A Santa Fe "Streamliner". Santa Fe 300 Class "Streamliner" ATSF F7 306C, renumbered from 37 Class 39C for Amtrak service, leads an A-B-B-A locomotive consist on timetable eastbound Amtrak train #16 the Texas Chief at Brenham, TX on March 25, 1972. Amtrak #16 departed Houston Union Station at 7:20AM and passed through Brenham about two hours later. After Amtrak returned the 306C to the Santa Fe in July 1973, ATSF 306C was renumbered into the 325 Class as ATSF 347C for freight service in August 1973, painted in a "Yellowbonnet" freight scheme in September 1973, tagged for the Santa Fe collection in the Albuquerque roundhouse in July 1975, and then preserved as the only surviving Santa Fe "Streamliner" cab unit at the California State Railroad Museum in 1986. Two years later, the 347C along with F3 booster unit 347B were cosmetically restored and painted in the red/silver passenger "Warbonnet" scheme in San Bernardino during March-April 1988. They were first displayed on April 30, 1988 at Santa Fe's San Bernardino shops employee open house, and made their first public appearance at the San Diego Railroad Museum's Railfair '88 on May 5-8, 1988. After that appearance, they went back home to Sacramento. Cosmetically restored ATSF 347C and 347B were recalled by the Santa Fe to star in a promotional film called "Smooth Journey" with a specially-assembled passenger train for filming in February 1989.
The Santa Fe's warbonnet paint scheme on passenger diesel locomotives was one of the most iconic in railroading. It appealed to travelers and modellers alike, and helped brand Santa Fe all the way from Chicago to California and Texas.
Not
just heritage schemes, not just commemorative schemes - this album is devoted to some of the world's most interesting paint schemes, past or present.
