Nostalgia & History > details that get missed, SP 2539

The near broadside view of SP 2539 in the SPSF paint I have had for over 30 years. Recently I got a more nosy view. I noticed what
was not obvious in the first shot, a bold "SP" between the number boards. A search of my collection turned up 2575 and MP15 2700 in the SPSF
paint, but no such lettering up top like the 2539. There wasn't room to add the SF in the same font, had the merger occured. I like this added touch.

I checked online, and the 2539 seems to now work for ADM Grain, in Destrehan, LA. Has a dull gray with blue stripe, and dirty. A real downer
from the SPSF paint days.

first view by Alan Miller at San Francisco, CA 4-9-86
others two, no credit on mount.

Keith A (ft)



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 11/28/20 11:29 by FT.

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Have one of Miller's shot of same unit, maybe next one on his roll!  You're right, I never noticed that either.

FT Wrote:

> A search of my
> collection turned up 2575 and MP15 2700 in the
> SPSF paint, but no such lettering up top like the 2539.
> There wasn't room to add the SF in the same font,
> had the merger occured. I like this added touch.

There were two versions of the SPSF scheme for switchers.  SP 1192 and 2539 got the early version with big initials on the side of the hood, SP-style numbers on the cab, noseband stripes that didn't extend across the radiator shutters, a shallow warbonnet curve, yellow cab sides, and red "SP" initials above the windshield:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3798836

SP 2575 and 2700 got the later version with small lettering on the side of the hood, Santa Fe-style numbers on the cab, no noseband stripes, an exaggerated warbonnet curve similar to what Santa Fe had used on their blue and yellow warbonnet switchers, red cab sides, and no initials above the windshield:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,3798836,3798840#3798840

Evan_Werkema Wrote:
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 There were two versions of the SPSF scheme for switchers.  

Then there was this version.  Call it the "work in progress" look.

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billmeeker Wrote:

> Then there was this version.  Call it the "work in progress" look.

"In progress" or "in egress?"  Looks like the painted-out version that went to Chrome Crankshaft in 1988:

https://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?11,2795219,2795232#2795232

Thank you for sharing this image.

The photo appears to have been taken at the yard for commute train equipment.  When the photo was taken, CalTrain had become the operator of the commute service.  Did CalTrain arrange with SP to perform train switching at the San Francisco terminal or was there freight traffic in the vicinity of the terminal?

Excellent images.
Bob