MTH is coming out with some new HO scale models of the GS-4 Daylight. One of the paint schemes is BNSF #4449. The streamlining and tender appear gloss black and there’s a tiny “Burlington Northern Santa Fe” roundel on the tender.
I wouldn’t think MTH would make a fantasy scheme for this loco, but they did label an Erie Triplex as a Virginian and it’s odd that BNSF would use an ex-rival’s (SP) locomotive for excursion service. Did BNSF ever use #4449 for excursion service?
4449 was used on the 2000 BNSF Employee Appreciation Special (with c44-9W 4449!) painted black.
http://pentrex.com/galpg26b.html (scroll to the bottom of the page)
From what I understand, the Portland-based GS-4 #4449 is not allowed to use UP trackage (even the ex-SP trackage), however BNSF allows the locomotive on their lines. The loco has been repainted in BNSF black several times for employee excursion specials–I’ve got footage of it traveling over the former SP&S from Portland to Wishram, and then south on the Oregon Trunk to Bend–in both BNSF and Freedom Train paint schemes.
The last time #4449 appeared in Sacramento, CA for Railfair, it had to come down BNSF trackage along the “Inside Gateway” to California, as UP wouldn’t allow it to come south on their ex-SP Shasta Line route.
Way to go, UP. Yah, suuuuure![:(!]
Tom
I cannot blame MTH for trying to increase interest in their triplex by offering it painted for the rather similar looking Virginian engine. This website offers a nice comparison of the two
http://home.att.net/~Berliner-Ultrasonics/rr3.html
What follows is a quote with pics from that site:
These 2-8-8-8-2 triplex locos actually worked well as pushers on the Gulf Summit hill near Susquehanna but their firemen just couldn’t keep up with their insatiable demand for steam for their giant boilers and cylinders. The Erie started it with the #5014 “Matt S. Shay” of 1914 and followed it in 1916 with two more but they all got split apart to make conventional locos:
(H. L. Broadbelt collection - no other provenance given)
The Virginian, another coal hauler, came up with a slightly weirder 2-8-8-8-4 in 1916, #700, which met the same fate:
(H. L. Broadbelt collection - no other provenance given)
Both of these photos show the crease of the book (and staples); sorry, I was not willing to break the book just for this page.
Dave Nelson
Especially with such an unusual and rarely-modelled prototype. That’s why I’ve always argued Atlas should offer their FM H-26-66 “Trainmaster” decorated for the almost identical CNW and Milwaukee H-16-66 “Baby Trainmasters”.
ArtofRuin, et al:
SP 4449 pulled the Freedom Train on the Santa Fe in 1976.
Take care,
Russell
Found these on Google:
