ATSF CF7

These are N scale 3D printable files for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway CF7 — one of the most ingenious locomotive rebuilding programs in American railroad history, and a uniquely Santa Fe machine found nowhere else on earth. Designed to fit on an Atlas GP7 frame. Includes parts for all three body variants and both cab versions, giving you maximum flexibility to model the CF7 as it appeared across its long service life.

By the late 1960s, the Santa Fe faced a familiar problem: a large fleet of aging EMD F-unit cab locomotives — the F3s, F7s, and F9s that had powered its freight trains since the late 1940s — that were becoming increasingly expensive to maintain and ill-suited for the road switcher work that modern railroading demanded. Rather than simply retire or sell the units, the Santa Fe's mechanical department at Cleburne, Texas devised an audacious solution: strip the F-units down to their frames and running gear, and rebuild them from scratch as conventional hood-unit road switchers using the original trucks, traction motors, and prime movers.

The result was the CF7 — the designation standing for "Converted F-unit, 7th series" — produced between 1970 and 1978 with 233 units rebuilt in total. The CF7 retained the proven EMD 16-567 prime mover and electrical equipment of the original F-units but wore an entirely new carbody with a short hood, long hood, and conventional road switcher cab — giving the locomotive a completely different appearance from the streamlined F-units it had been born from. The rebuilding program saved the Santa Fe millions of dollars compared to purchasing new power, and the CF7s went on to serve reliably on branch lines, local freights, and yard assignments across the railroad's vast system for years to come.

The CF7 was entirely a Santa Fe creation — no other railroad attempted a comparable F-unit conversion program on this scale, making it one of the most distinctive and railroad-specific locomotive types in North American history. This set includes parts for all three body configurations and both cab variants seen across the CF7 fleet, along with ATSF decals in the classic blue and yellow freight scheme.

After purchase, your digital files will be available for immediate direct download from your order confirmation. These files are for Personal Use Only — if you are interested in a commercial license, please contact us.

Please allow a few weeks for 3D printing and shipping. Decals are shipped separately — please allow some additional time for decal printing and shipping after ordering.