The Milwaukee Road had more than one paint scheme for their engines and I don't know why but I know which one I like the most. I see that Santa Fe had two for sure, the famous war bonnet Red/Silver and the Blue/Yellow. Were there any others? I prefer the blue/yellow over the iconic red/silver war bonnet combo. Was there any reason for the blue/yellow? Also, of the two Santa Fe combos, which one do you prefer?
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I think red/silver was for passenger and blue/yellow for freight. Original intent didn't last though.
You can generally say that for the Santa Fe the red and silver were the passenger engine colors and the blue and yellow were the freight engine colors.
I think red/silver was for passenger and blue/yellow for freight. Original intent didn't last though.
It lasted all the way to Amtrak.
Granted, there were exceptions: the FT set 167LABC was equipped with a steam generator and delivered in freight colors (proof of concept?) 10 more FT sets were converted and repainted in passenger colors for several years before returning to freight duties and colors.
Also the 325 class F7's, while painted in passenger colors, were geared as dual service locomotives, suitable for passenger or freight duties.
"Freight" locomotives in "passenger" colors began in ernest in 1989 with the introduction of Santa Fe's "Super Fleet."
Rusty
I believe dgauss and Joe are correct. That being said, when someone refers to Santa Fe I always visualize the red/silver color scheme.
this thread should be of interest.
It gets better. In addition to the "bonnet" schemes which were prevalent on the cab units, there was the "Cat Whisker" scheme with a blue body with yellow pinstripes and a nose herald that had cat whisker stripes. There was another similar scheme without the whiskers, instead having the cross and a broad yellow vertical stripe.
On the "hood" units, you had blue with pinstripes; "Zebra" strips which were black with silver safety stripes (sometimes white); "bookend" or "nose patch" which was blue with yellow ends; and blue/yellow warbonnet. Superfleet kicked in in the 1980's going back to red and silver.
Then there was the infamous "Shouldn't have Painted So Fast" Kodachrome scheme from an anticipated merger with Southern Pacific which appeared to be the SP red from the daylight scheme with a Santa Fe yellow warbonnet and black trim. I liked that scheme. Alas, that merger got killed, but they let UP grab CNW, WP, SP, MP, and MKT afterward (don't get me started on BNSF).
I really like the silver and red best [I bought an ABA passenger set silver and red for my dad] but the blue and yellow is also nice. I did not know that the blue and yellow were for freight. Thanks for sharing this information and hopefully I'll be able to give some information along the way to help someone else out. When I went automotive school the very first thing the teacher told us was that the only dumb question is an unasked question so from that lesson learned I always try to help out where I can. happy railroading everyone Choo Choo kenny
My favorite colors are the Red and Silver passenger set of locomotives.
Back in the early '70's., my wife bought me MPC/Lionel GP7/9 powered and dummy Santa Fe freight locomotives.
At the time I did not know any better, as the locos. were black and yellow.
Now, I know that these MPC/Lionel locomotives are a fantasy color scheme, had I known back then, I might have brought them back.
Ralph
Maybe an advantage of being exposed to scale model HO in my teens is reading in
MR about blue/yellow-red/silver, freight-passenger... and noting Athearn F units in those colors...I never got around to getting one, though, but for ATSF, I prefer the
freight colors, maybe just because it is less common that the others.
Silver and red. Blue and yellow - well it is better than nothing, but nothing to me Warbonnet will also be what I rode on as a kid: rumbling diesel-powered silver and red.
I kind of prefer the older blue scheme with a little yellow in it. I think these were on the (as delivered) SD45s?? I saw it first on a Aristo G scale SD45 engine and had to research it to see if it was correct.
I grew up seeing the war bonnet type circle design with the blue and yellow too. So I'd pick that on the older freight engines.
I do like Matt's red & silver modern GE MTH war bonnets.
Always liked that on the F's.
So many engines to get. Why do you guys keep reminding me of all the ones I don't have??? (divorce????) I'm crumbling again. Three more engines to get......
A fantasy scheme?
Absolutely a fantasy scheme. The PA's were only painted red and silver. Not that this doesn't look nice.
Meanwhile I've toyed with the idea of doing Zebra stripe F-7's.
Stuart
To me, the ATSF zebras rock!
To me, the ATSF zebras rock!
I agree. One of Frank Swafford's best Isle of Denial schemes is a zebra-stripe ES44AC. Sometimes I think about getting one (or another SD70ACe) just to put that scheme on it to pair up with my red/silver warbonnet SD70ACe. 
To me, the ATSF zebras rock!
I agree. One of Frank Swafford's best Isle of Denial schemes is a zebra-stripe ES44AC. Sometimes I think about getting one (or another SD70ACe) just to put that scheme on it to pair up with my red/silver warbonnet SD70ACe.
One of the switching railroads which was related to the SF in the LA area have new heavy duty ATSF style zebras!
The ATSF zebras have that Oakland Raider uniform look!
Anytime I hear Santa Fe, this is what I think of.
It's what I grew up seeing, and thus what I enjoy. I still need to get myself some painted up this way to have a nice long train.
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