Spotter's Guide to Veterans Locomotives
For Veterans Day of 2020, let's talk about all of the notable commemorative veterans locomotives painted by the big North American Class I railroads so far in the 21st century. The first unit is a rebuilt EMD SD60E diesel No. 6920 painted by Norfolk Southern in November 2012. Amtrak soon followed by painting a GE P42DC diesel No. 42 in June 2013. It also painted a Siemens ACS-64 electric No. 642 as well as two non-powered EMD F40PH cab cars Nos. 90208 and 90221. The next Class I freight railroad to debut a veterans locomotive was Union Pacific, which painted an EMD SD70AH No. 1943 (renumbered from 9026) and named it "Spirit of the Union Pacific" in October 2017. It was named after a bomber jet introduced in 1943 to defeat the German Nazis during World War II. Kansas City Southern introduced its own patriotic unit, EMD SD70ACe No. 4006, in time for Veterans Day of 2018.
In late April of last year, CSX joined the veterans locomotive tradition by painting a GE ES44AH No. 1776 (formerly numbered 3112) with a unique pixelated camouflage pattern and naming it "Spirit of Our Armed Forces". Canadian Pacific became the first Canadian Class I railroad honoring veterans with a commemorative locomotive in November of that same year. Similar to Norfolk Southern, CP chose five of its SD70ACU units, which were rebuilt from the retired convertible EMD SD90/43MAC's, for its special lineup. Four of them were numbered from 7020 to 7023 and painted in distinctive schemes in honor of both the Canadian and U.S. armed forces. However, one was numbered 6644 to commemorate 75 years since D-Day (June 6, 1944) in a tribute to the World War II veterans.
Just recently, even Canadian National decided to introduce two of its own veterans locomotives, which appear to be a pair of GE ET44AC's Nos. 3015 and 3233. As of this blog post, almost all Class I railroads have introduced these patriotic trains, except for BNSF. However, BNSF's predecessor Burlington Northern unveiled EMD SD60M No. 1991 in honor of the U.S. military serving in the Desert Storm during the Gulf War, but that's another story. In addition to the Class I's, some smaller railroads have honored the nation's veterans. Earlier this month, one of the most beloved regional railroads, Montana Rail Link, has introduced EMD SD70ACe No. 4407 in its own patriotic scheme for the same purpose. It would also be thoughtful if more passenger railroads, like VIA Rail Canada, can honor veterans with some of their locomotives in the future.
Thinking about these commemorative trains is certainly a spotter's favorite way to celebrate Remembrance Day in Canada and Veterans Day in the United States. Painting the locomotives is an excellent way for railroads to thank all the North American men and women serving in the military to protect our nation's precious freedom and democracy.
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Facebook photo credit: Norfolk Southern Corp
