Train Addiction Help Line: 1.866.840.7777
May 26, 2023 - N Scale
Athearn - N Scale - EMD FP45 Diesel Locomotives
Dear N Scale Customers;
Athearn has announced the EMD FP45 Diesel Locomotives
Santa Fe
The year of 1989 saw the re-birth of Santa Fe’s iconic red and sliver “warbonnet” scheme originally introduced in the mid 1930’s. This modernized version with large lettering became the standard for all wide cab Santa Fe diesel locomotives purchased from 1990 until the BNSF “heritage” scheme introduced after the merger. Keeping the tradition of the great passenger trains back in the day, Santa Fe repainted all remaining ex-passenger service FP45’s into this scheme. They could be found on company specials and in regular freight service. A few are still around on display at different museums. A museum in California restored a Santa Fe FP45 back to operation in it’s original 1967 appearance.
ATSF FEATURES:
- ATSF body with dynamic brakes
Santa Fe
After the formation of Amtrak in 1971, Santa Fe converted their FP45 fleet into freight service by removal of the steam generators and the application of their “pin stripe” blue and yellow scheme. These units retained their cab mounted Mars lights until they were rebuilt in the 1980’s.
ATSF FEATURES:
- ATSF body with dynamic brakes
Chicago Burlington and Quincy
In 1967, passenger service in the US was a dim prospect. Most roads were losing money on the trains, and looking for any reason they could think of to abandon service. The Burlington, however, was in a unique position. Not only did they constitute one-third of the conglomerate that hosted the world-famous California Zephyr, but they also operated a substantial commuter service in the Chicago area. To that end, the Q ordered three EMD FP45 locomotives in 1967 (two to power the CZ, and one as a reserve). They reasoned that, should the CZ falter, these units could easily be adapted to commuter service.
* This is an alternate timeline; unfortunately, the CB&Q did not purchase EMD FP45 locomotives. However, we think that they would look great in passenger service hauling the California Zephyr from Chicago to Denver, or heading up a fleet of bi-levels in commuter service - with these Legendary Liveries units, you can.
CBQ FEATURES:
- MILW-style body w/o dynamic brakes
PROTOTYPE SPECIFIC INFORMATION
EMD released a new 645 engine in 1966. The most powerful locomotive using this series of engine was the SD45. The EMD SDP45 was a good passenger locomotive, but to the Santa Fe Railway it did not look the part. EMD therefore designed a lightweight “cowl” body to cover the locomotive, though it did not, as in earlier cab units, provide any structural strength, which remained in the frame. The cowl provided sleeker looks, better aerodynamics at speed, and allowed the crew to enter the engine compartment en route for diagnostics and maintenance. After sponsoring the development of the FP45 passenger locomotive, the Santa Fe requested a similar freight locomotive from Electro-Motive. Where the FP45 was an SDP45 wrapped in a full-width Cowl carbody, the new F45 was essentially an SD45 given the same treatment.
FP45 SERIES LOCOMOTIVE FEATURES:
- See-through cab windows
- Split water and fuel tank
- Snow plow or plate welded pilot
- Flush mounted port hole window glass
- Flexicoil-C sideframes with high brake cylinders
- Body-mounted McHenry operating scale knuckle couplers
- Fine-scale Celcon handrails for scale appearance
- 5-pole skew wound motor, precision machined flywheels, and multi-link drivetrain
- All-wheel drive with precision gears for smooth & quiet operation
- All-wheel electrical pickup provides reliable current flow
- Wheels with RP25 contours operate on all popular brands of track
- Bidirectional constant LED lighting so headlight brightness remains constant
- Heavy die-cast frame for greater traction and more pulling power
- Scaled from prototype resources including drawings, field measurements, photographs, and more
- Accurately-painted and –printed paint schemes
- Fully-assembled and ready-to-run
- Jewel case blister packaging securely holds for the model
- Minimum radius: 9 ¾”
SOUND-EQUIPPED MODELS ALSO FEATURE
- Onboard DCC decoder with SoundTraxx Tsunami2 sound
- Sound units operate in both DC and DCC
- Full DCC functions available when operated in DCC mode
- Engine, horn, and bell sounds work in DC
- All functions NMRA compatible in DCC mode
- Precision slow speed control
- Program a multiple unit (MU) lashup with lead unit only horn, bell, and lights
- Many functions can be altered via Configuration Value (CV) changes
- CV chart included in the box
LEGENDARY LIVERIES
What are Legendary Liveries? An Athearn exclusive, they are the ultimate answer to “What if?” Featuring some of the most popular railroad paint schemes of all time, these models are perfect for collecting, proto-freelancing, or just plain fun! Whether company proposed paint schemes, canceled locomotive orders, or alternate takes on history, Legendary Liveries are fun and unique additions to any roster. Enjoy these items, and answer the ultimate railroad question of: “What if?”
Order Due Date: June 30, 2023
Anticipated Delivery Date: November 2024
Looking for more Athearn F-Unit Diesel Locomotives? Click here!
Product Details
© 2024 Pacific Western Rail Systems
Train Addiction Help Line: 1 866 840 7777