Athearn recently announced the FP45 in Santa Fe Superfleet colors. Were any F45s ever painted in Superfleet colors?
Super Fleet? May I ask?, what do we mean by Super Fleet Colors?baffled: Here are examples of the various paint schemes Santa Fe painted the F45/FP45. Incidently the F45 was a different locomotive, similar to the FP 45 but lacked the length and horsepower of the FP45. Most of the F45's found service in the blue pin stripe livery. The only paint scheme I don't have a picture of is the Red and Silver Warbonnet, with the small black lettering. These pulled the last of Santa Fe's passenger trains. Later they were renumbered and repainted with the larger red lettering. The FP45's in the new larger red lettering with the Red and Silver Warbonnet paint scheme, ushered in or marked the beginning of what Santa Fe referred to as the alleged "Super Fleet". I believe this is what you are referring to. As ordered by the then ATSF Pres., Mike Haverty. The last picture is an example of the "Super Fleet," GP60M's with the wide cab on the front. I do remember Santa Fe employees referring to these as belonging to the "Super Fleet". Credits for the pictures are posted on the photo or in the photo information file that accompanies it.
Early FP45's I don't really have anything better to do. I couldn't find any trouble to get into. A little research isn't going to hurt anyone. The first two pictures posted here are the first paint scheme's for Santa Fe's FP45's. The last one is what many rail fans referred to as the "Return of the Warbonnets". The last picture is what I believe Santa Fe called the "Super Fleet". According to some Santa Fe employee wig wags (magazines) I have, there is mention of the "Super Fleet" but no pictures. Credits are on the pictures or on the photo file. I hope this helps.
I believe Super Fleet was the name given to the engines painted into the Warbonnet scheme back in the 90's. The FP45's were origionally in the 100 series, but got moved to 1 and up to make room for the GP60Ms. Also, the Dash840-BW and Dash840-CW's were painted in the same scheme new at the same time. Credit the re-introduction to Mike Haverty, now head of the KCS and the guy that also brought back the Southern Belle paint to KCS engines.
That all sounds pretty good except the F45's and FP45's were the same horsepower, both were essentially SD45's with cowl carbodies, the difference being the FP45 was longer to make room for a steam generator. None of the F45's were ever painted in any variation of the red/silver warbonnet. I said the word 'ever', watch everyone post photos.
The newest paint jobs the F45's ever recieved, aside from the yellow and blue warbonnet, was the Kodachrome paint scheme. In the Superfleet era, the F45's recieved smaller blue nose embloms, but never the red/silver.
This is one of those cases where you can confidently say "never". Original red/silver warbonnet with small black lettering was reserved for passenger power. That said, I believe the F45s were fitted with steam lines (not steam generators, mind you) so they could be used as trailing units on passenger trains. FP45/F45 consists did happen, as did F45s with warbonnet F7Bs, but these were, naturally, mismatched schemes. The FP45s were the first units in the "new" Super Fleet scheme with large red lettering, and the only power repainted into it (all further Super Fleet power was bought new). As an additional note, two of those photos show a consist of Santa Fe's three EMD cowls: FP45, SDP40F, F45. The SDP40F has a longer steam generator section than the FP45, and Dash 2 trucks (not clearly visible here). They were passenger power for Amtrak, but freight power on Santa Fe, and only ever wore blue/yellow freight bonnet.
Oh boy! Westfallen, Don't you just love it when we contradict each other? baffled: No problem, I was working off the cuff pulling what I can from my very slow gray matter. Triplex, I believe you are correct with regard to the horsepower for the F45's and FP45's. The SDP40's were rebuilds...is that correct? I believe later rebuilds changed all of that. No smoke and mirrors here. However, that is only an assumption and you know what that can do. I heard something to that effect, that they were rebuilt... just shortly after Amtrak, returned most of the F45's to the Santa Fe. Both types including the original SD45's weren't fuel efficient. I was told that many of them ended up with a new prime mover, less horsepower and more fuel efficient. Not to mention they had problems blowing head gaskets. I was told that that both the F45's and FP45's had derailment problems at high speeds. The thing is I never heard of any 45's winding up in the drink. So goes the story as rails around Barstow, shared with me. I've got to blame it on somebody. No I've been wrong before and I can be wrong again. Clear skies means cold temperatures and we got that. Cold in Big Bear Lake, CA. A good day to be out on the ski slopes.
The Amtrak SDFP40's were the units that "suposedly" had derailment problems. Most of the derailments occured on the BN. A bunch were scrapped and some were traded to the Santa Fe for switcher units. Santa Fe never experienced any derailment problems with these units. They did modify the front porch with a notch and steps for better crew access.
One of the issues with the SDF40s was that their water tanks were placed above the frame, so when the units would go around curves the water would slosh, throwing the unit off balance. When SF got them, they never had water in them anymore.
All the V20 645's had a tendency to "throw oil", generally from crankshaft seals. The long crank would flex, and wallow out the seals. They also did not suffer from diesel anorexia, pretty much the prime mover equivalent of a big block truck engine.
The F45s and FP45s were rebuilt in the early 80s, the same time Santa Fe was rebuilding their GP30 and GP35 fleet. Explains why they lasted longer than on other Class 1s.
I've found these sites useful sources of information on ATSF cowls http://atsf.railfan.net/cowls/ http://www.qstation.net/abpr/atsf/atsf_emd.html
95 is one of the numbers I ordered. I have a photo of myself standing on her front walkway in September 2000. It's sad nine years later, to see this former member of arguably the world's proudest fleet of passenger diesels still sitting in the open, slowly deteriorating in the weather and harsh desert sun.
