# Santa Fe Business Cars



## mrh044 (Oct 11, 2008)

Its been a few months since I started a thread about these business cars. Over that period, I have finished two of the three Santa Fe business cars.

I took USA Trains California Zephyr sleepers and cut off the vestibule end. I formed the roof and rear deck from balsa wood and also modified some of the USA Trains parts to form the deck. Then I made a mold of the pieces and started to cast the parts in resin. The rear deck was the biggest challenge due to the corrugation but I was able to match it closely. The red strobe on the rear flashes when the train is in motion. The roof antennas were kitbashed from misc. Ozark Miniatures parts.

The _Atchison_ was built by Pullman and rode on 2 axle trucks. The USAT truck was a perfect match, so that car was finished easily.

The _Topeka_ and _Santa Fe _were built by Budd and rode on 3 axle trucks. This was a challenge! I took AristoCrafts commonwealth tender trucks and heavily modified them. The resin works great and I was able to make a set of trucks that is almost a perfect match. The _Topeka_ is done (except for lettering) and the _Santa Fe_ is currently under construction.


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## mrh044 (Oct 11, 2008)

Here are some more pictures of the_ Topeka_.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Excellent back porches! 
Great feel of the fluting as it goes around those sharp corners. 
Very nice job, the road Prez. should be pleased! 

John


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Super job!!!!!

Being a Santa Fe modeler in the smaller scales, those cars definitely have the Santa Fe business car feel. I like the end lights. 

Even without the right window configuration, your cars look better then my HO Kato Santa Fe business car.


Great job


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## Jerry Barnes (Jan 2, 2008)

VERY nice work indeed!


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## NTCGRR (Jan 2, 2008)

Very nice 
a winter or so ago , I tried one for the U.P. and it came out fair. 
PS I think I have an older video of your RR??


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## mrh044 (Oct 11, 2008)

Posted By San Juan on 10 Aug 2009 12:10 PM 

Even without the right window configuration, your cars look better then my HO Kato Santa Fe business car.


Great job








Thank you!! 

Speaking of the HO Kato Business car, I used it quite a bit to get the right angles. And as for the windows, there was no way for me to work with the aluminum. It looks good enough the way it is.


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## mrh044 (Oct 11, 2008)

Posted By NTCGRR on 10 Aug 2009 03:52 PM 
Very nice 
a winter or so ago , I tried one for the U.P. and it came out fair. 
PS I think I have an older video of your RR??


I saw a video you posted on youtube about the UP Big Boy and the Business car was in the consist. It was because of that video I thought about doing the Santa Fe car. If you remember, I sent you an email asking for pictures of your car and you sent me here. I might do one in UP colors with the round roof and 3 axle trucks but that won't be for a long while.

I don't know of any videos I took of our railroad. I have my website with pictures of the layout (New pictures will be added in the next week!) but maybe someone else took the video. I don't know.

Thanks for everyone's comments!


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