7mm US model dabblings

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
Presuming you mean the black w/ speed lettering, no stripes, my gut instinct is to say no.

However, the very good Utah Rails website has a section on DRGW paint schemes and talks about a change to the orange color once Anschutz pruchased the railroad. The following text suggests to me that some F units may have received the black and orange scheme.

Several pieces of equipment were refurbished and repainted, including the very visible equipment used on the Ski Train, including the F units, the former Rio Grande Zephyr passenger fleet, and the steam generator cars, receiving a still different but only slightly darker shade of orange, known by some as "Anschutz Orange."


I've never seen an example of such, but I'm not a full-on DRGW disciple either. A quick troll on Google also didn't yield results. You may need to dig deeper on one of the photo archive sites to find examples if they do indeed exist.

By the way, the Rio Grande historical society has a paint scheme/loco matrix which suggests that no F units received the black with orange logo scheme.

All that being said, some F7's did wear a black with orange stripe (looked more yellow) scheme at some point, before being repainted into Aspen Gold and silver. F9's apparently were delivered new in gold and silver.
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
Upon further reflection, I would bet that the "F units" referred to in the Utah Rails blurb are the f40ph's used on the Ski Train, rather than the original F units from the late 30's onward.

I'm surprised I've never seen an instance of a modeler painting an F7 in the later scheme, as an alternate reality sort of thing. I've definitely seen it done with modern post-DRGW era locos like the sd70's and later GE's. I suppose the Aspen Gold and silver F unit scheme is so iconic that why would anyone bother with the plain later scheme.

Of course now I find the idea intriguing. :oops::rolleyes:
 
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mickoo

Western Thunderer
D&RGW F units come in four flavours

1: The original black all over with broad yellow-more like gold lower body stripe interspersed with two thin black pin stripes and one large.

OP-10852

In colour

Z-6348

The Rio Grande text on the nose sometimes intersects the yellow pinstripe and is sometimes below and sometimes not present at all.

2: This was followed by pretty much the same style but with a full nose and windscreen colour which I think was yellow and the side stripes changed accordingly

CRRM-2012.285.0593

In colour on this Alco PA set.

Z-6353

3: Livery three was the change to orange and silver with four black pin stripes and silver roof.

OP-10886

In colour

Z-6356

4: This finally morphed into the more streamlined and easier/cheaper paint job with one broad black stripe and black roof.

OP-10889

In colour

Rick Burn Photos - Don Strack

As far as I am aware, no F units carried the full black with orange tiger stripe nose and Rio Grande flying (speed) lettering, that came later with more modern units. for interest, the same style speed lettering was used by Southern Pacific when they merged with DRGW on some of their units, not sure if it was only applied to ex DRGW units or a selection across the board.
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
I'm of the impression that DRGW units were not repainted into SP scarlet and gray. When I got to Denver in 1998, all the units I saw like the tunnel motors, gp60's, and gp40-2's, and even a gp30 were still in Rio Grande paint. At worst, they were patched for UP under the cab windows.

Of course there may be anomalies.
 

Yorkshire Dave

Western Thunderer
The DRGW brought the SP group and continued to operate the two groups with their own indentities.

SP scarlet and grey units started to appear with Southern Pacific in the Rio Grande style speed lettering although the Cotton Belt subsidary retained it's Roman style lettering.
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
D&RGW F units come in four flavours

1: The original black all over with broad yellow-more like gold lower body stripe interspersed with two thin black pin stripes and one large.

OP-10852

In colour

Z-6348

The Rio Grande text on the nose sometimes intersects the yellow pinstripe and is sometimes below and sometimes not present at all.

2: This was followed by pretty much the same style but with a full nose and windscreen colour which I think was yellow and the side stripes changed accordingly

CRRM-2012.285.0593

In colour on this Alco PA set.

Z-6353

3: Livery three was the change to orange and silver with four black pin stripes and silver roof.

OP-10886

In colour

Z-6356

4: This finally morphed into the more streamlined and easier/cheaper paint job with one broad black stripe and black roof.

OP-10889

In colour

Rick Burn Photos - Don Strack

As far as I am aware, no F units carried the full black with orange tiger stripe nose and Rio Grande flying (speed) lettering, that came later with more modern units. for interest, the same style speed lettering was used by Southern Pacific when they merged with DRGW on some of their units, not sure if it was only applied to ex DRGW units or a selection across the board.

Thanks Mick

JB.
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
I'm of the impression that DRGW units were not repainted into SP scarlet and gray. When I got to Denver in 1998, all the units I saw like the tunnel motors, gp60's, and gp40-2's, and even a gp30 were still in Rio Grande paint. At worst, they were patched for UP under the cab windows.

Of course there may be anomalies.
You're probably right, I'm not fully up to speed on SP post merger (the first one) but what you say, and Dave reaffirms, sounds correct.

I've mixed feelings on the SP speed lettering, in some cases it looks really smart but I feel it should remain on DRGW tiger stripe units, the Roman lettering for me seems more suited to SP colour scheme.
 

Big Train James

Western Thunderer
I've mixed feelings on the SP speed lettering, in some cases it looks really smart but I feel it should remain on DRGW tiger stripe units, the Roman lettering for me seems more suited to SP color scheme.
Agree with this sentiment 100%. My sw1500 project is (should probably start saying "was" as I'm so far behind on it by now :rolleyes::oops: ) based on SP practices, the livery decision was always going to end up either as the traditional SP lettering or as repainted into UP colors. The speed lettered SP sw1500's were never a consideration.
 

Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
Wibblewibblewibble.... :):):) :thumbs:

Although Caboose #14 didn't really get that crackered, before the Soo became a fallen flag ;)
SOO 14

It might well have ended up like yours, years later, but I can't find any photos later than that one from 1991, offhand.
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
Well this just happened!

£65 for the 'F' and £19 for the box car/reefer which frankly for that money is just insane.

image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg image.jpeg

The paint job on the F is pretty offensive so looking forward to spraying that at some point, but otherwise for a model that is probably older than me, can't complain too much.

JB.
 
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Jordan

Mid-Western Thunderer
The paint job on the F is pretty offensive
I dunno... Warbonnet isn't that bad a livery.... :) :thumbs:

Ah, you meant the application of the paint itself.? :D
If I recall correctly, the 'Santa Fe' lettering was on what looked like clear sticky labels!! I note the usual afliction of missing horns and steps at the rear. Definitely a 'do-er-upper'. ;)
At today's prices, the trucks alone on the Reefer are worth more than £19.99!! Well done!! :thumbs:
 

mickoo

Western Thunderer
All the bogie side frames present and affixed too, they usually break off.

I do need to get back to mine, replace the original (half) scratch built Plasticard cab interior with a new etched one, new 3D printed control stands and front dash too.

Dimly recall taking the plough off and having visions of an etched replacement as well, I think I also took the nose # boards off as well as they were too chunky, some new 3D ones in order there as well.

Must finish GP9B body shell first though..........well maybe not :D
 

Scale7JB

Western Thunderer
I dunno... Warbonnet isn't that bad a livery.... :) :thumbs:

Ah, you meant the application of the paint itself.? :D
If I recall correctly, the 'Santa Fe' lettering was on what looked like clear sticky labels!! I note the usual afliction of missing horns and steps at the rear. Definitely a 'do-er-upper'. ;)
At today's prices, the trucks alone on the Reefer are worth more than £19.99!! Well done!! :thumbs:

Yes, the overspray (if they sprayed it) is quite impressive, and the pointy apex of the curve on the side is quite a thing to manage to. The horns and (most of) the brake cylinders are in the box, just missing one.

I'm not sure how to remove the decal off of the front. It's pretty well on there. I may have to resort to a glass fibre brush as I'd rather not melt the plastic with anything. Speaking of which and the steps, would mek be suitable for putting the steps back on? All of these do seem to be present in the box.

JB.
 
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