Did this paint scheme ever exist on the SP railroad ? Looking on the web the only info I seem to find is some HO rolling stock but no photos of real trains.
Original Post
Replies sorted oldest to newest
They definitely had some black Overnight Merchandise Service box cars, used between Los Angeles and the Bay Area. However, all photos I have seen only had an SP herald of the same type seen on other Espee box cars - not this elaborate large design.
Although I grew up in Southern California in the 1950's, I never did actually see one, even though I watched a lot of Southern Pacific trains on the Sunset Route, which goes east from Los Angeles. The route for the black cars was to the north, and at night. I never did get out to watch trains on the "other side" of the Espee until I started driving, in 1962, and still, at that date, never saw a real SP black merchandise car.
Rusty
Attachments
Images (1)
Can't say I have seen any pictures of that design but SP did experiment. This only lasted a few months:
Pete
Originally Posted by Norton:
Can't say I have seen any pictures of that design but SP did experiment. This only lasted a few months:
Pete
Hummmmmmmmm, What happened to the smoke box front on THAT GS-4? I am not aware that SP ever "experimented" with the smoke box fronts.
Check the cab number and report back.
Ahh, right. A GS-6!
I still like that SP logo on the tender, though.
If I remember correctly, a picture of the tender appeared in Trains or Railfan and Railroad in an article about oddball paint schemes.
As I recall, it wasn't officially sanctioned and done at the whim of one of the painters.
I don't think the tender with the SP herald made it off the shop track and was relettered with standard Southern Pacific lettering before being placed back in service.
Rusty
Originally Posted by Rusty Traque:
Rusty
Athearn did this one in O-scale. I had one.
EdKing
