It occurs to me that with all the new & updated locos introduced over the last few years I don’t remember seeing any in the red & yellow of the ill fated merger. The only ones that come to mind were Athearn ‘Blue Box’ locos, a SD40-2 and a switcher (SW1200?).
Is there some problem with licensing that has caused this or is it just no-one except me likes it?
steve
More probably the manufacturer felt the sales potential has waned with time ('72?) Custom painting, or the used bin may be your only options.
I just bought 3 of the merger paint scheme Athearns on Ebay. I think the guy must have attended the Athearn sale, as he had quite a few pieces up for sale. I got a GP50, an SD40T-2, and a GP38-2, all in the SF merger paint. Some were also offered in SP logo. These were the first I had seen, and though the merger was dated later than the era of my layout, I just couldn’t resist adding the splash of color. They really brighten things up.
Athearn also produced F45s and FP45s in the SPSF Kodachrome scheme.
I still chuckle when I think of the aborted SPSF paint scheme - “Shouldn’t Paint So Fast”![:D]
Bob Boudreau
In HO, Atlas did the U36C and C30-7 in Kodachrome. I have the Athearn Sd40-2 and the U36 and C30-7 in Kodachrome. I’ve been looking around for an F45 for a while now.
Only something like 100 engines were ever painted in the Kokachrome colors before the merger was disapproved, and both roads then repainted again.
This was such a short-lived scheme, that the manufacturers probably weren’t willing to take the risk of having too many unsold models left on store shelves.
I have a set of 3 Kodachrome cabooses that were released by Athearn – one is lettered SPSF, one has SP painted out, and the other has SF painted out.
I don’t recall ever seeing an engine in the Kodachrome scheme on dealer shelves.
Thanks for the update guys.
steve
FYI, Athearn will be offering the new SD45T-2 (tunnel motor) in the SP version of the Kodachrome in their second run. It’s due out in April. See this link:
http://www.athearn.com/newsletter/0105early/SD45T2_2__0105_early.jpg
Those new tunnel motors are sweeeeeeet!!!
Enjoy the hobby,
Greg
I don’t remember when merger talks started or when Santa Fe Pacific was formed or bought SP. However, I believe it was 1985 when they started painting locomotives in the SPSF scheme.
Unless someone custom painted (unprototypically) that SD40T-2, it would be lettered SP.
It seems like Athearn last offered the SD45 in Kodachrome for both SP and SF.
By the way, how did this paint scheme come to be called “Kodachrome”? I wonder what Kodak’s reaction was.
The SPSF livery looked similar to Kodak’s Kodachrome film roll boxes. The term stuck. I’m sure Kodak didn’t mind since their stock went up when slide film was bought.
Take care,
Russell
Unless someone custom painted (unprototypically) that SD40T-2, it would be lettered SP.
It isn’t custom painted, but new. Maybe Athearn screwed up. I hear they do that now and then. I didn’t have the time to research what was really out at the time, but that’s OK. I got 4 locos for $67, they are attractive, and my layout isn’t prototypical anyway. Now I have a little color.
southern pacific painted 98 units into the kodachrome paint scheme
there is life-like’s gp20 and gp30 painte din kodachrome, the 30’s should be out in a couple of months and the 20’s are already out, i have 1 with sound.
An almost complete list, along with pictures of SPSF merger painted engines is here.
http://atsf.railfan.net/sfkodcrm/
I’m partial to GP30 #2770.
The January/February 2002 issue of Diesel Era had an article about SP Kodachromes in it. Here is the list from the article.
SP 1192 - SW900
SP 2539 - SW1500
SP 2575 - SW1500
SP 2700 - MP15
SP 2873 - GP9E
SP 2968 - SD35E
SP 3201 - SDP45
SP 3207 - SDP45
SP 3208 - SDP45
SP 3370 - GP9E
SP 3735 - GP9E
SP 3739 - GP9E
SP 3775 - GP9E
SP 3778 - GP9E
SP 3784 - GP9E
SP 3792 - GP9E
SP 3846 - GP9E
SP 4327 - SD9E
SP 4345 - SD9E
SP 4347 - SD9E
SP 4354 - SD9E
SP 4363 - SD9E
SP 4372 - SD9E
SP 4375 - SD9E
SP 4377 - SD9E
SP 4381 - SD9E
SP 4418 - SD9E
SP 4420 - SD9E
SP 6304 - GP35E
SP 6322 - GP35E
SP 6354 - GP35E
SP 6356 - GP35E
SP 6361 - GP35E
SP 6533 - GP35
SP 6566 - GP35
SP 6577 - GP35
SP 6606 - GP35
SP 6619 - GP35
SP 6622 - GP35
SP 6640 - GP35
SP 6644 - GP35
SP 6767 - SD45T-2R
SP 6768 - SD45T-2R
SP 6769 - SD45T-2R
SP 6770 - SD45T-2R
SP 7303 - SD40R
SP 7310 - SD40R
SP 7319 - SD40R
SP 7357 - SD40R
SP 7361 - SD40R
SP 7384 - SD40R
SP 7399 - SD44R [sic]
SP 7420 - SD45R
SP 7430 - SD45R
SP 7443 - SD45R
SP 7457 - SD45R
SP 7514 - SD45R
SP 7551 - SD45R
SP 7556 - SD45R
SP 7557 - SD45R
SP 7558 - SD45R
SP 7559 - SD45R
SP 7560 - SD45R
SP 7561 - SD45R
SP 7562 - SD45R
SP 7563 - SD45R
SP 7564 - SD45R
SP 7565 - SD45R
SP 7566 - SD45R
SP 7672 - GP40-2
SP 8286 - SD40T-2
SP 8315 - SD40T-2
SP 8351 - SD40T-2
SP 8377 - SD40T-2
SP 8521 - SD40T-2
SP 8526 - SD40T-2
SP 8530 - SD40T-2
SP 8573 - SD40T-2
SP 9092 - SD45
SP 9098 - SD45
SP 9182 - SD45T-2
SP 9192 - SD45T-2
SP 9207 - SD45T-2
SP 9208 - SD45T-2
SP 9229 - SD45T-2
SP 9303 - SD45T-2
SP 9318