe B Unit Number

The number 8777 refers to Lionel's stock number for this unit...6-8777.  Nothing to do with any prototype.  If you enter 'Lionel 6-8777' in your search engine, you'll get a bunch of examples.

AFAIK, Santa Fe did not number their B-units in any easily spotted manner...certainly not as obviously as the Lionel unit '8777'.  There may have been an identifier in small letters/numbers near or on the bottom bi-colored band, but that's about it.  I could be mistaken...and I'm not "Monk"!

I'd forget adding any numbers.  Even if numbered, these B-units spent far more of their life in a mixed bag of power, seldom ever joined again to their as-delivered set sisters.  But that's just MHO.

KD

@dkdkrd,

Thanks.  The reason I asked about it is that I did see several images of B units with numbers on them.  I've attached one, and I've seen one with the 8777 number as well.  These may have been customized jobs, but I kinda like them.

Then I suggest going to the K4Decals website, look for letters/numerals in Extended Roman font (reasonable match to the '8103' style in your photo), pick your size/color, place an order.  Excellent decals!

KD

Here are the pics of the 1991-93 F3's that made up the storied 18100-18101-18102-18103-18115 ABBBA locomotive consist.  They dropped the 1's from the Lionel stock numbers on the locomotive numbering except for the 18115, which you surely noticed was marked only "Water" under the Indian head logo.  Understand an F3 body held water tanks and steam generator to provide hot water for passenger service but may be wrong and was hoping someone might reply with an explanation for the missing  number.

@hobby-go-lucky posted:

Here are the pics of the 1991-93 F3's that made up the storied 18100-18101-18102-18103-18115 ABBBA locomotive consist.  They dropped the 1's from the Lionel stock numbers on the locomotive numbering except for the 18115, which you surely noticed was marked only "Water" under the Indian head logo.  Understand an F3 body held water tanks and steam generator to provide hot water for passenger service but may be wrong and was hoping someone might reply with an explanation for the missing  number.

Thanks a lot I thought I had finally completed my set when I learned on this forum that there was an additional two cars made that I did not have.  I receive them and the next day I learn about additional B Units that were made that I did not have. It took me 50 years to find the loan missing car from my 1953 set but only 30 years to acquire the missing pieces from my 1991 set thanks to this forum.. Hope I wife doesn’t find out!😀

@dkdkrd,

Thanks for the website. It really is a great decal site.  I will be ordering some today.

@RJT,

Yeah, I overbought on a Stout auction yesterday, so when the box arrived my wife would have known. I told her yesterday and was in the doghouse for a bit. I do have a way to justify it since not 1 but 2 neighbors bought an extra car for themselves, late model Vettes. I ask her if she would rather I do that.

@texgeekboy posted:

@dkdkrd,

Thanks for the website. It really is a great decal site.  I will be ordering some today.

@RJT,

Yeah, I overbought on a Stout auction yesterday, so when the box arrived my wife would have known. I told her yesterday and was in the doghouse for a bit. I do have a way to justify it since not 1 but 2 neighbors bought an extra car for themselves, late model Vettes. I ask her if she would rather I do that.

@dkdkrd I keep asking her if she would enjoy another mid 60’s hot rod Ford or a rail car and she just shakes her head and remarks that I will be the death of her yet with a big smile but no answer on the Ford or railcar. I told her the Ford could be a convertible.