Western Railroad Discussion > Faded, but still alive

We railfans tend to look at our favorite RRs and their paint schemes through rose-colored glasses. Even then, it gets to the point where our “rosy outlooks” don’t help much. But a Warbonnet is still a Warbonnet. And it still says “Santa Fe” across the nose…

1. & 2. BNSF 554, in a badly faded SFe Warbonnet approaches the Dickinson County 2000 Avenue crossing south of Enterprise, KS on September 7, 2019.

3. Even in the ‘away’ shot the Warbonnet commands attention.

Thanks for looking!
Lance Garrels
santafe199

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Wow, it hurts t see the 554 going around like that.  The AT&SF deserves better..
But I gotta like the GP60Ms repainted.  Even though they now seem to have been relegated from fast freight to road switchers..

Nice Catch Lance!

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hotrail Wrote:
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> Wow, it hurts t see the 554 going around like
> that.  The AT&SF deserves better..
> But I gotta like the GP60Ms repainted.  Even
> though they now seem to have been relegated from
> fast freight to road switchers..

On the BNSF if it has four axles it's probably assigned to road switcher service.
Road freights are the turf of C-C and A1A-A1A units these days.

Really NICE shot Lance of an evenly faded 500 series Warbonnet. The unevenly faded 600 series Warbonnets that roll thru the backyard are much worse looking, Somehow that 554 still has sentimental NICE look it on on the point.

Larry

Pinky and the brain

Or Pinkbonnet.

I'll bet there's still good pigment left under the chalky white stuff that developed after the clear-coat flaked off.  If you buffed and waxed the 554, it would probably still look pretty good.  Glad GE got a handle on the clear-coat issue before the 700-series came out.  They at least still look pretty good without the application of elbow grease... 

Of course, considering 554's paint job is 29 years old, it's in amazingly good shape.  No large bare patches of rust anywhere that I can see on this side, anyway.  Wonder how many unrebuilt 500's are still running around in "red" and "silver."

Wasn't there one of the 4-axle ATSF units that got its' ATSF paint freshened up late in the game, perhaps even after  the merger, for some wierd reason I seem to recall this....

Anyone know what unit, and does it still exist?

Thanks

Dan

Evan_Werkema Wrote: > ... If you buffed and waxed the 554 .........

As a diehard Santa Fe fan I would have enjoyed that. But the dang engine was moving too fast...

;^)

I am baffled as to why nearly a quarter-century after the merger, BN and ATSF units are still roaming around unrepainted.  When BN was merged, all units were repainted within 7 years of M-day.


Art House

aehouse Wrote:
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> I am baffled as to why nearly a quarter-century
> after the merger, BN and ATSF units are still
> roaming around unrepainted.  When BN was merged,
> all units were repainted within 7 years of M-day.
>
>
> Art House

Because these locomotives generate the exact same amount of revenue no matter which paint scheme they wear.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 10/19/19 10:09 by PHall.

aehouse Wrote:
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> I am baffled as to why nearly a quarter-century
> after the merger, BN and ATSF units are still
> roaming around unrepainted.  When BN was merged,
> all units were repainted within 7 years of M-day.
>
>
> Art House

Burlington Northern Santa Fe has no paint shop anywher on the system. Topeaka used to do it but not now. If any BNSF units get painted, most likely they were a complete rebuild and then got painted in a contract shop where the rebuild took place.

SantaFeRuss

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superfleet Wrote:

> Wasn't there one of the 4-axle ATSF units that got
> its' ATSF paint freshened up late in the game,
> perhaps even after  the merger, for some wierd
> reason I seem to recall this....

The 573 was repainted in BNSF-lettered red and silver in 2000, well after the adoption of the "Heritage 2" orange and green scheme:

http://www.qstation.org/bnsflist/bnsf573.jpg

I don't know why this one was repainted red and silver so late.  Among the unsubstantiated rumors at the time was one that claimed that the second order of Dash 8-40BW's (560-582) were leased and the lease holder wanted the units to remain in red and silver...nevermind that several of the later 500's were already in orange and green when 573 was repainted. 

> Anyone know what unit, and does it still exist?

After a fashion.  The lease on 560-582 expired in 2010, and Santa Fe turned them back.  Several including 573 then found their way to the Nashville & Eastern.  Online photos suggest it's still running around in modified red and silver:

https://www.flickr.com/photos/148181389@N02/39608547110