Western Railroad Discussion > Southern Pacific Paint Schemes

Was wondering if someone can give me a quick rundown of SP paint schemes circa 1980. I'd like to add a couple locos to my layout for interchange to the ROCK at Santa Rosa, but I have absolutely no knowledge of SP at all.

Filthy grunge would about cover it.

sd45-2t wrote:

> Filthy grunge would about cover it.
>
> [%sig%]
You will need to add a few rust streaks for realism.

Don't model any SP "speed lettering", anything else will do (i.e. grungy, faded lettering)

Good Luck

Bradley...WP mp897

onemorerednightmare wrote:


> >
> > [%sig%]
> You will need to add a few rust streaks for realism.
>
If this is realistic, where does the bad order sticker go?

rockislandmike wrote:

> Was wondering if someone can give me a quick
> rundown of SP paint schemes circa 1980. I'd
> like to add a couple locos to my layout for
> interchange to the ROCK at Santa Rosa, but I
> have absolutely no knowledge of SP at all.

In 1980, SP power would all have been all
gray with red noses and block "Roman" lettering
on the hood, like this:

http://espee.railfan.net/nonindex/sd45t-2_photos/9367_sp-sd45t-2-bob_dengler.jpg

At that time, espee still using full gyralight
packages front and rear (two oscillating white
lights and a red emergency light in addition to
the twin sealed beam headlight).

Not sure it matters for your model railroad,
but just for reference: while the track changed
ownership at Santa Rosa, the SP and CRI&P
actually exchanged trains at Tucumcari.

Yesterday, bozotexino wrote about Tucumcari:

>I was there once during the SP/Rock era.
>
>Not much there. A mission style "union" depot, a
>grain elevator or two. Most of what was there is
>probably still there. Time moves slow in a place
>like that. Flat, too.

There may not be much there NOW, but there
used to be more - a yard of reasonable size,
roundhouse, junctions for a couple of lines,
etc. I can't recall that I've ever seen a
track plat for the place, unfortunately.

>BTW, SP and CRIP actually connected in Santa
>Rosa, NM.

If there wasn't much at Tucumcari, there was
hardly anything at Santa Rosa. In the mid-80's
there was a siding and a boarded-up one story
frame depot of SP design. The depot has since
been torn down. Tucumcari had the yard and
facilities, and everything I've read indicates
that SP and Rock did their hand-offs there rather
than Santa Rosa.

Mike,

I believe at the era you want model, Espee rostered SD40E's, SD40T-2's, SD45's, SD45R's, SD45T-2's for six axle road power. They didn't roster any C30-7's but they had a boat load of B30 & B36-7's. If I knew the correct roster numbers I would have put them in.

P.S. They painted up a SD40E for the 1980 summer olympics, and two expirimental units (1 SD40E & 1 SD45?) painted up in Daylight colors.
GOOD LUCK!!!

Bradley... WP mp897

Badger wrote:

> Mike,
>
> I believe at the era you want model, Espee rostered SD40E's,
> SD40T-2's, SD45's, SD45R's, SD45T-2's for six axle road power.
> They didn't roster any C30-7's but they had a boat load of B30
> & B36-7's. If I knew the correct roster numbers I would have
> put them in.
>
> P.S. They painted up a SD40E for the 1980 summer olympics,
> and two expirimental units (1 SD40E & 1 SD45?) painted up in
> Daylight colors.
> GOOD LUCK!!!
>
> Bradley... WP mp897

Hmmm, 1980 olympics. You must mean the unit that they painted up in the red and yellow trim sickel and hammer scheme for the Moscow summer olympics, even though the USA boycotted that one. Actually, the SD40E was painted for the 1984 LA Summer Olympics, well after 1980. Also, the two special daylight units came after 1980 as well (1982 I think).

Also, I wouldn't quite believe the first couple postters on that the SP units should be grungy and rusty. This was the case back in the late 80's and early 90's, but I think the SP fleet looked a bit better in 1980. At this time, they were still getting new SD40T-2s, so some of these units would have still had fresh scarlet and grey paint.

> > You will need to add a few rust streaks for realism.
> >
> If this is realistic, where does the bad order sticker go?

If it's still runnin' it ain't bad order...

Thanks, Evan, for the info.

I found a 1980 loco roster on a website already.

And I had already decided to exchange trains between Rock and SP in Tucumcari anyways, regardless of the Santa Rosa info. Just works better for my layout.

The were quite a number of SP units with good paint in 1980. New SD40-T2s were being stored without ever being used. GP-35 and SD-40s were being rebuilt. That rebuild program ended in 1980.

In 1980 the next to last rebuilt SD40E, 7342, was painted in light-orange, grey, and scarlet. Letters and numbers on one side were in white and the other side were in red. The bloody nose had wings on one side and solid on the other. (the red numbers on one side of the cab lasted only a short while because of visibility - the lettering stayed red)

Boiler equiped GP9, SDP45, and GP40P-2s were all in good paint. Even though they were passenger engines the SDP45 and GP40P-2s worked in freight service on the weekends.

The GP40-2 fleet was new in 1979 and 80.

SSW B36-7 were new in 1980.

The Morrison-Knudsen Sulzers were built in 1978 and still looked good in 1980. (they were always in the shop and never had a chance to get dirty)

SW1500 and MP15s still looked good and many of those called Texas home.

At the same time the SP was taking delivery and storing SD40-T2s they also took delivery, and stored, brand new bay window cabooses. Painted a mineral red with daylight orange ends.

jb

And lets not forget about those 4 GP40X models
that were fairly new in 1980 with the shrouds.
I believe they were numbered 7200,7201,7230,7231.
They used to run east out of Oakland around Noon
on weekends. Are these engines still around ?

SP 3201