This just crossed my mind, but when UP established their heritage fleet of SD70ACEs in 2005-06 they didn’t include a Cotton Belt SSW heritage unit. Even though St. Louis Southwestern was very much part of SP for the last few decades, SSW also had it’s own distinct “Cotton Belt Route” logo that was applied to SSW boxcars in the 1950s-60s timeframe, and later applied to some ACF covered hoppers too.
http://www.railcarphotos.com/pix/29/SSW%2078763_Roseville%20CA_Rob%20Sarberenyi_2007-11-22_29634.jpg
Of course most of SSW’s locos and rollingstock from the 1960s onwards used the same exact paint schemes and markings as SP, other than having “Cotton Belt” with SSW reporting marks. SSW was officially dissolved and fully incorporated into in SP in 1992, which means a SSW heritage SD70ACe would be SSW UP #1992, which fits nicely between DRGW UP #1989 and CNW UP #1995. My guess is UP didn’t include SSW in it’s heritage fleet because of Cotton Belt’s strong connection with SP.
But they did a SP unit, #1996, in Daylight colors, so how would the
SSW association with SP makes a bit of difference?
Yeah, not sure what the paint scheme would be. I’d prefer it be UP 1932 personally
Also, if you’re going to include Cotton Belt, then I’d argue that you had darn well better paint up a UP 1885 (or UP 1959 depending on your point of view), because the Central Pacific was the first Railroad SP gobbled up…or well, the CP directors gobbled up the SP and then combined them…sorta and then made the name the SP and and and…
Still, No rest until we have a Central Pacific Heritage unit.
A Cotton Belt Heritage unit is a great idea. There are still eight SSW units still running around that have not been patched.
Lyon Wonder (3-25):
You may have answered your own question. To quote you: “SSW was officially dissolved and fully incorporated into … SP in 1992 …” Heritage units honor who UP absorbed in modern times, NOT who SP absorbed. That is how things strike me, anyway.
Best,
K.P.