Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Model Railroad

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com In the late 1960's the Santa Fe Railway needed new power. They shopped around with the major manufacturers of diesel locomotives and found that they were very expensive. They discovered that they could remanufacture their existing fleet of obsolete F7 locomotives and solve their motive power shortage for about 1/3 of what new power would cost. All of the F7's still available were converted to CF7's. (The "C" stands for "Converted") The work was done at Santa Fe's Cleburne Shops in Texas. The first F7 converted to CF7 was unit #2649 in February of 1970. This video highlights three of the CF7's. Units 2649, 2489 and 2496. All CF7's have 1,500 HP and only 2649 has dynamic brakes. The CF7's were a great success and very reliable for road and switching duties. CF7 2417 was the last CF7 manufactured at Cleburne in March of 1978.

This is the intro clip used in our videos. Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com We needed a way to change out rolling stock on our layout with-out having to dig into storage boxes. We also needed an attractive display. We made this simple display and installed it on a shelf above our layout. It holds 120-140 cars.

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com This video shows what 3751 would look like with a modern freight train on Raton Pass.

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com To operate steam locomotives in modern eras, auxiliary tenders are needed. This is due to the fact that steam locomotives require large amounts of water and modern railroads don't have water towers every 10 miles like they did in the steam era. Since we are operating steam engines like they were never retired, we thought it would appropriate to use auxiliary tenders in our steam operations.

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com "Train 408" is the fourth episode of a new video series. This new series, "Train Operations on Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision", highlights freight train operations over Raton Pass. This episode highlights the journey of "Train 408", making its way eastbound across the Raton Subdivision. We first see Train 408 as it enters the yard limits of the Raton New Mexico railyard. The train is too heavy to continue over the Pass and must be Doubled or "split into two sections". The Second Section, (or rear half) of Train 408 will be stored in Track 1201, while all of the motive power is used to take the First Section over the Pass to Trinidad Colorado. Upon arrival in Trinidad the First Section will be stored on Track 0702, and the motive power will return to Raton for the Second Section and bring it to Trinidad. Be sure to Subscribe so you won't miss anything on Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Model Railroad!

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com I was contacted by a customer that wanted us to build the Bachmann Spectrum Ambassador. Follow along as Sam builds this large complex HO scale structure, complete with LED interior lighting.

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com The Importance of First Things First! This video describes in Ten Sequential Steps how to build your model railroad so that you don't get the construction process out of order. Starting with the design and CAD drawing of Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Model Railroad, Sam and Aaron Teague take you step by step in sequential order through the proper path to completion of your model railroad. There are many how-to-build a model railroad videos available, but this one covers the importance of doing everything from start to finish in order. A huge amount of time and money can be wasted if you don't follow the proper order when designing and constructing your model railroad. Follow along as Sam and Aaron Teague show you the process, they followed building Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Model Railroad.

Be sure to check out our store at this link! Thanks for shopping with us! Santa Fe's Raton Subdivision Store link: https://santa-fes-raton-subdivision-m.myspreadshop.com Santa Fe’s Raton Subdivision Model Railroad is about much more than merely having fun with scale trains. The purpose of this model railroad is to bring history to life with fine modeling skills. Raton Pass was chosen for the location of the model railroad for several reasons. Santa Fe Railway history is deeply rooted in Raton Pass as far back as 1878, and the development of Santa Fe’s locomotives, especially steam, was greatly influenced by the steep grades of Raton. At first the Santa Fe built a switch-back system of track to get trains over the pass. The switch-back was an incredible 6% grade on both sides of the pass. No railroad today can imagine such a step grade for a Class 1 railroad. When the tunnels were built the grade was reduced to 3.5%, even so, the grades of Raton Pass are the steepest in the United States for a Class 1 railroad. The model railroad’s duplication of the steep grades and the historic region of Raton Pass in HO scale is the perfect setting to highlight the Santa Fe's unique history. The real pass is located between the towns of Raton, New Mexico and Trinidad, Colorado and it is the most grueling twenty-three-mile section of steep grade railroading in the nation. Our model railroad of course is a much shorter distance but being built with the same grades as the prototype, it will test the endurance of the model locomotives as they climb and then descend the pass, giving the visitor an exciting experience.