If BN repainted their predecessor engines at the same rate as BNSF?

[Lyon_Wonder]

Back in the 70s, how long would it have taken BN to repaint all their predecessor Chinese red CB&Qs, Pullman green and orange color scheme and Big Sky Blue painted GNs, drab NPs, SP&S and white and red Frisco diesels if they repainted at the same rate as the current BNSF, which still has quite a few Bluebonnets, Silverbonnets and Cascade green engines 10 years after the merger? From a historic perspective, BN seemed to be inquite of a hurry to repaint their predecessor engines ASAP!!!, whereas BNSF only repaints their engines if they are due for an overhaul or have been in a wreck.

[HemiAdda2d]

Welcome aboard!
Intriguing thought, sure is a eat way to think of it. BNSF sure is taking its sweet time, that, or they are planning on a massive retirement schedule for older units.

[Martyn Read]

Welcome!

I'm told BN took 7 years to paint all it's units from the initial merger, then there was three years of green before Frisco stuff appeared!

So from that perspective, they are three years behind schedule already :eek: although I guess BNSF has far more loco's to paint than BN did in 1970.

Anyhow, as a BN and a Santa Fe fan, long may their tardiness continue.... :D

[Alan]

I am with you, Martyn :D

[sd70mac]

I would like to believe, as railfan friendly as BNSF is, that they're doing it more or less intentionally.

[Stourbridge Lion]

Originally posted by Lyon_Wonder:
Back in the 70s, how long would it have taken BN to repaint...Welcome to TrainBoard!!!!!!!

:D :D :D :D :D

[HemiAdda2d]

Originally posted by sd70mac:
I would like to believe, as railfan friendly as BNSF is, that they're doing it more or less intentionally. Maybe we should email the folks at Beansniff to see if they'll follow Uncle Pete's lead with doing heritage schemes of predecessor lines.. GN, NP, SP&S, CB&Q, Frisco, ATSF, ect...
Our models are more expensive by the day it seems, but at least we'll have something worth shooting when out fanning!

[BoxcabE50]

Originally posted by sd70mac:
I would like to believe, as railfan friendly as BNSF is, that they're doing it more or less intentionally. Unfortunately, you can find areas of the system, where they aren't very friendly.

I doubt they're doing it deliberately, other than due to budgetary, and utilization purposes. In recent past months, they've done a lot of leasing, because of power shortages.

So between the costs of repaints, and being unable to get units off the road long enough, it could stretch onward a few more years. By then, further units will retire, or otherwise leave the roster unrepainted.

Boxcab E50

[Triplex]

This seems to be characteristic of modern mergers. Look at Conrail. Formed in '76. By '81, almost no predecessor schemes left. Compare the end of Conrail. Broke up in '98. Now, 7 years later, both CSX and NS still have many blue units. Or look at SCL. After the Seaboard System merger of '82 and the CSX merger in '86, some engines remained in SCL colors at least until 1991. MP and WP units vanished from UP much faster than SP units are now.

[friscobob]

Since I last showed the pic of that "untagged"
BN (ex-C&S) SD40-2, I've noticed a lot of green BNs around, either "patched" for BNSF or new lessor FURX.

Apparently BNSF is following the policy of the late Clark Hungerford of the Frisco, when he decided that paint doesn't move freight. How else do you explain all the "patched" BNSF units and rent-a-wrecks?