World War II had called for locomotive manufacturers to adhere to production guidelines as set by the War Production Board. With the war's end in 1945, EMD, like other major competitors, worked hard to meet industry demand after four years of restricted supply. In the freight cab market, EMD released their F-series. The F-3 headlined the series, debuting in the summer of 1945, a few months before the official end of the war.

The F-3 emerged with a new generator that supplied both direct and alternating current, an important upgrade for EMD's initial F-unit design. Because of the addition of the dual generator, AC-powered fans and blowers could be operated electrically, boosting the locomotives' ability to stay in top form. The 1,500-h.p. rated F-3, with its bulldog nose and dual capabilities set a standard in railroading. In test runs, No. 291, a demonstrator unit, logged over 125,000 miles in sixteen months pulling freight and passenger loads. Railroads were impressed with the tests and hundreds of advanced orders for the F-3s poured in.

For 2006 the Santa Fe F-3 returns to the M.T.H. lineup as a Special Edition train set complete with an R50B reefer car and three streamlined passenger cars. Each set will be limited in quantity and will save you $300.00 when compared to the price of each component sold separately.