Southern Railway Freight Cab Diesel Locomotives


Keep in mind that when units began being repainted no exact dates can be determined except the starting dates.
Some units remained in the older paint scheme for some time before being repainted whereas some were repainted right away. As always, when custom painting a model, refer to good pictures of the unit for placement of roadname, road numbers, heralds and other lettering details. Pictures also reveal minor variations in these paint schemes due to being done in different repair shops. Pictures also reveal minor variations in the placement of horns, bells, lights and other appliances.

    Cab units-Black/white 1941-1949


    Body, frame, trucks, handrails and pilot painted black. White(Imitation Aluminum)or possibly metallic aluminum was applied from the top of the nose into a circular pattern around the nose then in a band to the rear of the units with a metallic gold stripe separated the black/white.
    Roadname lettering was S O U T H E R N in yellow block lettering. A round medallion was applied on the nose door, metallic gold background with green letters, stylized SR in center with Southern Serves the South in a circular pattern. This medallion also had a green circle on the outer perimeter. This was changed later to a gold outer ring. Road numbers were applied under the engineer/firemans window for example, 6 1 0 0, below the cab just ahead of the ladder and above the white band. Black rectangles with reflective numbers were added below the circular heralds. The lighted number boards were black with white numerals. The units delivered in this scheme are FTa & b, F3a & b, and F5a & b. Twenty F3a and ten F3b steam generator equipped units were delivered in this scheme but were painted in the double white band Passenger Scheme PS1 shortly after delivery.

    Cab Units-Green/white 1949-1958


    Body and handrails painted Green. Frame, trucks, and pilot painted black. White(Imitation Aluminum)was applied from the top of the nose into a circular pattern around the nose then in a band to the rear of the units with a metallic gold stripe separated the green/white.
    Roadname lettering was S O U T H E R N in yellow block lettering. A round medallion was applied on the nose door, metallic gold background with green letters, stylized SR in center with Southern Serves the South in a circular pattern. This medallion also had a narrow green circle on the outer perimeter.
    Road numbers were applied behind the ladder centered on the portholes, for example, 4 1 0 2. Black rectangles with reflective numbers were applied below the nose heralds. The lighted number boards were black with white numerals. All FT, F3 & F5 units were repainted into this scheme till 1959 when the FRT3 scheme was adopted. The F7a & b's were delivered in this scheme

    Cab Units-Black/white Tuxedo Scheme 1958-1982
    Nose medallions were removed starting August 15, 1957. Official date for the repaints was Oct 15, 1958.


    Body, frame, trucks, handrails and pilot painted black. White(Imitation Aluminum)was applied from the top of the nose into a circular pattern around the nose then in a band to the rear of the units with a metallic gold stripe separated the black/white.
    Roadname applied just above the lower white band was S O U T H E R N in metallic gold block lettering.
    The road number ahead of the roadname was, for example, 6 7 1 9 in metallic gold block lettering.. A round medallion was applied low on the nose door, metallic gold background with green letters, stylized SR in center with Southern Serves the South in a circular pattern. This medallion also had a retangular piece below with the lettering "Look Ahead-Look South". The lighted number boards were black with white numerals. All FT, F3, F5 & F7 units were repainted into this scheme.

More Southern Railway Painting Information
© S.A. McCall