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 FT 160LAC was southbound with a short freight south of Ardmore, Oklahoma in August 1956. 160 had been in passenger service a few years earlier and was regeared, reconfigured to A-B-A and repainted for freight service. The booster unit retains its steam generator, presence of which is betrayed by the vent on the roof (note also the fifth porthole for the hostler control station). The lead unit here is actually 160C, a small 'C' being visible just below the nose herald. -Gordon Bassett Collection |
| A subsequent early 1970's run by Hallmark had a slightly different gear train and was a little quieter in operation. I have several of these old Hallmark FT's that date from 1970 that have been in service on my layout longer than many of the prototype FT's were in service on the Santa Fe! They are noisy, but they still look and run very good. |
 FT 173 at Argentine in June 1959 shows the addition of wrecking lugs on the nose and a flat plate radio antenna at the left rear on the roof (typical of the installation found on most FT''). Grab irons above the windshield will appear in a few months. None of the Santa Fe's FT's were equipped with nose MU connections. Note the early D/B housing on the center B-unit of this lashup. |
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In the 1980's Hallmark imported more FT's from Korea with can motors and quiet gear trains and much more detailing, but they reverted back to stamped brass noses and the contours on them do not look as correct as on the early 1970's models to me. Overland Models has more recently imported brass FT's factory painted in either blue and yellow or the solid blue experimental scheme. These models are state of the art and look and run great, but they are quite expensive. At the Chicago Hobby Expo November 1 through 3, Stewart Hobbies announced their intention to market FT A and B units by the summer of 1992. The SFMO is actively providing prototype and modeling information to Stewart. Early indications are the models will be offered in several versions and paint schemes. |
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