Bill:
Yes, that was simply a WPB cost saving measure and also an effort to speed
delivery of the units. They got the full striping at their first repainting,
which would not have occurred until after the end of the war.
Hol
To: CBQ@yahoogroups.com
From: clipperw@gmail.com
Date: Fri, 11 Apr 2014 08:29:13 -0500
Subject: [CBQ] Re: Burlington Switcher Colors
Hol,
If the first versions of the blackbird paint schemes were delivered on
locomotives in early 1940, do you have any idea why the Baldwin VO-1000s are
shown being delivered in black with Everywhere West and Way of the Zephyrs
painted on their hoods in 1943 and 1944? Was this a time or cost savings on the
part of the War Production Board? How long after delivery did the black paint
scheme on these units remain in service before being repainted? Does anyone
have photos of the VO-1000s in service on the Q in black?
Bill BarberGravois Mills, MO
On Apr 11, 2014, at 3:45 AM, CBQ@yahoogroups.com wrote:Re: Burlington Switcher
ColorsThu Apr 10, 2014 9:31 am (PDT) . Posted by:"Hol Wagner" fhw632The first
switchers in what became known to fans as the blackbird scheme were NW2 9203,
turned out in April 1940, and SW1 9141, turned out the following months. These
units and the others in the same orders (9204 and 9142-9147) featured very
large Burlington Route heralds on their cabs and block gothic numbers and
reporting marks rather than Railroad Roman. These lasted only until their first
repainting. GE 44-tonner 9103, delivered in August 1940, came in the earlier
all-black scheme with Dulux gold lettering.
So the Pullman green scheme with red and yellow trim, used on Whitcomb 9120 and
Midwests 9121-9123, was outdated as of mid-1940, making the attached image of
9122 rather remarkable. Taken at Lincoln on May 19, 1952, some 12 years after
the Pullman green scheme was superseded, it shows the unit still painted in
that scheme, though most of the red trim has been omitted -- except for the
upper side sill stripe. In a black-and-white view the Pullman green would be
easily mistaken for black, and even in this view the side of the hood could
easily be mistaken as black, but it is in fact green. (This also serves to
demonstrate why by the late 1950s the heavyweight coaches painted Pullman green
were known on the Q as black coaches.) The 9122 was undoubtedly the last diesel
switcher on the Q painted Pullman green.
I'm also attaching a view of 44-tonner 9103 in its original paint, taken at
Clinton, Iowa, in January 1941.
Hol
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