Information on the introduction of all-red loco paint scheme.

Loco Paint Schemes:

Red and Gray (1950s-1960s)

All-Red (1960s-1990s)

This 1969 photo has locos in both paint schemes.

The red-and gray paint scheme was the standard as the loco fleet grew throughout the 1950s and 1960s. In 1969 locos began getting repainted in a simpler all-red scheme with large GBW letters on the sides of the long hoods. An early version of the scheme retained the gray trucks, but after 1973 the trucks were painted black.

The first locos to get the all-red paint were #316-317and the last unit to enter the paint shop was #301 in 1973. Switchers #102, #103,and #201 were retired in June 1968 and never received an all-red paint job. Locos #316-#323 only had the all-red scheme.

Here are dates that the locos were repainted.  These dates were provided by Bob Wandel, based on information provided by Dan Luedke, a GBW switchman and brakeman in the 1960s and 1970s. Dan's list was compiled in February 1976 -- fairly close to the time of the repainting -- and matches all of the photo evidence.  Note that #316 & 317 were painted in the spring of 1968, while they were still being leased by GBW! These two locomotives were finally purchased and assigned a 300- series number in October 1968, and February 1969, respectively.

If your web browser is compatible with Microsoft Internet Explorer 5.0 or later you can click on any column head in the table to sort the table accordingly.

	Number	Model	Paint Dates	Notes
01	GBW 301	Alco RS-2	1973.08	Last locomotive to have red and gray paint scheme.
02	GBW 302	Alco RS-2	1970.03
03	GBW 303	Alco RS-2	1968.07
04	GBW 304	Alco RS-2	1969.05
05	GBW 305	Alco RS-3	1969.09
06	GBW 306	Alco RS-3	1972.12
07	GBW 307	Alco RS-3	1969.04
08	GBW 308	Alco RS-3	1969.11
09	KGB 309	Alco RS-11	1969.04
10	GBW 310	Alco RS-27	1969.09
11	GBW 311	Alco C-424	1973.04
12	GBW 312	Alco C-424	1972.10
13	GBW 313	Alco C-424	1973.01
14	KGB 314	Alco C-424	1972.06
15	GBW 315	Alco C-430	1973.04
16	GBW 316	Alco RS-27	1968.04	First loco to get-all red paint scheme; was in C&NW green/yellow before (never had red and gray paint scheme)
17	GBW 317	Alco RS-27	1968.04	Was in C&NW green/yellow before (never had red and gray paint scheme)