High Visibility (Tiger Stripe) Locomotives

Starting in late 1984 BN debated making changes to the diagonal striped nose used on its engines since 1970. It came up with a design of the alternating black and orange nose stripes and cab face of orange. Because of the unique paint selection it acquired the Tiger Stripe nickname.

However, the first attempt to improve grade crossing visibility actually began in 1973 with the Chicago West Suburban Mass Transit District E-9’s. The Illinois Department of Transportation requested orange diagonal stripes on the face of each unit. The solution was to apply orange and white to the nose below the headlight.

In 1985 the Tiger Stripe test began on the SD40-2 BN 8002. The unit also became the first to have the number and logo switched. This has the BN logo and name moved to the long hood and unit number moved to the cab. After a period of time leased SD60’s BN 8300-8302 tested the paint scheme, and the 1985 order of GP50’s 3110-3162 was delivered in Tiger Stripe. Although the orange changed the appearance of units it was not considered aesthetic and economic and dropped after three years.

By 1989 the 8002 and GP50’s were repainted, the SD60’s were returned to GM and later repainted to the maroon-gray-silver lease scheme and in late 2000′ traded to the CSX. E-9’s worked the famed BN racetrack with fading orange until retirement in 1992.

Although not part of the 1980’s High Visibility study BN E units are included in this list.


GP50

3110 3111 3112 3113 3114 3115 3116 3117 3118 3119 3120
3121 3122 3122 3123 3124 3125 3126 3127 3128 3129 3130
3131 3132 3133 3134 3135 3136 3137 3138 3139 3140 3141
3142 3143 3144 3145 3146 3147 3148 3149 3150 3151 3152
3153 3154 3155 3157 3158 3159 3160 3161 3162

SD40-2

8002

SD60

8300 8301 8302

E9

9900 9901 9902 9903 9904 9905 9906 9907 9908 9910 9911
9912 9913 9914 9915 9916 9917 9918 9919 9920 9921 9922
9923 9924 9925