Here Comes Walthers Next Hot-Selling Name Train!

If you thought Walthers plated Santa Fe Super Chief went fast, wait 'til you see the all-new El Capitan'. Starting in October 2011, we're rolling out the complete consist of the famous coach streamliner.

Based on the 1956 consist with its unique Hi-Level cars, the new HO Scale El Capitan has built-in appeal - and these cars can also be run with Walthers Super Chief, just as the Santa Fe did after 1958!

The El Capitan set of cars and engines is complete with all the cars used on the prototype, including Baggage Car, Railway Post Office, Baggage-Dormitory "transition car" with rooftop shroud, Hi-Level 68-Seat Step-Down Coach, Hi-Level 72-Seat Coach, Hi-Level "Sky Lounge," Hi-Level Diner, and Hi-Level 68-Seat Step-Down Coach with Tail Sign to bring up the rear.

Each car comes fully assembled with Walthers real metal "stainless steel" finish, factory-installed grab irons, prototypically tinted windows, correct trucks and much more.

Customers who reserve all eight First Edition cars by August 30, 2011 will receive an El Capitan Travel Poster Print, Brochure Replica and Enamel Conquistador Pin - this exclusive package is available only for customers who purchase at least eight cars, and will ship with your final car!

Walthers has also decided to produce new PROTO 2000 37-Class F7s which are perfect for El Capitan and the Super Chief. Finished in Santa Fe's classic Passenger Warbonnet scheme and highlighted by a plated metal finish, choose Sound and DCC versions with full-function Tsunami decoders, or Standard DC models, each with multiple unit numbers, to meet your needs. Typically the El Capitian would consist of 5 F7's in an A-B-B-B-A configuration.

The prototype of this train ran the Chicago to Los Angeles route along with the Super Chief. Both trains operated on a fast service schedule between the two cities. While they both offered fast service, the Super Chief was the high end train, while the El Capitan was the more modest train. The El Capitan began service in early 1938 with one weekly round trip in each direction. As time passed, the number of trips per week was increased until 1946, July 8, In 1956, the Santa Fe begins operation of the El Capitan with Hi-Level Equipment. Ticket are marked with "I traveled the HI-LEVEL Santa Fe way" & "Every seat is on the scenic HI-LEVEL."

Initially, Santa Fe purchased only enough Hi-Level Equipment for six nine-car consists. These were combined with six existing baggage-dormitories. Each of these had been modified to aesthetically match the Hi-Level Equipment. All rolling stock rode on four wheel trucks with the exception of the dining cars that rode on special six wheel trucks due to their heavier weight.

Beginning in 1958, Santa Fe combined the Super Chief and El Capitan into one train during off peak parts of the year, the combined train operated on a 39.5 hour schedule.  Santa Fe would continue to operate and expand the El Capitan service with new Hi-Level Equipment until 1971 when Santa Fe passenger service was taken over by Amtrak. Amtrak would continue to operate both the Super Chief and the El Capitan until 1973, then the El Capitan was discontinued. The El Capitan Hi-Level Equipment would continue to be used for years to come and became the inspiration for Amtrak’s SuperLiner cars developed in the late 1970’s.

On July 15, 1956, Santa Fe began Hi-Level Equipment El Capitan service with the following consist:

• EMD F7A Locomotive #327L
• EMD F7B Locomotive #327A
• EMD F7B Locomotive #327B
• EMD F7B Locomotive #44A
• EMD F7A Locomotive #44L
• Budd Railway Post Office (Regional Only)
  
• Baggage #3521
• Baggage-Dormitory "Transition Car" 3480
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (68 Seats) #536
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (72 Seats) #714
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (72 Seats) #722
• Hi-Level Diner (80 seats) #653
• Hi-Level "Top Of The Cap" Lounge (88 seats) #577
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (72 Seats) #700
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (72 Seats) #709
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (72 Seats) #717
• Hi-Level "Chair" car (68 Seats) #529

When the El Capitan was run in a combined consist with the Super Chief in the 1960’s, the consists contained:

• EMD FP45 Locomotive #104
• EMD FP45 Locomotive #101
• Baggage #3671
• Baggage #3553
• Baggage-Dormitory "Transition Car" #3478
• Hi-Level "Chair car" / Coach (68 Seats) #549
• Hi-Level "Chair car" / Coach (72 Seats) #731
• Hi-Level Diner (80 seats) #654
• Hi-Level Lounge (88 seats) #575
• Hi-Level "Chair car" / Coach (72 Seats) #725
• Hi-Level "Chair car" / Coach (68 Seats) #542
• Sleeper Pine Cove (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms)
• Sleeper Indian Mesa (11 double bedrooms)
• "Turquoise Room"-"Pleasure Dome"-Lounge #504
• Fred Harvey Company Diner #600 (48 seats)
• Sleeper Indian Flute (11 double bedrooms)
• Sleeper Palm Leaf (10 roomettes, 6 double bedrooms)

Features:

• Based on Cars used from 1956 to 1971
• Real Metal Finish
• Prototypically Accurate Window Tinting 
• All Grab Irons Factory Installed 
• Six All-new Cars Designed from Budd Plans 
• Window Gasket Details as Appropriate
  
• Each car comes with decals to label it as desired by the modeler
  

Other items in the Santa Fe El Capitan Hi-Level Equipment Series:

• 63' Budd Railway Post Office - 932-9730          
• 73' Budd Baggage Car - 932-9740           
• 85' Pullman-Standard Baggage-Dormitory Transition Car - 932-9750
  
• 85' Budd Hi-Level 68-Seat Step Down Coach - 932-9760         
• 85' Budd Hi-Level 72-Seat Coach - 932-9770
• 85' Budd Hi-Level "Sky Lounge" - 932-9780   
• 85' Budd Hi-Level Diner- 932-9790           
• 85' Budd Hi-Level 68-Seat Step Down Coach w/Tail Sign - 932-9761
• Lighting Kit for all Santa Fe El Capitan Hi-Level Equipment EXCEPT for 932-9761 - 932-1055
  
• Lighting Kit for Santa Fe El Capitan Hi-Level Equipment item 932-9761 ONLY - 932-1056
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A/B Set - Santa Fe - Road Numbers 39L & 39A (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40687
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A/B Set - Santa Fe - Road Numbers 39C & 39B (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40688
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A - Santa Fe - Road Number 41L (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40689
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A - Santa Fe - Road Number 41C (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40690
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7B - Santa Fe - Road Number 41A (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40691
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7B - Santa Fe - Road Number 41B (DCC w/Tsunami Sound) - 920-40692
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A/B Set - Santa Fe - Road Numbers 39L & 39A (DCC Ready) - 920-47687
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A/B Set - Santa Fe - Road Numbers 39C & 39B (DCC Ready) - 920-47688
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A - Santa Fe - Road Number 41L (DCC Ready) - 920-47689
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7A - Santa Fe - Road Number 41C (DCC Ready) - 920-47690
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7B - Santa Fe - Road Number 41A (DCC Ready) - 920-47691
• Proto 2000 - EMD F7B - Santa Fe - Road Number 41B (DCC Ready) - 920-47692

Reservations Due By: August 30, 2011

Expected Release: June 2012