Subscribe to download
ATSF Warbonnet C44-9W

(With thanks to Jotrain Gamer for making the most popular Warbonnet re-skin, and allowing me to make my own).

(I know the model is an AC4400CW and not a C44-9W, but the two engines look so similar I thought it wouldn't hurt the purists too much if I dressed up this model as a C44-9W instead of what it's meant to be. Plus the real Santa Fe 600 is a C44-9W and not an AC4400CW).

The Warbonnet livery was designed by Leland A. Knickerbocker, who was an artist at General Motors' styling department. It was designed for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, and was mainly seen on locomotives that hauled the iconic Super Chief train, which ran between Chicago, Illinois and Los Angeles, California from 1937 to 1971. From then the train was taken over by Amtrak, and continues to operate today as the Southwest Chief.

The first locomotive to carry this livery were the 11-strong EMC E1 fleet that the Santa Fe had at the time. Eight of those engines were E1A's, while the rest were E1B's. Over the years it was applied to several other locomotive types on the Santa Fe's roster:

ALCO DL-109
ALCO PA-1
EMD E8M (modified E1A's and E1B's)
EMD F7A
EMD FP45
EMD GP60M
EMD SD75M
General Electric B40-8W
General Electric C44-9W
General Electric U28CG
General Electric U30CG

Although Warbonnet went out-of-fashion around the 1950's and 60's, it did see a resurgence between 1989 and 1995 when all new-build engines for the Santa Fe were painted in Warbonnet colours.

ATSF entered a merger with Burlington Northern in 1995, creating the Burlington Northern Santa Fe Railway or 'BNSF'. After the merger, the Warbonnet livery was gradually phased out. But - as far as I know - there are still a few engines roaming around the US in this livery.

Santa Fe 600 was built in February 1994, as the first in an order of 100 C44-9CW's for the company. This engine - like so many other ex-Santa Fe diesels - retained the Warbonnet livery well into the BNSF era. In 2014, BNSF took 600 for rebuilding as an AC44C4M. This work involves replacing the old traction motors with AC versions and converting the locomotive to an A1A-A1A wheel arrangement instead of Co-Co.