What is the correct color of the trucks of BNSF GP39-2 (ex. Santa Fe) after 2000?
I find some silver, some black and some dirty over silver or dirty over black.

My wild guess is that BNSF is no longer going with the old Santa Fe silver trucks and paints them black when they need paint. That results in the mix and I have to have to look at photos of an individual engine at a given time to know the color of the truck at that date. But ones I found a photo with black trucks I have not to worry that they may be changed back to silver. Is that right?

Offhand, I don't see BNSF doing partial repaints, other than to patch numbers. This photo gives a strong suggestion that the silver trucks are simply allowed to weather black(ish):[attachment=11444]I think the same would be true of these LAJ CF7s on the way to scrap (or wherever it was they went):[attachment=11443]Or these GP60Ms[attachment=11442]I don't think paint has touched the GP60Ms in nearly 20 years.

This are three samples of engines I am looking after. The steps are to clean if all the black at the trucks it dirt.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/picture..._3650x.jpg
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/picture...02943A.jpg
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/picture...G_0183.jpg

Background:
I have two Trainman orange BNSF GP39-2 with black trucks and got today two Trainman ATSF GP39-2 with silver trucks I am just relabeling to be patched BNSF engines + ditch lights + AC on the roof. I do not like the orange engines and do not intend to use them but I could "borrow" the black trucks for the ex. ATSF engines if that is more realistic.

It probably doesn't make a whole lot of difference, but of course the actual color on the underframe and trucks, regardless of the base paint, is a cruddy brown made up of lube oil, rusty water blown up by the traction motor blowers, general dirt, etc. -- so the shiny black trucks you'd start with by transplanting the BNSF-painted units would have to be weathered pretty much the same way the silver ones would. I'd keep the trucks where they came from and hit the underframes with the weathering crud no matter what.

The BNSF scheme I agree isn't as good as either the ATSF or BN schemes, but it's slowly growing on me. In fact, in the 1970s, I really, really hated the Family Lines scheme, but 40 years later I'm sorry so few models come out in it!

If they were still Santa Fe the trucks would be silver. But everything Santa Fe being BuNSniFfed by the big nothing boys, the grungier the better. LOL

Ok, so we go with silver shoes to work
Thanks for the fast help

[quote="faraway"]Ok, so we go with silver shoes to work
Thanks for the fast help quote]

Good to see there's still some old head Santa Fe guys who take pride in their work - at least on your RR Reinhard. LOL

After two hours of switching the silver shoes became gray boots.....

I guess the old heads retired. . .