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In Search of the Super C and a "Bicentennial"
By: Ralph Back
January 10, 2006
 | | Ralph Back |
During 1975 the Nation's railroads were painting locomotives in paint schemes to honor our Nation's 200th anniversary. At this time some of the most notable "Bicentennial" locomotives were Santa Fe's SD45-2s 5700-5704 painted red/white/blue between 1975 and 1976, with five-foot U.S. Presidential seals bolted-on the hand railings behind the cab on both sides of the locomotive. The Santa Fe went all out for the "Bicentennial" doing the most repainting of any Class I road with these five consecutively numbered SD45-2s. The Santa Fe assigned them to the 40-Hour Premium Service COFC/TOFC Super C 198(Chicago-Los Angeles)/891(Los Angeles-Chicago) Trains where one could usually be found on the point position leading three other blue/yellow Warbonnet SD45-2s during this time. Super C service was discontinued in May 1976 when the U.S. Post Office Department decided to ship mail by conventional freight service rather than by expedited service.
I had a two week business assignment in LA during December 1975. I knew about Santa Fe's "Bicentennial" SD45-2s leading the Super C at this time and that the eastbound 891 Train usually arrived at Summit around noon daily. Departure from LA Hobart Yard was 9:30A, San Bernardino 11:30A, and arrival in Barstow at 1:15P. I planned to get to Summit at least once during this trip to photograph one of Santa Fe's "Bicentennial" SD45-2s leading the Super C – “The World’s Fastest Freight”. I had been to Summit one other time in October 1974 so I knew what photo location I wanted in the low sun months – the big curve just west of Summit. My work assignment allowed time for me to make three trips to Summit - December 7, 12, and 13.
The weather was totally clear at Summit on December 7th. I found a good photo position and waited for the Super C at the big curve just west of Summit. While waiting, a UP eastbound manifest came by on the north main track with UP DDA35 70, UP DD35 88B, UP GP35 753, and a UP SD24B. That was a good shot. Next to come into view was the Super C. No "Bicentennial" today as ATSF SD45-2 5708 was on the point position leading ATSF 5712 and two other SD45-2s on the south main track. Still, a great photo of four Santa Fe SD45-2s leading the Super C. I didn’t neglect the SP as I caught SP U33Cs 8785-8597 at Hiland on SP's Colton-Palmdale Cutoff - Photo Here.
My next opportunity to go to Summit was on December 12th. Again, the weather was totally clear. This time I used my telephoto lens and planned to photograph the Super C from a high elevation but still at the big curve leading to Summit. The Super C came into view but again no "Bicentennial" on the point. ATSF SD45-2 5696 was leading ATSF 5708 and two other SD45-2s on the south main track and I got another excellent Kodachrome of the Super C.
The next day December 13th I went to Summit again. This was my last opportunity. There were morning low clouds in LA and I thought maybe Summit would be clear but when I arrived at Summit the low clouds were there too, and they really blocked the sun light. I figured I was there and I would stay until I photographed the Super C again. Sun started filtering through the clouds and as the morning progressed the clouds slowly started to dissipate. I went to the same location near the curve leading to Summit and waited for some action. The first train I saw that morning was a UP TOFC train eastbound on the north main track with UP DDA40X 6916 leading UP SD24B 426B, a UP DD35, and a UP SD24. Filtered sun and another excellent Kodachrome. The next train was an eastbound Santa Fe manifest on the north main track with ATSF GP30 3253, GP30 3269 (both very clean in blue/yellow stripe scheme and 3253 with silver trucks), and five GP35s. The clouds had dissipated enough now that the photo had total sunlight. It was close to the time the Super C was due to arrive at Summit so I moved my location a little further west so I could get a photo of the Super C showing the whole train - "Bicentennial" on the point or not. As the 891 Train came into view, I saw the red front of one of the Santa Fe "Bicentennial" SD45-2s. The clouds had cleared and would not be a problem as the Super C passed my photo location. WOW! What a sight to see and photograph a very clean red/white/blue ATSF 5702 on the point leading ATSF 5693 and two other blue/yellow Warbonnet SD45-2s on Santa Fe's hottest train - in sunlight and perfect sun angle. These four units appear to have been washed before their Super C assignment. I got the photo I wanted, and this was the one and only time I photographed one of the Santa Fe “Bicentennial” SD45-2s. This is one of my all-time favorite Kodachromes, and note that my exposure caught the “flash” of the 5702‘s cab roof Xenon strobe light.
ATSF 5702 was the most recently painted “Bicentennial” SD45-2 at this time as ATSF 5704 wasn’t painted in the “Bicentennial” scheme until January 1976. ATSF 5702 built in May 1973, was painted in the “Bicentennial” scheme in May 1975, repainted back to the blue/yellow Warbonnet scheme in August 1977, remanufactured to SD45-2u 5842 in October 1986, and renumbered BNSF 6492 in January 2000. BNSF 6492 is still active on the BNSF roster.
What is really interesting about these three trips to Summit was that not only did I photograph some great train action (I‘ve described some of the more interesting shots here) but also that I did not see another railfan at Summit during this time.
Copyright © Ralph Back. All Rights Reserved.
This article has been viewed 6925 times.
User Comments on this Article:
Posted by Ray Peacock heartlandrails.com on January 11, 2007:
Great story Ralph. Enjoyed reading it!
Posted by Mark Rosnick on January 12, 2007:
Great story. It shows that persistance pays off. Nice photo of an unusual engine.
Posted by Pat Lorenz on January 17, 2007:
Well i think we have all been in these situations, i have found that to be my case very often. Many times a shot needs multiple attemps. I guess we go back and hope that all the elements come together. Looks to be the case for you, got an excellent shot here and the dark clouds in the back really add some depth. Boy that unit pops out, i bet you saw that sucker for miles!
Posted by J. W. Blakley on March 3, 2007:
I'd like to think that in 30-odd years I'll have some stories like that to tell, and the pics to go with them. Excellent work.
Posted by Ralph Back on October 5, 2008:
In September 2008, former BNSF SD45-2 6492 was repowered with a 16-645E3 engine, given model designation SD40-2R, and renumbered BNSF 7956 painted in the current BNSF heritage paint scheme.
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