How does a railroad decide if their hood units or F-units need anti-glare panels? In addition, how do they decide what color those panels are? I freelance and have 5 GP-20s that are MEC Green with silver lettering, 1 GP-20 that has the top of the nose and the roof is also painted the same green (the rest is painted pink [Yes, I do have a pink engine and there is a very good reason]). I also have an F7 that is painted MEC green with a black roof and silver decals. I also model Eastern MT if this is needed. My question is this: Do my engines need anti-glare panels? If I do, what color should they be? And how I would know if I need them for in the future? Thank you for all your assistance with my question.
I’m not sure, but I don’t think that all of the “anti-glare” panels on the front of F units were actually anti-glare panels. Many look to me to have been black non-skid panels to facilitate maintenence crews climbing on the nose of the locos.
In the end, I think it was a preference of the individual road.
-George
UP first used them on their F & E units, which were primarily yellow - sun on yellow must have been terrible!! Don’t know why green - I would have thought the Harbor Mist Gray would have been dark enough. My [2c]
Most of the time, anti-glare panels were flat black. Sometimes, dark green or blue, also flat finished.
The first anti-glare panel I ever saw was on the 1963 Ford GT-40 prototype race car. Most everyone thought it was for looks, but it was to cut down on the glare from that large, bright white hood in front of the driver. Late 60’s early 70’s muscle cars also were quite fond of the flat black anti-glare panels on the hood.
Rotor
So I guess the old PC F units and now the whole NS fleet could be considered anti-glare locos??[;)]
I always wondered what that green patch was on the UP F units.