The P&WV Hi-Line

[jayrod]

What if the P&WV continued into the seventies? The FMs and the geeps may have given way to 6-axle road power. Hmmm... What would they look like?



The line drawing is from Michael Eby's Trainiax site. Digital crayons by jayrod.

[Rich_S]

Hi Jayrod,
That is a nice looking SD40-2. I've often wondered since the 70's were lean times, would the P&WV stayed with the FM diesel scheme?

I tried to find out through our EMD Rep if any paint schemes had been put on paper for the 1300 and 1301. He feels if there were, they have been lost to time.

Since the railroad was always very cost conscience, I've wondered if they would have gone with a simpler scheme. Maybe just the cab and side sill being painted yellow and the remainder of the unit painted black. Of course I'd think they would keep the large yellow letters centered on the long hood and maybe black unit numbers below the railroad logo on the cab? I also think they probably would have stayed with white numbers on a black background for the number board numbers?

Which brings up another question, since they had already ordered GP35's, do you think they would have stayed with four axles? In 1972 trading in the Fairbanks on maybe GP38-2's?

Regards,
Rich S.

[Longview Station]

I like the P&WV SD-40 paint scheme.
The only item that looks out of place is the engine number & its color.
It should be located on the cab below the logo ?
Since the P&WV ordered GP-35's, I'd bet a order for SD-40's would not be far behind if the railroad continued under the P&WV.
Since the P&WV was in close working relationship with the Western Maryland, and since the WM already had GP-35's, I'm sure the P&WV would of followed suit in furutre locomotive purchases, albeit be additional GP-35's or a order for 6 axle EMD's for the run-through tonnage trains.
The typical 4 axle required locomotive consist was 5 units for run-throughs.
The P&WV cold of reduced locomotive needs by acquiring SD-40's and going with 3 SD-40's versus 5 four axle GP's on run-throughs.
In the late 70's locomotive consists of three 6 axles were often seen replacing the five four axle consists.

[jayrod]

I'd guess they'd probably be all black with yellow or white reporting marks and number on the cab given the economic climate, but there was just nothing exiting about it so I put on the yellow and the striping. Even thought about GP38-2s but with drag from curves and long grades I was thinking 5 GPs versus 3 SDs so maybe the fuel savings went towards the additional cost of the paint scheme??? How's that for rationalizing!

Centering the number on the cab below the logo would have required a lot more masking (or cutting of vinyl decals) around the hinges and what-not so I just stuck it in the middle of the yellow stripe - the second best place for the road number to be found.

All in all, what's fun about doing a "what-if"? It generates conversation...

jayrod

[Rich_S]

Hi Guys,
If only the N&W take over would have happened in '66 instead of '64, we might now know what EMD hood units might have looked like on the P&WV. I still have a few decals from my FM H16-44 project, I may have to pickup a Atlas GP35. Now do I try and paint it in the SD40-2 scheme or the SW9 scheme :-)

Regards,
Rich S.

[jayrod]

I'd say go for it. Stripes & all. They were still painting the FMs (wreck damage) up until '64. That would be quite a conversation piece. If you get busy, you could display it at the NMRA show with the Hi-Line bunch. I wonder how many people would even notice?

Oh ya - on a side note. Turns out, the chrome yellow when new was a tad on the orange side. We've narrowed it down to Dulux 93-6808 or Ditzler 80502. Almost about the same color as a new yellow school bus.