BNSF experts, Did BNSF ever have any engines that looked like this: http://wig-wag-trains.com/Atlas Pag...ictures/GP38-40/GP-38/40-000-368-392_BNSF.jpg I've never seen anything like this. Thanks! Chris
I guess I just answered my own question: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoPicture.aspx?id=138027 But why are they painted like that?
They're ex GMTX locos. Instead of paying for a full repaint BNSF left them in the GMTX colors and threw on their logos.
There was a discussion about this a couple of months ago on another forum. from what I remember, BNSF did some horse trading, and got rid of some old 6 axle units in a trade for these Geeps.
I knew I had seen pictures of the blue and white Rock Island scheme on this vintage of locomotive - looks like some of the GMTX GP38-2s were ex-RI Pictures of GMTX 2151.
if you squint it looks like they're painted in a "heritage" Big Sky Blue, which can only be a good thing.
That is not "Bankruptcy Blue" its too dark. It is much closer to Big Sky Blue. Or even an EMD Demonstrator Blue.
In a way I tend to agree with you. The "orange" is getting to me and I am not sure why as I loved it when BNSF first deployed it. -- Basically this appears / comes across as a "patch on top of patch" scheme. That could make for quite a series of units in any roads name. For example: X-Southern Pacific > X-Lease Company > Now < new road name >
"I knew I had seen pictures of the blue and white Rock Island scheme on this vintage of locomotive - looks like some of the GMTX GP38-2s were ex-RI" The Rock's blue and white scheme featured a much lighter blue... http://rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1829019
Atlas announced that they will make the blue BNSF GP38 this year. It is EMD blue that was applied to their lease fleet then was merged with GATX locomotive leasing to form LLPX, locomotive leasing partners. When the units were sold to BNSF they were simply patched and eventually will likely get repainted.
SHot one in Tulsa and one here in Muskogee. The railfans around here (and elsewhere) call 'em "Smurfs".
No, they were bought from EMD, they traded some switchers and GP15s for the GP38-2s. BNSF owns them outright.