Skip to main content

Page 40 of new Lionel 2019 catalog, note the color scheme of the C&NW units and its similarity to the Alco demonstrators also listed in this catalog.  It is correct for the units from the time CNW bought the Alco demonstrator set in the early 1950s, and minimally modified the scheme to get them in service quickly, until they were finally painted to the usual yellow and green in 1958, then retired in 1962.  So this scheme reflects the mid-50s, and provides an interesting variation if you're a CNW fan.  They were used all over Wisconsin, and occasionally showed up in the Chicago area at Proviso Yard.  You could imagine them hauling a car ferry train from Manitowoc WI all the way south to the St. Louis area, or a long all-rail iron ore train from upper peninsula Michigan. Photo below by James Popson of 4104A in service at Butler WI in 1954, from July 1975 TRAINS article about all of the FAs in North America by J. David Ingles.

Weaver did these FAs in this scheme years ago, with a problematic horizontal motor tower drive (upper drive gears nearly all cracked) and later low cost rebuild program to dual motors, but those won't run on Legacy or BlueTooth!  Nice conventional power locos now.  They are about to become display units, here, I'm afraid.

CNW FA 4104A at Butler WI

Attachments

Images (1)
  • CNW FA 4104A at Butler WI
Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

It looks like that’s exactly what happened, and you can even see the repainted area where they covered the red gear on the sides of the nose and kept the little notch in the stripe just aft of the cab door. 

Nice looking!

From Trainorders.com:

”From the book, Diesels of the Chicago & North Western by Withers Publishing:

FA2 4103A & 4104A built 11/1950.  Retired 3/1962. Traded to Alco in 3/1962. Built as Alco demonstrators 1603A & 1603D. Purchased by C&NW in  3/1951.
FB2 4103B & 4104B built 11/1950.  Retired 3/1962. Traded to Alco in 3/1962. Built as Alco demonstrators 1603B & 1603C. Purchased by C&NW in  3/1951.
These four FA's were traded for the four RS27's 900-903.”

 

Last edited by CentralFan1976

Add Reply

Post

OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
www.ogaugerr.com

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×
×