Rebuilding a rebuild: Santa Fe CF7 in H0…

I love rebuilds… whether it’s Canadian GP9RMs, Illinois Central GP10s, BC Rail CRS20, Canfor’s CAT SW1200, the Soo’s GP15C/GP20C/GP30C to today’s CP GP20C-ECO, there is something about taking a worn out machine and giving it a new lease of life, let alone character…

Annotated photo showing my donor model stripped of parts and paint.

I’m going to try and mix a little history, with my plans for recreating the prototype in H0 scale. Perhaps natural bedfellows, but rather than launch into the model, it feels fitting to start with the back story. I can see a series of these posts over time, as I’ve got a few of these models either built, planned or pre-ordered!

Ex Santa Fe CF7 with an ex Soo GP20C on the RRV&W.

In the late 1960s many railroads found themselves with aging first generation road switchers and without the funds for replacement. EMD offerings around $150k were beyond the means of cash strapped railroads, still strangled by the post war controls introduced by the ICC and before the 4Rs and Staggers act began to remove some of their shackles. As a result a wide variety of home grown and third party rebuilds can trace their lineage back to this particular time period. In the years since, the growth of shortline railroads across North America has come as these rebuilds were being sold on by their original owners, providing motive power at a knock down price and ensuring that for us as enthusiasts it is still possible to see many of these machines still in service. The Twin Coties and Western still rosters a fleet of ex-Soo CAT rebuilds, Paducah (Illinois Central) rebuilds are still in service across the country, in my case those that worked north of Saskatoon for Carlton Trail were of particular interest… CP and CNs GP9 rebuilds still see service in Canada and beyond (in CN’s case some still on the roster).

Where the CF7 differs is that these distinctive machines, rebuilt by the Santa Fe, started out as streamlined cowl units! Yes, CF7 is as simple as ‘Converted F7’. Between 1970 and 1978 233 were rebuilt, with car body removed, frames strengthened, a road switcher hood fabricated and after the first few units which used a section of the old F7 body for a curved cab, later examples have the distinctive angular ‘Topeka’ cab (although they were all rebuilt at Cleburne shops). Reconditioned 567 engines upgraded to ‘BC’ status (C style cylinder liners I believe, but not a full C head) still rated at 1750hp, equivalent to a GP9, new electrical systems and refurbished trucks took life expired F7s and gave them a projected 10-15 year life, costing as little as $40k vs the $150k of a new build. Today, they still serve in shortline service, 60 years plus since their original building. If you’re interested in a thorough and well written history, I’d recommend taking a read of this website.

I’ve always had soft spot for the CF7, the whole idea of rebuilding an F7 (first North American model I had as a child) into a road switcher was fascinating to my young mind. It opened up my creativity, perhaps I could design my own rebuilds, design my own short lines… so whilst reading the Garbely Pinsly book on holiday I found myself naturally drawn to the red black and yellow CF7s of the Pioneer Valley and Florida Central. It was the lines in Florida that appealed, partly due to their bright blue skies, lush landscape and faded finish, but perhaps also thanks to Lance Mindheim and his Miami themed layouts… the idea of swappable trees on Beaverbrook so that I could switch deciduous trees with palm trees would allow the layout to serve a variety of locations with ease… I had already planned to use it as a backdrop for Northern Saskatchewan and Northern Alberta… why not Florida too?

All of Pinsly’s Florida operations used CF7s, and the way motive power was switched around between lines would mean one lettered for the Florida Central could easily find itself elsewhere…

…as the video showing one on the Florida Midland shows (this is a lovely video though, well worth 15 minutes of your time, such a gentle pace and quietly narrated). 

The project was scoped, and a list of modifications I wanted to make to the well made but fairly basic Athearn model. Unlike recent projects I am looking forward to the relative ease of this rebuild, and the opportunity to try out parts from new (to me) suppliers. It’s funny, before a CF7 was even sourced I began picking up parts and decals from Keyser Valley Models and Highball Graphics, both amazingly quick and easy service to the UK, thanks guys! To add to this I’ve a pair of Cal-scale brass horns and some Details Associates headlight mouldings to add, as well as the need to scratch build some of the underframe and truck detail.

In the end I managed to pick a CF7 from Hattons for what I considered was a fair price for a sound fitted model, when considering the additional cost of importing one from eBay. Work has already begun, I’ve stripped amd cleaned the drivetrain, tweaked the Soundtraxx decoder and replaced the original tinny speaker with a Rail-exclusive box, which has improved the sound and running. The body was soaked in IPA to remove the paintwork and the details carefully removed, some for reuse.

I’m looking forward to seeing this come together in the following months… it has leap frogged my CRS20 project as I’m waiting on some parts from Canada to allow me to modify the pilots on that model, and the GP20C-ECO is then in line after that… the Intermountain GP10 in Carlton Trail has been pre-ordered too… so my itch for rebuild models is ‘satisfied’ for now, although an ex Soo GP30C (rebuilt GP30) means I’ve been on the look out for suitable donor models for some time too… oh dear! Until next time, more soon…

EDIT: This article is also well worth a read about the success of the model in shortline service.