Nostalgia & History > F Unit Friday - Almost

1. Millbrae California, 1967

2. Eugene, Oregon, 1966

3. Lathrop, California 1969

Regards, Jim Evans

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What is the second unit behind the last shot? Looks like a Trainmaster or one of those Krauss-Maffei things?

The square fuel tank sort of looks like a K-M hood unit...

James Nelson
Thornton, CO
www.flickr.com/mojaveflyer

Like them all but Photo 2 is my favorite.
ALLEN

Absolutely one of those KM things, yes, behind the Black Widow F in the third shot. Cab trailing, a 1964 Krauss-Maffei Series Unit. Photo can't be 1969, then, because the last KM operated in late 1968.

Until this year, of course, in Niles Canyon. But that's a thing for a different TO search on a different day. ;-)

~ BZ

Weathered F unit with the replacement red nose door!

Also notice that it seems like that red door was repainted to match the Black Widow paint, but it didn't stick. There are traces of black stripes and aluminum. Probably didn't prep it, just sprayed and sent it out onto the road.

Second possibility: the door was from a red unit, but the red faded and wore off, revealing the former BW paint underneath! I think I might suspect that version more now that I study it a little more closely... :-)

~ BZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/17 03:10 by Notch16.

Was a KM behind 6436 so Bob is right, must of been prior to 1969, perhaps 1967.

Regards, Jim Evans

Picture No. 3 is a precedent for odd color AC power control boxes put on BNSF GEs without regard to the paint scheme. Orange on red/silver and the reverse...kind of adds a little spice to an image.

> Was a KM behind 6436 so Bob is right, must of been
> prior to 1969, perhaps 1967.
>
> Regards, Jim Evans

Yeah, I think so, Jim. I really strained to see a number (or some defining detail) on the KM. There were only four with the "humps" -- the square radiator tank extensions that you can see towering over the F-unit's filter grille. But I can't make anything out -- with the possible exception that SP 9116 had red overspray on the back face of those tanks, and it doesn't show here.

The unit is definltely and absolutely either 9107, 9113, 9116 or 9120. It would be cool if it were 9113, which of course was SP 9010 and the same unit now under restoration to operating status and 1964 appearance at the Niles Canyon Railway. It could be!

Nice pics: thanks, Jim!

~ BZ