These ten unusual locomotive paint schemes are a sight to behold. Railroads usually spend a lot of money and time to create an image. Lettering, a paint scheme, a “look” is all important for consistency and brand identification. So, here are a few examples of locomotive paint schemes that were either derivations of the original design, attempts to give a fresh look to the railroad, something for extraordinary events, or just experiments to see how they would translate from drawing board to living, breathing unit. And sometimes, it was just because when the unit was built or shopped, it was the paint scheme of the day.
1. Boston & Maine S4 1274 — An unusual locomotive paint scheme
The railroad’s “Bluebird” paint scheme was extremely popular among fans, a look brought about by then-CEO Patrick McGinnis wanting a new image for the line. Fifty GP9s in 1957 and six GP18s in 1961 all arrived from EMD in a bright blue, black, and white scheme, quickly dubbed “Bluebird.” “It also popped up on a few EMD Fs and a single end-cab switcher, the 1274,” says Northeast railroad maven Scott Hartley. “The switcher arrived from Alco in 1957, at the same time as the GP9s were being delivered, and it came with a Bluebird image.” Beginning a decade later, locomotive repaints and 30 new EMDs received a simplified solid blue called Bluebirds by some. But the 1274 remained the only true Bluebird switcher. Scott photographed it at Springfield, Mass., June 30, 1969.
2. BUGX GP7 2014
This EMD GP7 started out life as Santa Fe No. 2835. Rebuilt by Santa Fe, complete with a new cab roof, it eventually was sold to Bruggere & Monson, part of the Diesel Motive Co. of Turlock, Calif. Nicknamed “The Mighty Cow,” it was leased to a Cargill facility in Hanford, Calif., in the San Joaquin Valley before being stored on Central California Traction in Stockton. Current whereabouts unknown.
3. Union Pacific SD70Ms 2001 and 2002 — An unusual locomotive paint scheme
To carry the Olympic Flame to the 2002 Winter Olympics Games in Salt Lake City, Union Pacific applied a special paint scheme to a pair of EMD SD70Ms. The train featured a specially created Cauldron Car for the Olympic Flame, two 2002 Olympic Winter Games custom-painted locomotives, and 18 cars incorporating the branding of the 2002 Olympic Winter Games. The two units continue to operate today, having been repainted in 2017 to keep their unique blue-paint scheme spiffy.
4. Delaware & Hudson RS36 5015
Eventually, almost every railroad wants to experiment with a new paint scheme variation. Delaware & Hudson decided to see how this idea would look out in the field. D&H RS36 No. 5015 was a 1,800-hp Alco product delivered in 1963 in the road’s traditional blue-gray lightning- stripe livery.
5A and 5B. Louisville & Nashville U30C XR 1499 and Frisco U30B 846 — An unusual locomotive paint scheme
Louisville & Nashville U30C No. 1499 sported a paint scheme to herald builder General Electric’s “new and improved” locomotives, incorporating new and updated features to make them “Xtra Reliable.” Among the rewards was an extended warranty. In terms of public relations, it was also an attempt to counter competitor EMD’s “Dash 2” line, which featured new and improved technology. Frisco U30B No. 846 also had the XR design.
6A and 6B. Southern Pacific SD40R 7342
Southern Pacific experimented with a number of different paint schemes for its diesel locomotives over the decades. Among the most garish was No. 7342, an EMD SD40 run through the road’s Sacramento Shops to come out as a rebuilt and upgraded SD40R. In 1980, SP’s art department produced another variation, this time reminiscent of the company’s earlier Daylight paint scheme. It also sported a more spartan solid orange body with red wings and at least one other paint scheme during its life.
7. Penn Central red-and-white logo — An unusual locomotive paint scheme
In search of a corporate identity after its consolidated merger of New York Central, Pennsylvania, and New Haven in 1968, the new company experimented with a red P and a white C on about 180 locomotives, mostly new EMD GP40s with a smattering of older Alco, Baldwin, and GE/Altoona GG1 electrics. Reasons abound why the idea was abandoned for the more common all-white logo, including simplicity, the red fading too fast (notice it is already fading on No. 3174), and the need to stock red paint.
8. Louisville & Nashville RS3 138
Louisville & Nashville experimented with a number of different diesel paint schemes. One of the snappier ones was this blue-and-yellow design applied to Alco RS3 No. 138. The unit had already been re-engined with an EMD prime mover when photographed in October 1969.
9. Red Canadian National MLW RS18s — An unusual locomotive paint scheme
Canadian National’s red Montreal Locomotive Works RS18s were used in CN “Tempo” service, Toronto-Sarnia, Ontario, and Toronto-Windsor, Ont. They were rebuilt in 1967 from “regular” units, with their short hoods extended for electrical generating equipment (early head-end power, with an auxiliary Cummins engine). Reclassified as RS18u, they had 92-mph gearing.
10. Kansas City Southern SD40s 616 and 642
When railroads were repainting select diesel locomotives to celebrate the nation’s 200th bicentennial, Kansas City Southern decided to hold a contest among school children to design theirs. The winner was from an elementary school girl and true to its promise, the road’s shops at Deramus Yard in Shreveport, La., diligently applied her design to KCS units 616 and 642.
