Chasing ATSF F7's on "The Texas Chief" - October 2016
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On October 2nd, 2016 the Galveston Railroad Museum and BNSF Railway teamed up to run a special train called "The Texas Chief". The train carried executives from BNSF and the city of Galveston, first responders from cities along the train's route, and some members of the public that were lucky enough to purchase a ticket.
The train was pulled northward by a brand-new Tier 4 ET44C4, BNSF 3962, but returned under the power of the museum's two ATSF Warbonnet-painted F7A's, RPCX 316 & RPCX 315. Between the two consists of locomotives ran an eclectic mix of private cars, BNSF-owned cars, and cars belonging to the Galveston Railroad Museum.
The train's crew was provided by Amtrak, using one of the regular crews that normally handles the San Antonio to Beaumont run on the Sunset Limited. As usual, the crew was very friendly, giving a toot and or a wave at every location we saw them.
The train departed the Galveston Railroad Museum in the morning, running northward on BNSF's Galveston Subdivision 126 miles to Brenham, TX, where the crew changed ends and ran back southward to Galveston. Brenham is about 75 miles northwest of Houston.
I caught the train at Rosenberg (35 miles southwest of Houston & 65 miles northwest of Galveston) and chased it north to Kenney, then followed it back to Rosenberg before I let it go on its way back to Galveston Island. Here are my shots of the train:
11:34 - Rosenberg, TX
In Rosenberg, the Texas Chief rolls by on the main and passes a manifest stopped in the siding.
11:57 - North of Wallis, TX
This is a short pacing shot of the Chief along TX 36 a few miles north of Wallis, TX, which itself is 15 miles northwest of Rosenberg.
12:11 - Sealy, TX
The next shot is in Sealy, about 60 miles west of Houston. Here, the Chief passes some of the few remaining Santa Fe searchlights as it crosses the diamond with UP's Katy Industrial Lead.
12:28 - Bellville, TX
The next shot is in Bellville, 13 miles north of Sealy. Here, the tripod decided not to play nice, but the train can still be seen passing a number of locals with American flags that showed up to see the train and salute the first responders aboard.
After the train passed Bellville, we went ahead and stopped for lunch while the train headed on to Brenham and fresh Blue Bell Ice Cream (which met the train at the Brenham Depot). The crew swapped ends at Brenham and then took the train back southward for Galveston.
13:49 - Kenney, TX
We caught the train back on its southward run at the TX 36 overpass in Kenney, 10 miles south of Brenham.
14:11 - North of Sealy, TX
About two miles north of Sealy, the Chief races southward through a rural grade crossing.
14:32 - Orchard, TX
We finally caught up to the train near Orchard, TX, where we grabbed a quick pacing shot.
14:39 - South of Orchard, TX
In our final shot of the train, RPCX 315 leads the train through a gentle curve a few miles south of Orchard and about 40 miles west of Houston.
Galveston Railroad Museum's "Texas Chief"
BNSF ET44C4 #3962
WRHX 800148 "Warren R. Henry"
WRHX 800149 "Evelyn A. Henry"
BNSF 3 "Red River"
BNSF 41 "Flathead River"
BNSF 40 "Fox River"
BNSF 52 "Mt Baker"
AMTK 82500
RPCX 800861 "Alonzo H. Harter"
RPCX 800911 "City of Galveston"
RPCX 800882 "George H. Gould"
ATSF (RPCX) F7A #316
ATSF (RPCX) F7A #315
Videos taken in Rosenberg, Orchard, Wallis, Sealy, Bellville, & Kenney, TX on October 2nd, 2016.
Thanks for watching!
Пікірлер: 148
I can still see the old Northern Pacific F7's hauling freight back in the 60's as a kid. I always loved these F units.
Took the Texas Chief to Chicago with Mom 3 or 4 times in the 1950s. I always watched intently for the Chief to come off of the T&P main, take the NE leg of the wye at Tower 55 and turn its red nose and headlight straight at me. I distinctly remember straining against Mom's grip as the Fs slowly rolled by the platform, trying to go and hug (I guess) those fascinating silver trucks. I was always amazed by the total separation from the Texas summer and Ft Worth traffic noise by the inside coolness and hum of the mechanical equipment. I was in a different world. My other major thrill was going through the Kansas City yards and watching the switches and crossovers flow back and forth as I looked straight down from the coach window. It was rather mesmerizing for a young boy. And then in Chicago it was time to ride the "L"! No wonder I'm a train freek.
Biggest model train set i ever seen! I( bet it costs a fortune! great detail , but kinda big to put indoors, !Q only kidding, Thanks for the memories if it wasnent for the many people who cared to preserve the train, theyed all be rusting away somewhere. Brovo' to the BURLINGTON NORTHERN AND SANTA FE for saving the beautiful Warbonnet F7s.
@Jaydenxx-vp2ln
Жыл бұрын
The f7s are now in Galveston
@jacobruiz97
Жыл бұрын
I know right?!! How’d they get all that detail on there? Athearn really outdid themselves here
@Slipperyisimproving
Жыл бұрын
Not quite a model train. They're real F7s
@missedshot9235
Жыл бұрын
BNSF (Big New Santa Fe)!!
Really nice to see the old War Bonnet's run again.
Hearing that original Santa Fe Leslie S5T horn on a Santa Fe f unit is the icing on the Santa Fe war bonnet cake
@Legitcar117
2 жыл бұрын
If only they were originally santa Fe though
The warbonnet F7s are back. This time hauling excursions across Texas.
That Chief is awesome, I want to see that unit some day
Wish Amtrak would bring back F units. They look much cooler than the resent locomotives and definitely more reliable!!
That horn mounting...…….enough said. Mars lights, anyone?
@artfulldodger5597
3 жыл бұрын
I agree, get the horn back where it belongs and put the main headlight in the door where it belongs. EIther make up one of the famous ATSF shop built rotating headlights or a proper Mars in the upper. Paint job looks great though
F Units even look good as cabooses.
I heard that the Rosenberg Train Museum is trying to by some track to make a siding to run a train on the BNSF. And this train may stop there.
Does anyone know if these F7s will make any runs in 2021? Would love to see them once in my life.
@TRAIN110ValleyProductions
2 жыл бұрын
@Emmanuel Boi no your talking about the General Electric 80 Toner numbered 1983, they always give rides on that one on saturdays, unless if its a special occasion.
@TRAIN110ValleyProductions
2 жыл бұрын
@Emmanuel Boi its alright
F7 units are the most amazing looking locomotives. Looking at them cruising past simply brings back all sweet memories of the past.
Great American railroad engines! Classic. 🇺🇸👍
Texas Chief Express Coming Through
These are beautiful F units but it's too bad about the anachronistic ditch lights. There should be an exemption from that regulation for historical equipment.
Yeah I agree the horns look bad right there. Plus they cast a shadow on the windshield.
My neck of the woods! I live in the Sealy subdivision
The Santa Fe “War Bonnet” is the best looking paint scheme on a locomotive in all of railroading.
@anetajohnson8446
2 жыл бұрын
A well designed and great color sceme was on the missoury pacific EAGLE also! . being raised in the north, i liked the Great Northern colors and designs, saw them many times in my youth! Love trains, but im an artist,so im aware of that stuff!
I mostly love steam but I also love the F7 class!
I used to travel Hwy 36 every weekend between my job in Matagorda and home in DFW. I saw the Santa Fe GP-60M and GP-60B consists quite often on that track. They were almost new, bout 3 or 4 years old then, and they looked great in the red and silver Super Fleet colors. But in my book, they don't hold a candle to seeing red and silver F-7's running again. Thanks for posting this video. After riding the Texas Chief from Ft. Worth to visit Grandma in Chicago as a kid, I've been a fan of these units for more than 50 years.
@UPRR11
6 жыл бұрын
Good to hear this brought back fond memories!
Gotta give you guys credit, I tried to follow here out of Galveston, lost her after she cleared the Causeway Bridge. Tried to make it Brenham but by the time I got there, she had begun making the run back to Galveston. Again kudos, some great vids, and pics, you obviously did your homework, planning this.
Does anyone know what kind of cars the "Flathead River & Fox River" are and who owns them?
@A._Dot
5 жыл бұрын
jarhead4God BNSF owns those cars is you don’t see the orange and black logo
Awesome RS3L!
@citxsd70m-2
7 ай бұрын
That’s an RS5T
Muito bom!!.. Parabéns,, Abraço do Brasil!!
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Thank you! Obrigado!
7 жыл бұрын
hug!!
Just wondering, do you think the BNSF could put engines in those F units and possibly find a couple of B units to make an ABBA lash up ?
@nathanschmidt4889
Жыл бұрын
Cal state RR museum has a B unit pretty sure. Don't know if it works, but they have one
Ye big Chief is back
BNSF needs to lease these for their executive train
Ces trains comme ça C'est plus beau qu'un tgv
Santa Fe War Bonnet F Unit - The engine that launched thousands of models; Lionel's O Gauge models were among the first!
@Snookynibbles
3 жыл бұрын
I’ve got one actually. It’s part of a sizable O gauge setup given to me by Santa circa 1958; I’m 66 now.
@paulmatulavich7321
3 жыл бұрын
@@Snookynibbles 1958 would make the Lionel F3 number 2383 if I am correct.
You re welcome I like this video very much
Great video, love those Santa Fe F units.
Great video!
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
Just curious. Has there ever been built a scaled replica of a bus that resembles the old Diesel Locomotives (e.g. 4:17)? With the same horn sound and the rotating front light?
@TheBlueShark
4 жыл бұрын
no
Great video! Looks like an espee snowplow up front. Is the unit ex-sp painted into ATSF colors?
they did a nice job on those warbonnets, but for some reason they chose not to use the railroad roman font in the number boards. That sticks out like a sore thumb. I hope someone fixes that. I see they added ditch lights, pretty high up it seems.
@sharkheadism
4 жыл бұрын
I'm not going to complain too much but the ditch lights could have been done better.
@AVeryRandomPerson
3 жыл бұрын
Gotta have ditch lights. Everything built after December 1947 (I think) has to have ditch lights
3:43 I'm glad that the Warbonnet F7s do have Leslie horns! A lot of EMD cab units that are used on the mainline today have K5LAs, which doesn't fit a 1950s locomotive! I also find it neat that an Amfleet and the Patrick Henry cars were on this train!
@_chan.burn.21_
5 жыл бұрын
It definitely is a pleasant sound to hear amongst the sea of Nathan K5LAs and P5s, but I don't understand why BNSF mounted the horns on these F7s above the cab like that, they aren't FL9s...
@wtxrailfan
4 жыл бұрын
@@_chan.burn.21_ BNSF doesn't own these F7s. They belong to the Galveston Railroad Museum. And these are not original ATSF F7s. When it comes to restoration, sometimes you have to settle for what you can find. Maybe hire on with the GRRM as a consultant. I'm sure they weren't aware of the historical deficiencies that you and other commenters have outlined ... LOL!
@thehernandezmediacorporation
Жыл бұрын
@@wtxrailfanThe museum stated that many of the parts on those F7s such as the horns were saved from their old Texas Limited F7s, which suffered substantial damage from Hurricane Ike in 2008 and had to be scrapped. They are aware that some of the features were never used on Santa Fe F-units such as a snowplow and ditch lights (a federally mandated requirement since the 90's with some exceptions).
The Tracks are really scary, like a Rollercoaster.
What's with the horns being located like it's an FL9? That's not where ATSF put them.
@jacobwoods8738
4 жыл бұрын
dtoeppen This is not an original Santa Fe unit. Those were damaged by flooding in 2008, so 2 ex-SP/TNO units were rebuilt in Greenville, SC.
This locomotive was featured in the lyrics of an ATSF commercial
This used to be in blue bonnet
Are the F7s powered units, or are they just being pulled and pushed around as display pieces? If they are powered, what type of prime movers do they have? Norfolk Southern repowered their Fs to now make 2000hp, which is 250 more horsepower than they were with their original F9 prime movers.
@darrellcollins2909
2 жыл бұрын
The F7's are powered. Look at the video at 5:32 and you will see them puffing smoke.
Why is there an Amfleet coach on this train?
Wish the F7's didn't need he ditch lights but hey I understand why they had to do em for safety and we get to see 2 f7's running under their own power.
@Random.Channel_
7 жыл бұрын
Irk but in the olden days they had dome/Mars lights witch would flash
@SouthCalifas619
6 жыл бұрын
FlyAround5 yea the FRA wouldnt let a train without them set wheel on active rails now days.
@southwestvirginiarailfan729
6 жыл бұрын
SouthCalifas619 Historic units don't have to have them, Clinchfield f3 800 ran without ditchlights on the 2017 CSX Santa Train. Most steam engines don't have them either.
@SndrewAonkin
6 жыл бұрын
SouthCalifas619 No a branch line or a switching yard doesn’t need them only mainline locomotives do but I’m Canada mainline steam locos are required to have ditch lights
@amtrakinoscale9811
6 жыл бұрын
Steam engines are exempt from the rule in the USA. Mainline locomotives are not.
Ferromex no fabrica ninguna EMD F3 de la serie 300😢
Ex chicago northwestern bi-level coaches
I was on the car right behind the f unit
Why weren’t they using the mars light
@SndrewAonkin
6 жыл бұрын
wargreymon 1109 the FRA wouldn’t let them
@bboomer1948
6 жыл бұрын
I thought the same.
@sharkheadism
4 жыл бұрын
@@SndrewAonkin There's no FRA prohibition from using a Mars light.
This is the second time I've seen a passenger train in real life, since I never see passenger trains.
@atharkhan3378
4 жыл бұрын
Oh! Realy ? I don,t belive it
@ReadingAreaRailfan
4 жыл бұрын
Thats sad.
@thehernandezmediacorporation
3 жыл бұрын
Unfortunately, there are busy lines that Amtrak doesn't take, such as the BNSF mainline (ex-ATSF) from Temple to Galveston.
Beautiful Color’s on the Engine ( the Chief )
Oh hell, someone made all those HO scale Bachmann Santa Fe trains a thing.
@IronhorseRailProductions
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheBlueShark i really hope thats a joke.
@TheBlueShark
3 жыл бұрын
@@IronhorseRailProductions it is a joke
@IronhorseRailProductions
3 жыл бұрын
@@TheBlueShark oh, thank God XD
who owns the Santa fe engine? I absolutely love her.
Stunning footage - I Liked & Subscribed👍😎
4:14 lol the train is jumping
@sabsfabs4605
3 жыл бұрын
@@W1nd0wz95 nooooooooo!!!!!!😟😟😟😟😟😟😟😟
Nice hodge podge of cars....really like that dome car.
Sounds like the ET44C was being used as a DPU on the return trip.
@tex-hogger4974
3 жыл бұрын
The F units do not have DPU controls. It was MUed thru the train. Each car has MU cables between them, then the Fs are MUed to the train, and the GVO is MUed to the train also.
@AVeryRandomPerson
3 жыл бұрын
@@tex-hogger4974 The ET44C4 would have been set up as a DPU for the return
I really like that rs5t horn or is it something else
@thomasgrosse3406
4 жыл бұрын
Anonymous. I think that’s a rs3l
@kansasstatealerting2424
3 жыл бұрын
@@thomasgrosse3406 Nope, it’s a RS5T!
@thomasgrosse3406
3 жыл бұрын
@@kansasstatealerting2424 yeah that was a year ago I was a dumbass back then.
#EMDF7
Who else noticed that amtrak car?
@SndrewAonkin
6 жыл бұрын
Luke's Railfanning me
@bboomer1948
6 жыл бұрын
Jersey Transit, I think.
#ATSFEMDF7
warbonnets whants again ride the rails sence 1990s
@SndrewAonkin
6 жыл бұрын
craig canterbury “whants” loo
Does this thing still run?
Passengers in the train I saw this car before
What type of horn was on the F7?
@AbelG8781
6 жыл бұрын
PG13hockeyman Leslie RS5T
@PG13hockeyman
6 жыл бұрын
Thx
@bboomer1948
6 жыл бұрын
Not that one.
@capersbull8819
Жыл бұрын
An AirChime/Nathan M5 would be ABSOLUTELY the best!😅
Dose anyone else think that railfans speed doing something like this sometimes
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Haha that's common knowledge. During a chase the speed limit is simply a mere suggestion!
@wiolettasawczuk8021
3 жыл бұрын
Co ze
I wish they would put the original horns on these. Every one I’ve seen restored has modern horns which ruins it for me
Why is it called war bonnet
@ohioken1
6 жыл бұрын
Yaboi Sugarnips because it resembles Indian war paint ... Face paint
@sgt2dog
6 жыл бұрын
No. It represents the Indian War Bonnet (The feathered bonnet) not the face paint, but whole paint scheme does represent a American Indian wearing face paint and wearing the bonnet, flowing back as he rides his horse hard and heavy. But it is called the war bonnet because it is a war bonnet.
beriy naice horn trsin
Amazing! As much as I love GEVO's and Tier 4's, it ruined the consist. They should've put an ex-ATSF GP60M or something rather than that.
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks! And absolutely, it would have been amazing to have a warbonnet on the other end as well. But I imagine it was a BNSF stipulation that one of their newest units be on the other end of the train. That seems to be the norm on business trains.
@garrettsubproductions8705
2 жыл бұрын
I do agree it would be better
I don't understand why the nose herald couldn't have been done right; the curve is all wrong. And don't even get me started about that ridiculous horn mounting. C'mon, people!
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Is it perfect? No, not at all. But hey, I say we have more to be thankful for than to gripe about here. It's still a red & silver F7 plying the rails under its own power.
@alcopower5710
3 жыл бұрын
@@UPRR11 .....totally agree
Oh my god, what a terrible thing to do to pullman gallery cars. Yuck.
#ATSF
#Bnsf
BNSF really failed when it comes to restoration of their trains
@SndrewAonkin
6 жыл бұрын
Chuck Wells ???
@A._Dot
5 жыл бұрын
Chuck Wells exactly why SPSF should’ve been a thing, not BNSF.
Damn it get rid of the gevo
@adventuresofamtrakcascades301
Жыл бұрын
I believe that GEVO is probably used to supply electricity for the cars on the train
Anyways, Great Video.
@UPRR11
7 жыл бұрын
Thanks!
WRHX 800148 "Warren R. Henry"--ex UP dome lounge WRHX 800149 "Evelyn A. Henry"--ex UP sleeper BNSF 3 "Red River"--ex GN official car BNSF 41 "Flathead River"--ex SP commute coach BNSF 40 "Fox River"--ex SP commute coachBNSF has the worst looking business cars. . .
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