Caught the red light on Esperanza in Yorba Linda long enough to snap this. Looks like it’s been left out in the sun too much.🤪
Steve
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That old queen was once beautiful, but many trips through the wash rack, where she was washed with soap and diluted acid, plus a lot of hours in the desert, have turned her into what you see.
There was one order of big GE's that was painted with an orange paint that faded within a short time, due to the acid washes, some finally getting a pink tint to the orange. The issue was taken up with the builder and the paint supplier and was corrected on subsequent locomotive orders.
I think you're right, Steve . . . this one looks like it has been done in by desert railroading, and the wash rack probably helped.
@Number 90 posted:That old queen was once beautiful, but many trips through the wash rack, where she was washed with soap and diluted acid, plus a lot of hours in the desert, have turned her into what you see.
There was one order of big GE's that was painted with an orange paint that faded within a few years, due to the acid washes, but they had a pink cast. I think you're right, Steve . . . this one looks like it has been done in by desert railroading, and the wash rack probably helped.
I looker her up and saw a few pictures in her glory days.
Steve
Some of the modern Warbonnet teds turned pink. Same problem?
The photo at this link was taken just a few months after that loco was built. It appears to be a lot less orange than the one behind it. A Peach Bonnet?
@Training Wheels posted:The photo at this link was taken just a few months after that loco was built. It appears to be a lot less orange than the one behind it. A Peach Bonnet?
Definitely lighter than the one behind it.
Steve
@Dominic Mazoch posted:Some of the modern Warbonnet reds turned pink. Same problem?
I don't think it was exactly the same with the warbonnets. Santa Fe would never have allowed the paint to deteriorate to that condition if the merger had not occurred. We had mechanical wash racks with rotating brushes at Barstow, Kansas City, and Chicago. The warbonnet paint was a matter of corporate pride.
The warbonnet locomotives were painted in 4 colors of Imron, and then sprayed with a durable clear coat. After the merger, I noticed a few locomotives with the clear coat flaking off, in spots. That always continues once it starts, and it allowed the red paint to be affected by air, sun, and chemicals in ever-growing patches.
BNSF takes good mechanical care of the locomotives, but just average cosmetic care. The oldest locomotives in the fleet are probably not going to get repainted unless damaged, since, although they are still serving, they will likely not remain long enough to justify the cost of a complete repainting.
Although I realize that the merger was good for both BN and ATSF, it's painful to see one of those shabby looking warbonnets go past.
