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MKCX SD45u 9541 (ex-ATSF)
Things got a bit "ugly" on the Santa Fe toward the end before the 1995 merger with Burlington
Northern. Though the newer red/silver Superfleet locos still looked pretty good, the older blue/yellow
fleet had become a study of faded, patched paint with rust showing through more and more. To add
insult to injury, Santa Fe sold a number of SD45's and F45's to Morrison-Knudsen Corp. (MKCO), which
did a cursory refurbishment, patch-painted over the Santa Fe markings, and leased many of these units
right back to the Santa Fe! To replicate that aspect of Santa Fe's final years, I started with a Santa
Fe-painted Kato SD45, added various details, painted over the Santa Fe heralds as was done by MKCO, and added new decals for their reporting mark MKCX, followed by weathering. I also installed LED
lighting, Soundtraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, Scale Sound Systems speaker, and TCS Keep-Alive.
Things got a bit "ugly" on the Santa Fe toward the end before the 1995 merger with Burlington
Northern. Though the newer red/silver Superfleet locos still looked pretty good, the older blue/yellow
fleet had become a study of faded, patched paint with rust showing through more and more. To add
insult to injury, Santa Fe sold a number of SD45's and F45's to Morrison-Knudsen Corp. (MKCO), which
did a cursory refurbishment, patch-painted over the Santa Fe markings, and leased many of these units
right back to the Santa Fe! To replicate that aspect of Santa Fe's final years, I started with a Santa
Fe-painted Kato SD45, added various details, painted over the Santa Fe heralds as was done by MKCO, and added new decals for their reporting mark MKCX, followed by weathering. I also installed LED
lighting, Soundtraxx Tsunami2 sound decoder, Scale Sound Systems speaker, and TCS Keep-Alive.
Below: SD45u MKCX 9541 was formerly ATSF 5362. Morrison-Knudsen painted out the large yellow Santa Fe lettering on the
hoods with dark blue, and the blue cab markings with white (although the stripes on the nose sides remained). They applied
large black road numbers to the cab sides - note the two different fonts on each side! They left the circa-1990 flags on the
battery boxes in place, and applied a red MKCO logo to the left side. I can't be certain, but these differences between the two
sides could be due to the two photos being taken on different dates, e.g. M-K may have modified the cab numbers and added
their logo sometime after putting the unit into lease service. Either way, this is certainly a candidate for "ugliest diesel" contest.
Many thanks to the photographers who shared these imaged online!
hoods with dark blue, and the blue cab markings with white (although the stripes on the nose sides remained). They applied
large black road numbers to the cab sides - note the two different fonts on each side! They left the circa-1990 flags on the
battery boxes in place, and applied a red MKCO logo to the left side. I can't be certain, but these differences between the two
sides could be due to the two photos being taken on different dates, e.g. M-K may have modified the cab numbers and added
their logo sometime after putting the unit into lease service. Either way, this is certainly a candidate for "ugliest diesel" contest.
Many thanks to the photographers who shared these imaged online!
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Below: On my model, I masked off the big yellow Santa Fe lettering and painted over it with dark blue paint (in hindsight,
I should have used an even darker shade). I replicated the markings as I saw them in the prototype photos, with different cab
number fonts on each side and the MKCO logo on only the left side. I used white decal trim film to cover the "cigar band"
nose herald. I designed and printed my own decals on blank white decal flim for the black cab numbers, rear number,
number board numbers, and MKCO herald. The red/white safety slogans in the step wells are also custom-made decals.
I should have used an even darker shade). I replicated the markings as I saw them in the prototype photos, with different cab
number fonts on each side and the MKCO logo on only the left side. I used white decal trim film to cover the "cigar band"
nose herald. I designed and printed my own decals on blank white decal flim for the black cab numbers, rear number,
number board numbers, and MKCO herald. The red/white safety slogans in the step wells are also custom-made decals.
Details I added include grabs, lift rings, horn, beacon stand, cab mirrors, sunshades, lift bars, MU hoses, and speed recorder.
To capture where the A/C unit has been removed, I masked off a rectangular patch on the cab roof and
used artists oils and weathering chalks to rust it up. In general I used artists oils for heavy weathering
effects like rust, and weathering powders for more subtle effects like road dust and exhaust grime.
used artists oils and weathering chalks to rust it up. In general I used artists oils for heavy weathering
effects like rust, and weathering powders for more subtle effects like road dust and exhaust grime.
Right: The Kato pilots had
footboards, which I removed and
added straight grabs as MU hose
retainers. I filled the center portion
with styrene. Also seen here is
the added Cal-Scale brand
coupler lift bar. Most Santa Fe
SD45s did not have snow plows.
footboards, which I removed and
added straight grabs as MU hose
retainers. I filled the center portion
with styrene. Also seen here is
the added Cal-Scale brand
coupler lift bar. Most Santa Fe
SD45s did not have snow plows.
Right: I masked the Kato hoods
and walkway/pilots for airbrushing
the blue that covers the Santa Fe
markings and added pilot details.
and walkway/pilots for airbrushing
the blue that covers the Santa Fe
markings and added pilot details.