--- In arrrailfans@yahoogroups.com, "wseamo1" <wseamo1@...> wrote:
>
> Good afternoon,
>
> Does anyone know the truck color for the 3 Alaska GP-35 units? I cannot find
a builder's photo. There either black or silver. With the amount of dirt the
trucks accumulate, it's difficult to pick up the color. Based on what I've
seen, I would say they're silver, but I'm definitely not a 100%.
>

Here is the skinny on silver trucks: The GP30's, 35's, 40-2's, and GP7's all
had black trucks, even the "Bold Alaska" Paducah rebuilds and 3012-3015. The
ARR did not go to silver trucks until the early 1980's. Two black GP-40's were
sent to the TTC in Pueblo, Colorado one winter (1978 or 1979, I beleive) and the
trucks were painted silver to make it easier to observe truck action on video
cameras on the test track. They were returned north with the silver trucks and
the RR seemed to like the look and adopted it.

The second hand GP40's 3016-3020 were delivered in 1983 with silver trucks as
were the GP-49's. The F7's repainted into the "Bold Alaska" scheme received
silver trucks as did the ex-Amtrak E8's. I think 1500, 1502, and 1517 were
repainted over the winter of 1980/81 and as I recall first debuted on the Papal
Express train in February 1981. I think there are pictures in Ken Brovald's
book "Alaska Wilderness Rails"

Exactly when the 2500's might have received silver trucks I cannot say, other
than it was probably after 1981. Probably any trucks rebuilt after 1981 would
have received silver paint after being sandblasted, cleaned, and inspected.
Since few if any of the GP40-2's or GP35's received a full repaint prior to
1990, the only way to know the approximate year would be extensive photo
research. This is tricky as the trucks get dirty or are in the shadows and it
is hard to tell whether they are silver or black. The research would have to be
done on a unit by unit basis as the railroad did not suddenly paint all the
trucks silver. Clearly GP30 2504 had silver trucks by the time it was scrapped,
and it looks like late photos of 2501 and 2502 from John's website have silver
trucks as well. So if you are modeling prior to 1981 use black. If you are
modeling post 1981 you could go with either, but the later your modeling period
after 1981, the more likely the trucks were silver.

Jason Kuehn