Seaboard E-unit paint schemes

[FloridaPanhandler]

Hi all, I'm trying to clear up my confusion over Seaboard Air Line paint schemes for E-units.  I've seen photos with at least 3 different paint schemes.  One is white with a red stripe, one is green, orange, and yellow (called the "citrus" paint scheme on some photo captions), and the other is dark green with a yellow band (presumably the freight paint scheme).  Was the citrus scheme used only on the premiere passenger trains such as the Orange Blossom Special, while the white scheme was used on most other passenger trains, or was the white scheme simply an earlier design, later replaced by citrus?  I'd appreciate any information on this, thanks!

[Cris_261]

SAL's first paint scheme for all its passenger diesels was the citrus scheme. The white with a red stripe scheme, which from what I've read is actually a very light green, came about later as a simplified replacement for the citrus scheme. At least that's my understanding of it. There may have been other color schemes SAL used for its passenger E-units.

 

The dark green with yellow stripe may have been the last paint scheme SAL used prior to its merger with Atlantic Coast Line.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

SAL also had several GP40's and U30B's with a light green (similar to Illinois Terminal) and yellow stripe with red trim just before the SCL merger.

[RRCharlie]

One of the latest issues of one of the many magazines I receive in the mail has an advertisement for a new book about Seaboard paint schemes. Can't tell you which one because I read it two weeks ago and I have a recurring case of Anheiser's combined with C.R.S.

Mel Hazen

[NW_611]

SAL's first paint scheme for all its passenger diesels was the citrus scheme. The white with a red stripe scheme, which from what I've read is actually a very light green, came about later as a simplified replacement for the citrus scheme.

I've seen it referred to as 'mint green', but it totally looks white in every picture that I've ever seen of it. I suppose if you're up close to one just out of the shop it's green, but otherwise...

[BillyDee53]

The Seaboard Air Line used 5 standard paint schemes on its diesels.  All covered wagon units were painted in the Citrus scheme first.  This scheme was later replaced on passenger units by the Mint Green scheme.  These are the only schemes the passenger units wore.  When the passenger units were painted in the mint scheme, the freight units were painted in the standard freight scheme...this was the pullman green scheme with the yellow band.  This included passenger equipped GPs.  The SDP35's were the last units painted in the standard scheme.  Switch engines were painted black and red.  Shortly before the SCL merger, the GP40s and U30b's were delivered in the "Jolly Green Giant " scheme which was an apple green with yellow band.  There were a handful of other freight units repainted into this scheme as well.

[FloridaPanhandler]

Thanks for the replies.  I've managed to find photos of all 5 of those paint schemes, so it makes sense now.

[BillyDee53]

There are two points to be aware of, pertaining to the green freight schemes.  On the Alco, EMD and GE roadswitchers, the entire end handrail assembly, both rails and stanchions, was painted yellow.  The stanchions look green in photos because they are dirty, but they were yellow. 

Also, if you look at the stripe on the short hood of any roadswitcher, it comes to a point, then wraps around the end, and curves down, until the point of the stripe touches the walkway.  On the older locos, prior to and including the GP30s, both ends were treated like this. On all locos built after the GP30...SDP35, GP35, U30b, and GP40, the stripe at the rear of the long hood, went straight across the back.  This applies to both green freight schemes.  SAL painted a few older roadswitchers in the Jolly Green Giant scheme.  I dont know how the end of the long hood was treated on these few locos.  I've never seen a photo of one;  I did see a model of an EMD that had the horizontal band on the rear.  Hope this helps.