Last Northern Pacific SD45 to be painted in BN Cascade green?

[BCOL 747]

Would anyone know roughly what date the last Northern Pacific SD45 to be painted in BN Cascade green was? I have seen photos of SD45’s from 1973 still in NP paint but did any make it to 1974? I am trying to fit one in on the layout.

Thanks,
Chris

[JSL]

The latest I have seen a photo of a BN SD45 in NP colors was BN6408 on 12-31-73, I'm not sure how far into 74 it went before being painted in cascade green, but it must have been at least a few months.

[BCOL 747]

Thanks for the reply JSL. I believe I have one of 6408 from December of 73 as well. I will keep searching for info on that loco and figure out when it was painted in 74.

Thanks,

Chris

[Ike the BN Freak]

I'll check some of my BN annuals, I'm sure there was atleast one or two that made it into 74 if not later, I know the last predecessor unit wasn't painted until 1977.

[BCOL 747]

Ike

Did you get a chance to check out a few of your BN annuals for NP painted SD45’s in 1974?

Thanks,
Chris

[davefoxx]

I apologize for going completely off-topic, but I thought you might at least have some interest in knowing that I spotted what I believe is a Northern Pacific wood chip hopper parked in a siding in Avondale, Pennsylvania.   That's right, NP survives not just into 1974, but 2013 (okay, okay, it's not exactly an SD45, but it lives)!

DFF

[Ike the BN Freak]

Chris,

I looked in 74-80 and no pics of NP Patched SD45s.

On the BN photo archive, there were a few pics in 1973, everything I've seen with dates attached seems to be 73 or earlier.

http://archive.trainpix.com/BN/EMDORIG/SD45/6401.HTM

[nkalanaga]

Dave:  As late as 2011 there were both NP and GN chip cars running in the Northwest.  They looked rather rough, but they were still running.  Finding one in PA sounds like it's NOT hauling woodchips, though, or it's been sold and not yet relettered.

For what it's worth, I would imagine that was probably a chip gon, not a hopper.  As far as I know, the NP never owned chip hoppers, although they used a lot of GS gons with chip racks.  I doubt that any of those made it past the early 80s.

[wazzou]

It's important to remember that the SD-45 was still a fairly new locomotive in 1970.
The Northern Pacific began taking delivery in mid-1966.
After the Merger, the Burlington Northern continued to order SD-45's, so I would guess that the SD-45 was a priority in repainting to represent the new BN image in mainline trains.

[BCOL 747]

Gentleman

Thank you for your replies. I might have to seriously think about switching my era back to 1973 in order to represent this locomotive.  Unfortunately 1973 may cut into some rolling stock that I would like to run.
 
Decisions....Decisions?

Chris
 

[packers#1]

Gentleman

Thank you for your replies. I might have to seriously think about switching my era back to 1973 in order to represent this locomotive.  Unfortunately 1973 may cut into some rolling stock that I would like to run.
 
Decisions....Decisions?

Chris
 

Why not run it anyways? If there's a picture of an NP SD45 in December of '73, having it last until 1974 isn't that much of a stretch. Anyways, one extra year isn't all that much of a difference

[nkalanaga]

Not to mention that, unless you're 100% prototypical, you're technically modeling an alternate universe, so history could be a little different. 

And, since the BN repainted an RS3 INTO NP paint in 1978, why not an NP SD45 unrepainted in 1974?  I model 1974 and don't worry about the older schemes.  My line is a fictional secondary main anyway, so what's one more difference?

Oh, and that RS3?  No motors, it was repainted for a court case, and then sat near the Pasco hump for several weeks at least.

[BCOL 747]

You guys are right. I am going to paint one up in NP colors anyway. Thanks for getting my head straight.

Chris 

[wazzou]

You guys are right. I am going to paint one up in NP colors anyway. Thanks for getting my head straight.

Chris 

Don't forget the extra cab windows.