Milwaukee Road experts, GP40's with the Hiawatha logo on the nose.

[mbinsewi]

I have a project started using an Atlas GP40, painted for the MILW, and while looking at the roster of GP40's, I noticed only a couple locos had the hiawatha figure on the nose, and no lettering.  Any body know the story behind this?  Was this something added after a new paint job? 

Thanks,

Mike.

[jrbernier]

  The GP40's were delivered in the standard Black/Orange paint scheme in the late 60's.  In the mid-70's, the 'Milwaukee Road' lettering was added to the side of the units as they were repainted.  By 1977, the railroad was is dire financial condition.  The 'Hiawatha' scheme with the nose artwork was introduced right after the bankruptcy.  Eventually the railroad was sold to the Soo Line in 1986.  Not too many locomotives got the new paint scheme - I remember seeing several GP40's and MP15AC's in the new paint scheme, but money for repainting was rather short back then.

  You might want to review pictures on rrpicturesachive:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/

Jim

 

[mbinsewi]

Thanks Jim.  That's where I looked up the roster of GP40's, and yes, I went down the whole list.  There were only 2 with the nose art, #'s 2032 and 2066, although I'm not sure if that is the complete list of MILW's GP40's. 

Thanks for the help.

Mike.

[WSOR 3801]

MILW 2011 also got the Running Indian paint scheme.  

31 SD40-2s also got it.  1 SW1200 got an adaptation, couldn't put the Indian on the nose where the radiators are.  

2 SD10s had it slightly different, no lightning stripe on the side, but they did have the Indian decal on the nose.