EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. — Great Sandhills Railway SD38-2 No. 2022 rolled out of Metro East Industries’ paint shop on Jan. 17, wearing a bright green and yellow paint scheme that it and sister unit No. 2009 will share. The new image bears a striking resemblance to the Reading Co.’s final paint scheme of the 1970s, but its colors are based on the provincial flag of Saskatchewan, where the 123-mile railroad operates.
Great Sandhills runs over former Canadian Pacific trackage, split off from the transcontinental carrier in 2009. Regional Rail, LLC, based in Kennett Square, Pa., acquired GSR in 2022. The railroad primarily hauls agricultural and fuel products.
Great Sandhills No. 2022 was built as Missouri-Kansas-Texas SD40-2 No. 632, and subsequently became Union Pacific No. 3839 before being converted to a 2,000-hp SD38-2. Similarly, GSR No. 2009, now in the paint shop, was built as Union Pacific SD40-2 No. 3443, and was later converted to an SD38-2. The units’ road numbers have historical significance, recognizing the year of Regional Rail’s acquisition and the year of the railroad’s first operation.
GSR expects to realize up to a 5% reduction in fuel consumption utilizing the two non-turbocharged six-axle locomotives versus three GP38-2s between Leader, Saskatchewan, and the Canadian Pacific interchange at Swift Current, a company official told Trains in an email.
In the email, Regional Rail President and CEO Al Sauer said, “[Nos.] 2009 and 2022 signify Regional Rail’s long-term capital investments to support GSR’s growth. These are the road’s first ever newly painted and wholly-owned, not-leased, units.”
Each of Regional Rail’s 15 operations in eight U.S. states and Saskatchewan has its own paint scheme. The company made news in 2023 with the introduction of a Seaboard Coast Line-based image on Florida Central [see “Florida railroads adopt Seaboard Coast Line-inspired … ” Oct. 16, 2023] and red and yellow Norfolk Southern-style paint on Carolina Coast Railway [see ” … Regional Rail’s Carolina Coastal introduces new heritage-based paint … ” Oct. 20, 2023].
Amazing paint scheme! Also a tribute to Great Sandhills Terminal, the locally owned grain terminal that purchased the rail line from CP in 2009. The grain terminals colours were green and yellow, very similar to MKT colours. Ironic that one of the locomotives is ex-MKT. Glad to see them finally getting some of their own power, it’s been a long time coming!
Jeff Simpson (former GSR Marketing Manager)