Frisco Paint Shop: RS1s and RS2s

The material that first appeared in FMIG Issue 46 in December 1986 has been updated. This column will deal with the paint schemes of the ALCo road switchers. The RS1s and RS2s appeared in three basic Frisco paint schemes with variations. Beginning in the late 1950s, they began being repainted in simplified paint schemes. Some units over the years appeared in one or more varieties of each of these schemes. This column will attempt to document each paint scheme by unit. The RS1s also appeared in a scheme for the Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern (AT&N), their original owner. Upon takeover of the AT&N, these units received Frisco lettering with AT&N sublettering on the side of the cab.

Figure 1. Alabama, Tennessee, and Northern 105 is shown here in its origin paint.

The RS1s and RS2s appeared in two black and yellow schemes with variations, while the RS2s also appeared in Mandarin orange and white (to the knowledge of the editor, the RS1s never received the orange and white scheme). The differences between the black and yellow schemes all involve changes in the striping patterns. Paint Schemes: The Paint Schemes for the RS1s are FR-RS1a, the original full stripe scheme; FR-RS1b, the full stripe scheme with Scotchlite added; FR-RS1c, a RS1 variant of the full stripe scheme; and FR-RS2d, another RS1 varianton the simplified stripe scheme. The Paint Schemes for the RS2s are FR-RS1a, the original full stripe scheme; FR-RS1b, the full stripe scheme with Scotchlite added; FR-RS1d, a RS2 variant of the full stripe scheme; FR-RS2b, the simplied stripe scheme; FR-RS4a, the Mandarin orange and white scheme; and FR-RS4b, the use of orange Scotchlite tape in a diagonal pattern over the white on the end of the short hood. The later schemes were applied to the RS2s after they were repowered with EMD power plants. FR-RS1a This is the scheme first applied to the GP7s by EMD at the factory, to the RS2s , and to the RS1s by the Frisco at Springfield after the 1948 takeover of the AT&N. The scheme appears to be a standard EMD design. The RS2s may have been painted at Springfield after delivery. This scheme appears to have disappeared quickly by being changed into FR-RS1b. FR-RS1a was basically a black unit with all lettering and striping in yellow paint. The ends had 5 diagonal stripes, extending from the flat nose up the sides of the nose and turning down at the corners of the hoods for approximately 12". Just below the headlight, the unit number appeared inside a coonskin outline. The sides of the frame had stripes running diagonally from the bottom on the short hood end to the top on the long hood end (all Frisco ALCo road switchers were long hood front, even after repowering of the RS2s with EMD 567C engines). All handrails, grab irons, edge of steps, and back of the step areas were painted yellow for all of the black and yellow schemes. Small AT&N sublettering appeared on the cab of the RS1s, under the unit number. Era: 1950 - early 1952. Applications: RS1s 101-111, and RS2s: 550-554.

Frisco Photo

Figure 2. Frisco 108 appears here in FR-RS1a. The unit received AT&N sublettering under the cab number when they were repainted into Frisco colors.

Frisco Photo

Figure 3. RS2 553 is shown here in FR-RS1a at Springfield, MO, Dec. 9, 1949.

Frisco Photo

Figure 4. RS2 553 is shown here in FR-RS1a at Springfield, MO, Dec. 9, 1949.

FR-RS1b This scheme was the same as FR-RS1a except that the lettering and the top stripe on the hood ends were done in Scotchlite. It appears that the Scotchlite was simply applied over the top of the painted lettering and stripes to increase nighttime visibility of the basically black units. Era: Early 1952 - ?. Applications: RS1s: 102 and 109 and RS2s: 554.

Louis A. Marre Collection

Figure 5. RS1 102 appears here in FR-RS1b in St. Louis, MO in July 1959.

Gordon B. Mott

Figure 6. RS2 554 appears in FR-RS1b in this Nov. 30, 1958 view outside of the West Shops, Springfield, MO.

FR-RS1c This scheme was the same as FR-RS1b except that the unit number on the end of the hood appeared without the coonskin outline, and the number of the frame stripes was reduced. Era: ? Applications: RS1s: 101, 107, and 111.

Louis A. Marre

Figure 7. RS1 #111 is shown here in FR-RS1c as it switches the yard in Springdale, AR July 11, 1963.

FR-RS1d This scheme was the same as FR-RS1b except that a Frisco coonskin herald appeared above the unit number, below the headlight, on the end of the unit. This appears to have been an experiment, on one unit, and may have been the first black and yellow road switcher painted. (I have classified this as a variation lower in rank due to the GP7 article appearing first.) Era: Early 1950. Applications: RS2: 550.

Figure 8. RS2 550 appears here in FR-RS1d.

FR-RS2a No known examples applied to ALCo road switchers. FR-RS2b This variation of the FR-RS2 scheme differed from the FR-RS2a variation only in the direction of the slope of the diagonal frame stripes. The ALCo road switchers are listed in this variation because of the long hood forward arrangement.This was the first attempt at simplification to cut down on the labor costs of repainting a unit. All striping and lettering were done in Scotchlite tape cut with the aid of stencils. The number of stripes and their pattern were also simplified. Only 3 nose stripes were used instead of 5. Of these, only the bottom stripe was complete, the other two were only chevrons. A diamond appeared under the headlight. This scheme appeared on the RS2s only after repowering. Era: 1959-1965. Application: RS2s: 550-554.

Frisco in Color

Figure 9. RS2 repowered 551 is shown here in Ft. Smith, AR, July 1961 appears in FR-RS2b.

Frisco in Color

Figure 10. Repowered RS2 554 is riding the Ft. Smith turntable in this view of FR-RS2b taken in January 1963.

FR-RS2c This is one of the RS1 variations on scheme FR-RS2. Four end stripes were used instead of three on other FR-RS2 varieties. Under the headlight, the unit number appeared inside the coonskin outline instead of the diamond, normal for FR-RS2. Era: 1959-? Application: RS1: 109.

Louis A. Marre Collection

Figure 11. RS1 109 is shown here in FR-RS2c at Springfield, MO on Oct. 16, 1963.

FR-RS2d This is another of the RS1 variations on the scheme FR-RS2. It is the same as FR-RS2c except that the coonskin outline does not appear around the unit number. As such it is a simplification of scheme FR-RS1c. Era: 1959-? Application: RS1: 107.

Figure 12. RS1 107 shows off FR-RS2d in this view at Kansas City, MO on May 9,1966.

FR-RS3a No known examples applied to ALCo road switchers. FR-RS3b No known examples applied to ALCo road switchers. FR-RS4a Paint scheme FR-RS4 was a drastic change from the black and yellow of the previous schemes to the Mandarin orange and white. This was an attempt to paint all Frisco units in the same basic colors. Variation FR-RS4a had a basic Mandarin orange unit with a wide white stripe and black underbody. The wide white stripe ran around the unit from the height of the cab floor on the bottom to the bottom of the radiator intakes at the top. As this scheme was applied to the RS2s only after rebuilding with EMD GP9 long hoods. This scheme appears very similar to FR-RS4a on the GP7s. Era: 1965-? Application: RS2: 550. FR-RS4b After this column appeared in print in 1986, Frisco in Color was published showing RS2 #553 in a scheme not known to this editor. This is a variation of FR-RS4a except for the use of orange Scotchlite tape over the white stripe at the end of the short hood. This photo also shows the short hood labeled F (front). Unless this unit had been rewired, this labeling is in error. On the GP7s, the orange tape is used to increase visibility on the front of the locomotive. Thus, it makes sense that the orange tape would be applied to the hood labelled front.

Frisco in Color

Figure 13. RS2 553 appears in FR-RS4b in this November 1970 view.

FR-RS4c No known examples applied to ALCo road switchers. Data from the roster provided by the following sources: "Frisco Power" Joe G. Collias "Frisco Diesel Power" Louis A. Marre and John Baskin Harper "Frisco in Color" Louis A. Marre and Gregory J. Sommers Photographs in personal collection and personal observations Errors in this roster are the sole responsibility of its author. Mike Condren March 1, 2003