Model Railroading > New Athearn SP Pumpkin Painted F's Coming Soon, Here Is Mine

The late Gary Tuffs did 6342 pictured in the first two photos for me several years ago from an
Athearn Genesis black widow F7. Last photo is of one of the prototypes at Roseville in 1960.
I recall seeing T&NO F9A 631 in this scheme in 1964.

Regards, Jim Evans

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My least favorite SP diesel paint scheme. Unimaginative and just plain strange with the contours of the orange. Scarlet wings and grey were for me a handsome scheme that reflected the business like attitude of SP. I know fans lamented the passing of the black widow scheme, but I believe scarlet and grey was a good choice for replacement.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 02/02/16 07:18 by ATSF3751.

I think what made them interesting for me was how unique finding an SP locomotive painted that way was.
They really stood out amongst all the other gray and red and black widow painted Fs at a place like Roseville!

Would be interested in see other photos of these if anyone cares to post.

Regards, Jim Evans

I have the thought that the scarlet / gray color scheme was adopted because SP could get that paint CHEAP, if not free, from the U S Navy. Those colors match Navy "Deck Gray" and "Insignia Red", and as the SP worked the U S Navy Supply Depot in Oakland, I'll wager that surplus Navy paint was in abundance.

Connect the dots and you have a shop foreman standing by a couple of drums of the gray and red paint, telling his crew to "figure out something with this stuff to make those Market Street bean counters happy and off my back".