With Independence Day just around the corner, we thought it would be fun to take a look back at some N and HO scale locomotive models in Bicentennial paint schemes. As the 200th birthday of the United States approached, numerous prototype railroads renumbered and repainted locomotives in patriotic schemes to pay tribute to the nation. This is by no means an exhaustive list of models. Instead, it’s a sampling of models produced within the past two decades that have appeared in the News & Products and Product Reviews sections of Model Railroader magazine.
In addition to the models shown in this gallery, other Bicentennial units that have entered the market in recent years. For example, ScaleTrains has produced HO scale Erie Lackawanna and Norfolk & Western Electro-Motive Division (EMD) SD45 diesel locomotives and an Elgin, Joliet & Eastern EMD SD38-2 in patriotic colors. In November 2022, Atlas Model Railroad Co. announced that it will be offering the N&W SD45 Bicentennial unit in its N scale Master Line. Athearn’s Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe EMD SD45-2 No. 5704, part of its HO scale Genesis series, is scheduled to arrive in the next few weeks.
We hope you enjoy this gallery of locomotive models in Bicentennial paint schemes.
Leading off our gallery of locomotive models in Bicentennial paint is Burlington Northern Electro-Motive Division (EMD) SD40-2 No. 1876 from Athearn Trains. The HO scale model was offered with Digital Command Control and sound as item ATH98370. The direct-current model was product number ATH98270. Cody Grivno photo
The lone electric locomotive in our photo gallery is Conrail GG1 No. 4800, produced by Kato. The model was released in 2012 as item 137-2015. Model Railroader staff photo
Milwaukee Road Electro-Motive Division SD40-2 No. 156 is an Athearn Ready-to-Roll model. The six-axle road locomotive, item 95214, was produced in 2007. Model Railroader staff photo
Red, white, and blue with a splash of gold was the color palette on St. Louis Southwestern (Cotton Belt) Electro-Motive Division SD45T-2 No. 9389. A review of the Athearn HO scale Ready-to-Roll locomotive (ATH86740) can be found on Trains.com. Model Railroader staff photo
Soo Line used its standard diesel paint scheme as the starting point for its Bicentennial locomotive. This HO scale Electro-Motive Division GP35 is from the Athearn Ready-to-Roll line (94223). Model Railroader staff photo
Wrapping up our gallery of locomotives in Bicentennial paint is Southern Pacific Electro-Motive Division GP40P-2 No. 3197. The Athearn Genesis model (ATHG40858) was reviewed in the May 2018 issue of Model Railroader. Model Railroader staff photo
