NW2 SLSF 261

NW2 SLSF 261

EMD NW2 SLSF 261.

Frisco file photograph from the Western Historical Manuscript Collection.

Edit 2/25/2024: General Motors (GM) Electro-Motive Division (EMD) builder's photograph. Photograph at EMD's Plant 3, Cleveland, OH. Photograph dated on or about the shipping date 5/9/1949.
MKD

 

Patrick,

Thank you for posting the photograph of SLSF 261.

It brought back fond memories of my childhood in Wichita.

I remember her in black and yellow, later, in Mandarin orange and white.

It felt like I had lost an old friend when she was finally painted green and renumbered.

Thanks,

Brett

 

Tom:

There are two shops in Wichita that carry train related items:

(1) Engine House Hobbies in the Boulevard Plaza Shopping Center at 2718 Boulevard Plaza is a full line store that might have something you would want. Although the owner recently died and its future is uncertain.

(2) Hobbytown USA - I have not been in there for a couple of years, but don't think they have much in the way of trains.

There is a historical museum downtown that has a lot of equipment but only one Frisco caboose.

You can also take a short trip east of about 50 miles on US 400 and see the old concrete underpass and then the wooden Frisco water tower at Beaumont.

There is a hotel there right on the site that has good food.

 

The BN switch engine at the Great Plains Transportation Museum in downtown Wichita is ex-Frisco.

It is the engine assigned to the Wichita yard for many years.

John Chambers

 

Oops!

I forgot about good-ole NW2 SLSF 261.

I wish the Historical Society could repaint her into Frisco livery as she wore three paint schemes in here career - as delivered black and yellow with the Roman type face or font lettering, black and yellow with the modern Eureda type face lettering, and of course Mandarin orange and white.

I have been told that part of the terms of the donation were that he had to stay in the BN paint scheme, which really does not make much sense to me after all of these years.

 

I am not sure how long ago it was donated, but I would guess in the mid 1980s, shortly after it was retired from service.

As far as the reason for specifying that it not be repainted, I can only take a guess, so here goes. At the time of the merger/takeover if I remember correctly, it was not well received by the Frisco community in general, especially the employees.

Also, I think there was a movement on the part of the BN to get equipment repainted as quickly as possible because of that. The locomotive was donated at about or near after the same time period so possibly the last thing the BN would want at that time to see a locomotive immediately repainted back to Frisco livery.

Thirty years have passed, so if the Great Plains Historical Society wanted to paint it back to its original scheme and would approach the BN they might reconsider.

Just conjecture on my part.

 

I say go ahead and paint it in Frisco colors.

As a former superintendent of mine always said, "It's easier to ask for forgiveness, than it is permission."

 

Hello everyone.

What phase was this NW2?

Daniel

 

NW2 SLSF 261

Thank you for the neat photograph of SLSF 261.

I just obtained a KATO phase II in a terrible patch up ATSF paint job. The black and yellow Frisco paint job looks like what I want for the older time period I prefer.

Now, to see if there are any decals available.

 

The SLSF 261 spent most of its 30 year career working at the 29th Street Yard.

Retired shortly after the merger and donated to Great Planes Transportation Museum (GPTM) in 1984.

This truly was a Wichita engine.

 

I say repaint it.

I am sure BNSF would not care about a ex-Frisco switcher.

Besides it spent most of its running life as a Frisco engine.

My vote would be for black and yellow paint.

Ship it on the Frisco!

Murphy Jenkins

 

Anyone have rear pictures or placement of the stripes of NW2 261 in the black and yellow paint scheme?

I purchased the decals from Mask Island for this unit but there were no drawings of the back or front of the locomotive to show placement of the stripes.

I have a couple of views of the front but not of rear.

Can anyone help me on this?

Thanks,

Larry