Building The World's Largest Santa Fe Super Chief Locomotive? HO Scale

After collecting three ruined TYCO Santa Fe super chief F-Units I wasn't entirely sure what to do with, I came up with the idea of making them into what is possibly the worlds largest Super chief locomotive. In order to do this I had to figure out a way to connect the three shells, wire up a drive system and build a custom fuel tank out of wood. This isn't a fantastic model but it's better then these locos going to waste since the parts and shells are practically worthless due to all the damage.

[stephendrivick]

"What are you doing down there with your trains?"
SMT Mainline: "Nothing...just a little kitbashing. (Evil Laugh)

[pdbnc]

can we have Baldwin Centipede?"
"No, we have Baldwin Centipede at home."
Baldwin Centipede at home:

[Tyc]

It seems your customs always get weirder and weirder but they're always fun to watch, great video

[sirtrailproductions]

SMT Mainline Slaps the F unit on the bench: Well folks

[cnwproductions]

Summary: Harrison takes broken F7s
Harrison makes long boi F7

[aaron_m_]

That f21 locomotive looks so good, those engines were true beauty’s and I wish I could’ve seen one when they were still around

[MichaelEsPunkt]

Whoever has the courage to create something new from waste, whoever has the necessary imagination for this, whoever has learned to work practically with their own hands - has won the world!

[randallellison]

F units: lay on the table destroyed

SMT Mainline: Let's see what we can do with these!

F units: FUUUUSION HA!

[frankgiunto]

Looks really cool. Love your show. Im an old school h.o. train nut and you have helped me repair so many of my locomotives. Thank you keep up the great work

[crsrdash-b]

SMT....the evil mad engineer from another reality. Loving it!

[yaysimonsays]

I was looking at the thumbnail just assuming it was a A-B-A set but… well.. it turns out you made an A-B-A unit

[shaygetz]

FF21DX... built by EMD after it's design shop went on a retreat and found themselves in a Shoshone sweat lodge eating peyote buds and singing Iron Butterfly's "Innagaddadavida" in a nearby karaoke bar, where, in a hallucinogen induced state, came up with Santa Fe's three engine answer to the Union Pacific's two engine based DD40X.

[MMRails]

I bow to you master. This is awesome. I’m not surprised you pulled it off. Light and everything. Quality entertainment. I watched from start by finish. You do realize that you now have to build an even longer locomotive?

[papawoody]

"Did you feel that?" - Guy working at Ace Super Market.

[williammcgeehan]

There was a prototype for this type of a concept. Although much shorter. Built by Baldwin for the Central Railroad Company of New Jersey. Only six Jersey Janus' were ever constructed. All for the Jersey Central exclusively. The model was the Baldwin DR 6 -4 - 2000 double-ender. It attained the nickname of " Babyface " for the appearance of the cabs at both ends, along with several other Baldwin diesel models with the single cab. Double-end designs are used in passenger service where turning the equipment is not possible.

[joallawestervelt]

That is the longest, craziest thing I have ever seen. But I have to say I am not surprised to see it run. It was touched with the magic touch of Harrison. 😊 Keep it up Harrison. It is all about the fun.. 💕😊💕🇺🇸

[petercollie]

What a joy for the children to watch a MD of toy trains brings life back through electrical rails it's alive it's alive!

[Goofyboi]

ITS PERFECT!!!!
a new locomotive for the market!!
THE

[FProductions]

the first engine is what moves it, the second and third are what hide the flip out cannon

[CR]

The reason they don't line up is there are two different Tyco F-unit body shells. The first one was tooled up around 1961 and I've mentioned before how it's a clone of Athearn with a few detail differences.

In the early 1970s it was starting to have wear issues showing around the side grille at the rear on one side of the body. Tyco's answer was to create a new tool and one of the differences is the thicker, more squared off side steps.

What is strange is when Mantua bought back most of the line in 1977 or so, they got the original F-unit tooling and were able to run it no problem. I don't know if they repaired it, remade it, or what. The second body shell tooling kind of vanishes when the rest of the line was sold to IHC, I don't know they ever used it.


That thing would be fun on a club layout at train shows, if you can make it handle some level of curves. Probably the way to go would have been to cut that B in the middle, attach it to each A unit, and then put a diaphragm in there so it can bend. But those things are cheap, you can always make another one. Or maybe do one using Shark bodies to go with it.