SP E9 6051 – Before & After

SP E9A 6051 received its first application of classic “Daylight” colors when it was built in December 1954. It entered service at Los Angeles in January 1955.

It lasted just over 3 years in this scheme. In May 1958 it was painted in the experimental black with orange nose “Halloween” scheme. By 1959 it was re-painted into gray and scarlet “bloody nose” paint scheme.

After a short career of 15 years, it was retired on December 24, 1969 and donated to the Railway & Locomotive Historical Society shortly afterward.

RL&HS owned ex-SP E9A 6051 shown in storage at Sacramento, CA on July 28, 1977

It was deeded to the California State Railroad Museum in Sacramento in 1978. It was cosmetically and mechanically restored in the early 1980s and re-painted into its original 1955 appearance in the “Daylight” paint scheme.

SP 6051 attended the unveiling of UP 1996, the Southern Pacific Heritage unit.

Interesting to note that the 6051 has been in Daylight colors almost 30 years since its overhaul for the CSRM, compared to the 3 years it wore these colors originally.