Well what do you know Murphy's law struck again. The one day that I didn't take my camera with me and what should I see 25 feet away on the mainline coming by? Yep #9647 in Vommit Bonnet colors. I have been waiting for years to see this thing and get a photo and bam there it is and no camera. I am sick about it, but thrilled to have seen it in real life. It came through Ft Worth, Crowley, Cleburne TX at about 2pm today. It actually looked pretty good. If there is a next time I will be ready!!
If your luck is anything like mine, the only time you'll see this unit again, is whenever you do not have a camera! Boxcab E50
Not being that into BNSF I didn't know that was the real name of that scheme until I looked it up! Reminds me of my friends old puke green Mercury Comet.......Yep, she was nicknamed the vomit comet. Hope that you eventually catch that pic! Russ
I'd rather railfans nickname it, "Depot Colors" because it reminds me of old classic depot colors. To me it's beautifully done! No offense to Mr. or Ms. Vommitt who thought it up or was named after, but it is an unusual name. Now the old moldy green of the BN could make you a little unsettled.
That green is known as "Grinstien Green", after then-BN boss Gerald Grinstien (it's derisively called Grimestain Green by some). I'm sorry, but this color job looks like something Tyco would came up with. I'm not a BN guy (as if you couldn't guess , but I'd rather see it in Cascade Green & black, with the white nose stripes.
It IS pretty hideous, but I'd love to see it, not that there is a chance in hell that they'll ever route it through Bellingham!
Bob, I do agree that it looks like something TYCO would paint, but imagine...TRAINS IMITATING TOYS! The shoe is on the other foot! I really like it. Variety is the spice of life. I think it would look good on rolling stock too. By the way guys, would you critize those colors if there were on varnish? Pulled by a steamer or what not??????
In its last few years of freedom, BN obtained an F9A and an F9B for use on its business train- they (plus a couple hundred SD70MACs) were painted in the green & cream scheme, just not with the warbonnet scheme. Incidentally, on BN it was called the "Executive Scheme". Funny name for diesels (the Big Macs) wearing this scheme that spend their lives hauling coal trains out of Wyoming. IIRC, the AOE passenger cars have color very close to this. I may be a Frisco guy, but to this fella if it ain't red & silver, don't call it a Warbonnet!
I wish it would sneek it's way out west that way I could see it I doubt it would ever make it out here to San Diego as we have no need for the 70MAC's down here. I guess I will just have to model one in HO scale when Athearn comes out with the 70MAC's later this year .
BN put 645-16 prime movers in those F9s making them in effect F38-2s. They also had an E-9A (BN-3)that had 2 12 Cylinder 645s in it developing 1200 HP apiece. The Illinois Railway museum Now has all 3 locos on display. [ 25. May 2003, 01:57: Message edited by: YoHo ]
I have to say here that the Vommit Bonnet is one of my favorite BNSF locs even though I have only seen it in pictures. That loco does manage to get around. It made at least one trip east from Memphis TN to some power plant in North Carolina a couple of years ago. A buddy of mine shot it in Chattanooga TN headed bak west on that trip. I missed it by a day as I had planned to go there and visit there on Saturday and had to change to Sunday due to a work issue. Oh well, you win some and you lose some.
Guys, I was in Alliance, NE last weekend (June 13, 2003) where I was able to tour the Alliance locomotive and car shops with the Friends of the Burlington Northern Railroad historical society. There on the "bad order/dead" track was none other than our beloved Vomit Bonnet. It looked pretty sad, apparently had some sort of minor fire incident as it was charred in one area....nothing serious though. Probably be out of commission for a bit though.
i think thats a really cool paintscheme! and a funny name too lol i would love to see some more photos of it, if anyone has them?
I was wondering why this thread was disinterred without a court order. New news to me is that BNSF actually had these units. These would look great on the front end of a business train. I might add here, this was the paint scheme I was hoping BNSF would sport. I don't see a bonnet and wonder how in the world you can call this a "Vommit Bonnet? Vommit F'38er's....maybe. To qualify as a bonnet locomotive it must first have a honest to goodness, ATSF "War Bonnet". Otherwise it's just another locomotive in "Executive BN Cream & Green". Grin! So, what is the current status?
Here's some pix of 9647 from QStation: http://209.85.173.104/custom?q=cache:4qCs7liykDgJ:www.qstation.org/9647/+BNSF+9647&hl=en&ct=clnk&cd=1&gl=us Wonder what the scheme would have looked like if done in H1 or H2. But would bet the Big Nothing boys out voted the Santa Fe men on adopting the 9647 scheme. Too much Santa Fe for their liking. It would be a whole different RR if it was the SFBN, that's for sure!
I had it as a DP on a coal train outta the PRB a couple of weeks ago. So it's still alive and kicking. Adam
I think that unit would have looked better if they would have reversed the colors on it. Had the hunter green body and cream warbonnet. IMHO