The lead engine may be an older unit that has been up rated to F-7 rating, or it could have been built as an F-7 that somehow lost it's Stainless Steel side grilles. Only someone with a Santa Fe locomotive roster would know for sure. Once these locomotives were in service, many of them had various changes due to wreck repairs and or rebuilds. None of them came with the Grab Iron ladder and it's extra step for nose access. Manny railroads including the L & N applied these ladders.
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| Posted by on February 3, 2013 | |
Santa Fe's only freight F3s came with from La Grange with stainless steel grills, but the road later recieved several F7 orders without the grills, probably due to a supply problem from the manufacturer. Note that the carbody openings of the 261 match those of F7s, and not that of an F3. The dynamic brake fan, while consistant for the F7 type, is not a reliable spotting feature since an electrically-upgraded F3 would recieve such a fan, or a later 48" F9 type.
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