Steam & Excursion > SP 4449 - what happened to her daylight colours?

In the summer of 2000, BNSF chartered #4449 for their Employee's Special that ran throughout the Pacific Northwest. They didn't want the Daylight paint scheme for obvious reasons, so she was repainted in black . . still looked great in this unusual chapter in her history. BNSF's auxiliary power was also numbered 4449.

This clip is from my DVD 'Steam Across the Border' and shows #4449 charging over the bridge at Index WA and then slowly coming up the siding at Skykomish to meet Amtrak's WB 'Empire Builder'.

Craig
http://mcmrailvideos.com/

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The 4449 looked her best in that black scheme, Daylight notwithstanding. Seeing her march out of that siding was pure gold!

The black scheme 4449 wore at the end of her SP career looks very good too.
Especially if it's clean...

PHall Wrote:
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> The black scheme 4449 wore at the end of her SP
> career looks very good too.
> Especially if it's clean...


Yes, but the problem with that "late in her career" black, was without skirts.

spdaylight Wrote:
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> In the summer of 2000, BNSF chartered #4449 for
> their Employee's Special that ran throughout the
> Pacific Northwest. They didn't want the Daylight
> paint scheme for obvious reasons, so she was
> repainted in black

I always wondered about that. I assume it's because Southern Pacific wasn't one of the original merging railroads that made up the BNSF system (i.e. BN, Santa Fe, Frisco,GN, NP, etc.), so they didn't want the '49 flying her original colors. Am I right?

This SP brat is of course a big GS fan. Once, I preferred them in their beautiful Daylight garb...but, after a bunch of those "who had the best 4-8-4" discussions, and the incessant complaints that the GSs were "just another pretty girl, and nothing special mechanically, I found myself adopting a bit of Henry Ford's styling mantra..."You can have it in any color you wish, so long as it is black", and gained a big appreciation for the GSs in basic black. In fact, in black, it does seem to me that the GS "should not" be skirted....too girly, and they do look more burly without skirts. They are great engines no matter how dressed....and the dress is, as always, a matter of taste. And kudos to this great and professional organization for your stewardship of this wonderful locomotive, can't wait to see her out and about again. AA

Stanford White
Carmel Valley, CA

pdxsteam Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> I always wondered about that. I assume it's
> because Southern Pacific wasn't one of the
> original merging railroads that made up the BNSF
> system (i.e. BN, Santa Fe, Frisco,GN, NP, etc.),
> so they didn't want the '49 flying her original
> colors. Am I right?

As Ed McMahon would always say on the Johnny Carson Show (man I miss that show - the absolute best in late night TV) . . . "You are correct Sir!!!"

While she retained her number, she also had a BNSF symbol on the skirts above the cylinders where "Daylight" normally appeared, and another centered on the tender. Very cool look I think. Mitch Goldman took a wonderful pacing shot of 4449 in black, maybe he'll post it.

Cheers, Dave

I remember in May or June of 2000 getting a phone call from a girl I ran around with in high school, asking me "Since when does BNSF have a steam locomotive?" I think they pulled a freight up to Longview as a test before the EAS trips, and she saw it along I-5 and knew enough to call me and ask why.

Posted from iPhone

The valve setting on 4449 is absolutely perfect! Great chuff.

tomstp Wrote:
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> The valve setting on 4449 is absolutely perfect!
> Great chuff.


You would expect otherwise?

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> tomstp Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > The valve setting on 4449 is absolutely perfect!
>
> > Great chuff.
>
>
> You would expect otherwise?


One of those things I've always wanted to learn how to do. Who DID set her valves, and who taught that person?

Txhighballer Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> HotWater Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > tomstp Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > The valve setting on 4449 is absolutely
> perfect!
> >
> > > Great chuff.
> >
> >
> > You would expect otherwise?
>
>
> One of those things I've always wanted to learn
> how to do. Who DID set her valves, and who taught
> that person?

I'm pretty sure that Doyle has always personally taken care of the running gear and valves. He has a full set of ICS books, among his vast library, also.

Hillcrest Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> While she retained her number, she also had a BNSF
> symbol on the skirts above the cylinders where
> "Daylight" normally appeared,


Here is a still from the video of that symbol . . .

Craig
http://mcmrailvideos.com/

---

agentatascadero Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This SP brat is of course a big GS fan. Once, I
> preferred them in their beautiful Daylight
> garb...but, after a bunch of those "who had the
> best 4-8-4" discussions, and the incessant
> complaints that the GSs were "just another pretty
> girl, and nothing special mechanically, I found
> myself adopting a bit of Henry Ford's styling
> mantra..."You can have it in any color you wish,
> so long as it is black", and gained a big
> appreciation for the GSs in basic black. In fact,
> in black, it does seem to me that the GS "should
> not" be skirted....too girly, and they do look
> more burly without skirts. They are great engines
> no matter how dressed....and the dress is, as
> always, a matter of taste. And kudos to this
> great and professional organization for your
> stewardship of this wonderful locomotive, can't
> wait to see her out and about again. AA


I think they looked prettiest in the Daylight scheme, but you want burly and ready to haul, I'll vote for the Western Pacific GS-6s in black with the big smoke lifters. Looked like they meant business.

Z

This was a unique configuration for 4449. In "Warbaby black" before her retirement, the skirting was gone. Not so here, and I think she looked great. I also think she looked great in American Freedom Train red, white and blue, and in Daylight orange, red and black. I just like 4449 period.

sp 4460 is the only surviving GS6. It is in the ST Louis museum of transportation and no one in that area wants it restored. To bad SP sent it out there if it had been donated to a western museum it might have a chance. They did convert 4449 into a roller bearing engine in the 90's and that was one of the main upgrades the GS6's got..

nycman Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> This was a unique configuration for 4449. In
> "Warbaby black" before her retirement, the
> skirting was gone. Not so here, and I think she
> looked great. I also think she looked great in
> American Freedom Train red, white and blue, and in
> Daylight orange, red and black. I just like 4449
> period.

Be aware that there is a photo in one of Guy Dunscomeb's (sp) books of 4449 in black WITH the skirts still in place. She was the second locomotive of a double header, but you can plainly see she is black WITH skirts.

jethat Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> sp 4460 is the only surviving GS6. It is in the ST
> Louis museum of transportation and no one in that
> area wants it restored. To bad SP sent it out
> there if it had been donated to a western museum
> it might have a chance. They did convert 4449 into
> a roller bearing engine in the 90's and that was
> one of the main upgrades the GS6's got..

The 4460 is NOT roller bearing equipped. In fact, NO Southern Pacific steam locomotives were EVER roller bearing equipped, except the two GS-5 locomotives (4458 & 4459) that came directly from Lima Locomotive Works with roller bearings on all axles (no roller rods, however).

HotWater Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> jethat Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > sp 4460 is the only surviving GS6. It is in the
> ST
> > Louis museum of transportation and no one in
> that
> > area wants it restored. To bad SP sent it out
> > there if it had been donated to a western
> museum
> > it might have a chance. They did convert 4449
> into
> > a roller bearing engine in the 90's and that
> was
> > one of the main upgrades the GS6's got..
>
> The 4460 is NOT roller bearing equipped. In fact,
> NO Southern Pacific steam locomotives were EVER
> roller bearing equipped, except the two GS-5
> locomotives (4458 & 4459) that came directly from
> Lima Locomotive Works with roller bearings on all
> axles (no roller rods, however).
I thought I read somewhere but I differ to you. Thanks!