SOUTHERN PACIFIC MODEL PAINTING INFORMATION

GS LOCOMOTIVES DAYLIGHT PAINT AND SKIRT SCHEMES

GS-2, 3, 4, and 5 Paint and Skirts over Time

The following notes are mostly from negatives in my collection. I have also checked various books with photos. I have also received data from people on the SP e-mail group. Dates below are from individual negatives or book photos and only indicate that at that date the locomotive had the condition indicated. Thus the following information only provides a general picture of changes to a locomotive over its career. It does not tell exactly when an engine was painted black, or when it was repainted in Daylight colors. Diebert and Strapac, in their Southern Pacific Steam Locomotive Compendium, provide dates when skirts were removed (with a few exceptions).

All of these engines came new painted in Daylight colors. However, during WWII at least some engines were repainted black. Apparently this happed about 1942-1943 and lasted until 1946-1947 or as late as 1949 on some engines. All six GS-2's were black in the mid 1940's. Available evidence suggests that once repainted black the GS-2's stayed that color after the war. Photographic evidence is scarce for GS-3's, 4's and 5's during the war (and one or two years subsequent) so it is unclear how many engines in these classes may have been repainted black. Eight GS-3's are known to have been repainted black, but no evidence has been found to document whether these eight were repainted Daylight subsequently. Appprently most GS-4's and 5's stayed in Daylight colors through this period, but at least six GS-4's were black in the mid 1940's. At least five of these were repainted in Daylight colors. For the GS-4's and 5's I have indicated the last date with Daylight paint still present.

Some facts are obvious from this listing. All GS's lost their skirts, the majority in 1950. Twelve engines, 4448-4459, kept their skirts until about 1955. In nine cases, all GS-4's, the cab and tender were still painted in Daylight colors although the rest of the locomotive was black. These Daylight deskirted engines represent a transition from Daylight to all black, but this scheme was shortlived. The black GS-2's were not necessarily assigned to the Northern District. Some operated out of Los Angeles.

I hope that users of this information can scan their collections and ad to or clarify the history of these engines.

GS-2
Number	Skirts and Black Paint	Repainted Daylight	Skirts Removed
4410	ca. 1945 to 6-47	??	2-30-50
"	Engine operated out of Los Angeles in black paint in 1947
4411	ca.1946-1947	??	1-30-50
"	Engine was running on Sunset Limited in black paint 1946-47
4412	ca. 1947	??	4-22-50
4413	1949	??	3-21-50
4414	11-1945, 1946, 1949	??	1-2-50
"	Engine was on train 43 out of Los Angeles in 1945
4415	7-1942 to 7-48	??	4-27-50
"	Engine was on train 71 out of Los Angeles in 1943

GS-3
Number	Skirts and Black Paint	Repainted Daylight	Skirts Removed
4416	.	.	in 1950
4417	.	.	1-23-50
4418	6-1947	.	4-25-50
4419	1947, 12-1949	??	1-13-50
4420	1949	??	1-2-50
4421	8-1948	??	1-29-50
4422	5-1948	??	3-20-50
4423	11-1946 - 7-1947	??	4-3-50
4424	.	.	2-7-50
4425	.	.	1-31-50
4426	.	.	by 3-1950
4427	5-1948	??	1-26-50
4428	8-1949	??	5-6-50
4429	.	.	by 7-1950

Most of the following apparently kept their Daylight paint without interruption. Thus for these I have indicated the last known date in Daylight paint (prior to deskirting). Presumably an engine kept its Daylight paint up to the time of skirt removal. Six GS-4's are known to have been repainted black. Dates are listed for the earliest known photos showing them repainted subsequently in Daylight colors.

GS-4
Number	Skirts and Black Paint	Repainted Daylight	Skirts Removed
4430	Daylight paint as late as 1-1949	.	3-22-50
4431	Black 1946 - 1948	??	3-18-50
4432	Daylight paint as late as 12-1949	.	3-13-50
4433	Black ca. 1946, 9-1947	Daylight by 10-1947	1-23-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 8-1950
"	.	.	Black by 6-1954
4434	Daylight paint as late as 10-1948	.	3-24-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 10-1950
"	.	.	Black by 1952
4435	Daylight paint as late as 11-1948	.	3-15-50
4436	Daylight paint as late as 12-1947	.	1-27-50
4437	Daylight paint as late as 10-1948	.	4-23-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint
"	.	.	Black by 10-1953
4438	Black 3-1946	Daylight by 9-1947 and as late as 7-1949	1-31-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 5-1950
"	.	.	Black by 5-1955
4439	Daylight paint as late as 5-1950	.	4-28-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint
"	.	.	Black by 9-1952
4440	Daylight paint as late as 3-1949	.	3-11-50
4441	Daylight paint as late as 1-1951	.	4-21-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 7-1950
"	.	.	Black by 8-1952
4442	Daylight paint as late as 11-1949	.	3-9-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 6-1950
"	.	.	Black by 3-1951
4443	Daylight paint as late as 4-1948	.	3-26-50
4444	Daylight paint as late as 6-1947	.	1-23-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 3-1950
"	.	.	Black by 10-1951
4445	Black 7-1946	Daylight ca. 1947	3-5-50 but cab and tender in Daylight paint on 8-1950
"	.	.	Black by 1954
4446	Daylight paint as late as 3-1949	.	3-14-50
4447	Daylight paint as late as 1948	.	2-23-50
4448	Black ca. 1946	Daylight by 10-1947; lasted at least until 9-1953	by 8-1955
4449	Daylight paint as late as 10-1954	.	by 5-1955
4450	Daylight paint as late as 12-1954	.	by 4-1955
4451	Daylight paint as late as 3-1954	.	by 6-1955
4452	Daylight paint as late as 12-1953	.	by 6-1955
4453	Daylight paint as late as 9-1952	.	5-1-55
4454	Daylight paint as late as 1-1955	.	by 1-1955
4455	Daylight paint as late as 3-1955	.	by 4-1955
"	This locomotive was the last to receive a new Daylight paint job (2-1955, source Doug Richter); it was shortlived, being deskirted by 6-1955
4456	Black 1-1946	Daylight by 9-1947; lasted at least until 9-1954	by 2-1956
4457	Daylight paint as late as 3-1953	.	by 2-1955

GS-5
Number	Skirts and Black Paint	Repainted Daylight	Skirts Removed
4458	Daylight paint as late as 3-1953	.	by 8-1955
4459	Daylight paint as late as 7-1953	.	by 5-1955

One is left wondering which GS-4/5 was the last to operate in Daylight paint. Does anyone know?