# Santa Fe Yellow/Blue War Bonnet- Two versions?



## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Why is there 2 versions of this war bonnet? One has lighter blue and yellow and the other has a darker blue and brighter yellow color scheme. Is there a difference in the way they operated?


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

Maybe the paint faded. Pete


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

Well, I guess lol. Same with southern pacific though, they have the brown and red or spider (black and grey/silver?) F7A's for freight service. Whats the deal with that?


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

For Sante FE, the blue was freight service. I have seen this question before.

This post has a tidbit.

Better tidbit


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## norgale (Apr 4, 2011)

WOW! A Popeye cartoon. Hain't seen one of them is fourty years. Popeye's idea for a streamlined engine would make a great homebuilt engine. I like Wimpy too. There used to be a Wimpys hamburger place near where I lived---in the 50's. Ha! Pete


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## cv_acr (Oct 28, 2011)

jjb727 said:


> Why is there 2 versions of this war bonnet? One has lighter blue and yellow and the other has a darker blue and brighter yellow color scheme. Is there a difference in the way they operated?


Care to show examples of what you're talking about? I'm not familiar with any alternate Santa Fe scheme in list blue. I'm with norgale in thinking you're simply looking at engines in older paint that has been faded by exposure to sun and the elements.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

cv_acr said:


> Care to show examples of what you're talking about? I'm not familiar with any alternate Santa Fe scheme in list blue. I'm with norgale in thinking you're simply looking at engines in older paint that has been faded by exposure to sun and the elements.


maybe.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

I agree I would love to see a pic or two of the engine(s) in question, and I agree with norgal it may have just faded over time from exposure to the sun and elements.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> I agree I would love to see a pic or two of the engine(s) in question, and I agree with norgal it may have just faded over time from exposure to the sun and elements.


yeah, maybe the colors did get darker. But what about the SP engines? why are there 2 for freight? One is brown and red and the other has that spider color.


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## T-Man (May 16, 2008)

I guess I need to convince you a CTT thread. 

A bluebonnet has a yellow sante fe insignia.
The yellow boonet has a blue insignia.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

T-Man said:


> I guess I need to convince you a CTT thread.
> 
> A bluebonnet has a yellow sante fe insignia.
> The yellow boonet has a blue insignia.


you did convince me.


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

one was used for passenger, and generally the blues (with yellow) were your freight and at times usually the red/silvers would get a quick paint job so it would be blue (IIRC) with silver with the usual bonnet separation details...as for the "second" paint job could you post pics? I never heard of a brown color being used...but i will look into it...

EDIT: wow I just got ninja'd.....


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

New Berlin RR said:


> one was used for passenger, and generally the blues (with yellow) were your freight and at times usually the red/silvers would get a quick paint job so it would be blue (IIRC) with silver with the usual bonnet separation details...as for the "second" paint job could you post pics? I never heard of a brown color being used...but i will look into it...


the brown and red was for southern pacific. same with the spider color scheme for southern pacific


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## New Berlin RR (Feb 11, 2012)

ah ok, thats what it was for, thanks!


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

There are actually three different Santa Fe Warbonnet paint schemes.
One being the classic red warbonnet used mainly for passenger service. Then there was the blue and yellow warbonnets, there were two versions of this. One was called the Cigar band which was all blue with the emblem and tops of the engine being yellow and the regular with the front being in the classic shape of the warbonnet just yellow, these were almost always used for freight.
The last warbonnet was an all yellow with silver/stainless in the classic shape, I don't recall what these were used for but I think they were actually intended for dual service.

Southern Pacific also had three paint schemes for there passenger engines as well.
The Classic red and orange for mainly daylight service, the Black Widow which was black, silver, and red. And the last being a simple grey with red or white lettering.


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## jjb727 (Apr 13, 2012)

gc53dfgc said:


> There are actually three different Santa Fe Warbonnet paint schemes.
> One being the classic red warbonnet used mainly for passenger service. Then there was the blue and yellow warbonnets, there were two versions of this. One was called the Cigar band which was all blue with the emblem and tops of the engine being yellow and the regular with the front being in the classic shape of the warbonnet just yellow, these were almost always used for freight.
> The last warbonnet was an all yellow with silver/stainless in the classic shape, I don't recall what these were used for but I think they were actually intended for dual service.
> 
> ...


Thanks dude! I knew I wasn't crazy! So the black widow and the grey and red were both used for freight?


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## jzrouterman (Nov 27, 2010)

gc53dfgc said:


> There are actually three different Santa Fe Warbonnet paint schemes.
> One being the classic red warbonnet used mainly for passenger service. Then there was the blue and yellow warbonnets, there were two versions of this. One was called the Cigar band which was all blue with the emblem and tops of the engine being yellow and the regular with the front being in the classic shape of the warbonnet just yellow, these were almost always used for freight.
> The last warbonnet was an all yellow with silver/stainless in the classic shape, I don't recall what these were used for but I think they were actually intended for dual service.
> 
> ...


gc53dfgc is correct. If I could be allowed to add just a little more to this,,, In the later years of the Santa Fe (ATSF), the classic Santa Fe Super Chief "red and Silver" paint scheme was brought back and used on their new, larger freight engines. These mighty red and silver engines were known as the 'SUPER FLEET.' The railroad, which has since become the BNSF, left the red and silver paint scheme intact on some of these engines, changing only their displayed roadname from SANTA FE to BNSF. Several of these can still be seen on the rails today.

Routerman


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## gc53dfgc (Apr 13, 2010)

jjb727 said:


> Thanks dude! I knew I wasn't crazy! So the black widow and the grey and red were both used for freight?


Those engines could see either freight or passenger service. The black widow was more likely to see passenger while the grey was more freight.


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## ATHEARNFAN (Oct 13, 2011)

jjb727 said:


> Why is there 2 versions of this war bonnet? One has lighter blue and yellow and the other has a darker blue and brighter yellow color scheme. Is there a difference in the way they operated?


do you mean these?









Both were original red warbonnets for over 20 years. 

Built in 1949 the 315 was in passenger service then became the first yellowbonnet in 1972 then in 1974 it was rebuilt as CF7 2517. Last i know it was assigned to the Commonwealth Railway in Virginia.

Built in 1951 the 332 was in duel service it was repainted in the bluebonnet scheme also in 1972 five years later it was rebuilt as CF7 2458. in 1988 it was destroyed in a fire and retired.


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## blackz28 (Jan 6, 2013)

ATHEARNFAN said:


> do you mean these?
> 
> 
> 
> ...


 god i hate you man now i want to collect santa fe


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## ATHEARNFAN (Oct 13, 2011)

blackz28 said:


> god i hate you man now i want to collect santa fe



oh, they're only old athearn bluebox special editions bought about 15 years ago. finally getting KD #144s and on track recently. 
sometimes i hate myself for having too many trains :laugh:


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