atchison, topeka and santa fe railway

The Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway (AAR reporting mark ATSF), often abbreviated as Santa Fe, was one of the largest railroads in the United States.

History

Startup and initial growth

Crossing the Rockies, competition with the Rio Grande

Expansion through mergers

The failed SPSF merger

Merger into BNSF

Company officers

Paint Schemes & Markings

Steam Locomotives

Diesel Locomotives, Freight

Diesel locomotives used in freight service (with the exception of streamlined units) between 1934 and 1960 were painted black, with a thin white or silver accent strip and diagonal white or silver stripes painted on the ends and cab sides to increase the visibility at grade crossings (typically referred to as the Zebra Stripe scheme). The letters "A.T.S.F." were applied in a small font to the sides of the unit just above the accent stripe, with the standard blue and white "Santa Fe" logo below. The years 1960 to 1972 saw non-streamlined freight locomotives sporting the Billboard color scheme wherein the units were predominately dark blue with yellow ends and trim, with a single yellow accent stripe. The words "Santa Fe" were applied in yellow in a large serif font to the sides of the locomotive below the accent stripe (save for yard switchers which displayed the "Santa Fe" in small yellow letters above the accent stripe, somewhat akin to the Zebra Stripe arrangement). From 1972 to 1996, and even on into the BNSF era, the company adopted a new paint scheme often known among railfans as the Yellowbonnet which placed more yellow on the locomotives, again creating greater visibility at grade crossings. The truck assemblies, previously colored black, now received silver paint. Several experimental and commemorative paint schemes emerged during the Santa Fe's diesel era. One combination was developed and partially implemented in anticipation of a merger between the parent companies of the Santa Fe and Southern Pacific (SP) railroads in 1984. The red, yellow and black paint scheme (with large red block letters "SF" on the sides and ends of the units) of the proposed Southern Pacific Santa Fe Railroad (SPSF) has come to be somewhat derisively known among railfans as the Kodachrome livery due to the similarity in colors to the boxes containing slide film sold by the Eastman Kodak Company under the same name. Though the merger application was subsequently denied by the ICC, locomotives bearing this color scheme can still be found occasionally serving in lease service.