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ATSF: Fast Mail Express [car questions]

Hi Folks,

I was hoping that some of you could list some of the cars one could expect [plan for] on a Santa Fe "Fast Mail Express". If you could include a few sources to purchase a specific car mentioned that'd be most appreciated. Below are two examples that caught my attention. I am trying to identify the cars shown so as to make a list of cars that I could purchase to create an example of a "Fast Mail Express".

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In the "Great Model Railroads, 2004" on p. 46 and on p. 47, there are two pictures of a Santa Fe "Fast Mail Express". It seems that these are different trains based on the captions.

1) On p. 46 behind the ATSF ABBA, there are four cars shown. Is there any chance that some of you might be able to identify the style and a possible brand of the first three cars shown?

As a complete guess, car #4 appears to be a Budd car [baggage or mail, perhaps].

2) On p. 47 behind the ATSF AABB, a similar "Fast Mail Express" train is pictured. There are seven cars in the image.

Cars #1 and #2 appear to be the same two cars as shown on p. 46, however, car #3 looks like a refrigerator car based on its coloration [would that style ever be included?]. Car #4 and car #5 are near impossible to identify though their green or gray color might assist some of you. Car #6 looks like a Budd baggage car. Cars #7 and #8 appear to be Budd cars as well, but I just don't know. Once again, car #7 has a green/gray color which might help you.

Would a Railway Express car [or several REA cars] be among the consist?

Were these trains more amiable than the fruit trains thus [possibly] combining ATSF, UP, SP, and/or other roadnames within one mail train consist?

Thanks So Much! Matt

Reply to
Matt & Kathleen Brennan
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Matt

If you can obtain a copy of the Santa Fe Railway Historical and Modeling Society magazine for the second quarter of 1997, almost the whole issue is devoted to "The Fast Mail". Almost any Santa Fe baggage or RPO would appear on the train. A number of Fe-24 & Fe-29 double door box cars were painted the passenger green and equipped with steam lines for use on the train.

The Rivarossi 1920's combine is a model of the rider cars used on the rear of the train. The Walthers REA express reefers including the ACL & GN are listed as being used on The Fast Mail. The Walthers PRR R50B reefers are also listed. The Red Caboose PRR X-29 box car which has PRR & REA markings was also used on the train.

Stuart Sabatini Palm Coast, FL

Reply to
Stuart Sabatini

I will definitely look for it. I really appreciate your assistance with the list of possibilities that I could include in this train. Fantastic! Thank You!

Reply to
Matt & Kathleen Brennan

Reply to
res0xur8

Reply to
res0xur8

Actually, it was the E1's re-built to E-8M's, the E-6's ran into the late

Reply to
Fred and Nancy Isbell

You could, but the Alco PA's were the most frequent power found on Santa Fe's Fast Mail trains...

Reply to
Sean S

Say no more. ;-)

I just cannot afford to budget another engine into the planning at least for a while. Since we already own an ATSF E6A/B [Warbonnet], I am elated to read that it "could" be a reasonable substitute.

Thanks for replying! Along with the other's input [also most appreciated!], I can at least feel confident that the E6 A/B would be acceptable [even as a distant second choice] unless [until] we were able to add an Alco PA to the mix. Although we are freelancing and loosely modeling the ATSF and its affiliates, we're still trying to create

*reasonable* scenarios with the equipment being used. I always appreciate all of the feedback all of you offer. It helps a lot!
Reply to
Matt & Kathleen Brennan

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