Isabella Flores
The SPSF paint scheme was created in anticipation of the merger between the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. The merger was announced in September 1983, and the new unified paint scheme was rolled out in 1985. The scheme combined yellow, red, and black and has come to be known as the Kodachrome paint scheme due to its resemblance to the boxes that Kodak used to package its Kodachrome slide film.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Year of SPSF paint scheme rollout | 1985 |
| Colours used | Red, yellow, and black |
| Nickname | Kodachrome |
| Merger status | Rejected |
| Merger parties | Southern Pacific and Santa Fe |
| Merger type | Corporate consolidation of two major railroads in the Western United States |
| Merger value | Approximately $5 billion |
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What You'll Learn
- The SPSF paint scheme was made in anticipation of the Santa Fe–Southern Pacific merger
- The merger was denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in 1986
- The SPSF scheme combined yellow, red and black and was nicknamed the Kodachrome paint scheme
- The Kodachrome nickname was inspired by the colours' resemblance to Kodak's Kodachrome slide film packaging
- The SPSF acronym was joked to stand for Shouldn't Paint So Fast after the merger's denial
The SPSF paint scheme was made in anticipation of the Santa Fe–Southern Pacific merger
In December 1983, both companies were acquired by a new holding company, the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation, through a stock swap valued at around $5 billion. The following year, on March 23, 1984, the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation formally petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) for approval to merge the two railroads. Confident that their merger application would be approved, the company began repainting their locomotives with a unified paint scheme that would allow the future railroad to be called the SPSF Railway. This new paint scheme, combining yellow, red, and black, became known as the Kodachrome paint scheme due to its resemblance to the colours on Kodak's slide film packaging.
However, in July 1986, the ICC denied the merger, citing anti-competitive concerns and the potential for a "substantial adverse effect" on competition in regions where the two railroads' operations overlapped. The decision came as a surprise, and the company appealed, but the merger application was rejected again in 1987. The failed merger attempt and the associated Kodachrome paint scheme have since become a significant chapter in the history of American railroads.
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The merger was denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in 1986
The Santa Fe–Southern Pacific merger was an attempted corporate consolidation of two of the major railroads in the Western United States: the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. The merger was proposed in 1983 and was expected to be approved by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC).
The ICC was a regulatory agency in the United States created by the Interstate Commerce Act of 1887. Its original purpose was to regulate railroads (and later trucking) to ensure fair rates, eliminate rate discrimination, and regulate other aspects of common carriers, including interstate bus lines and telephone companies.
In March 1984, the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation formally petitioned the ICC to approve the merger of the two railroads. Confident that the deal would go through, the company began repainting their locomotives with a unified paint scheme that would allow the future railroad to be called the SPSF Railway. The new paint scheme combined yellow, red, and black and came to be known as the Kodachrome paint scheme.
However, on July 24, 1986, the ICC board rejected the proposed merger, citing anti-competitive concerns. Specifically, the ICC stated that the railroads had extensive parallel operations in California and across the Southwest, and that merging the lines would have a "substantial adverse effect" on competition. This decision came as a shock to the company, and Santa Fe Southern Pacific stock dropped by $2.25 a share to $28 a share following the vote.
The merger denial led to a reshaping of the western railroad map and marked a pivotal moment in railroad history. The bright Southwest-inspired colours of the planned merger polarized the railfan community, with some loving and others intensely hating the Kodachrome scheme.
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The SPSF scheme combined yellow, red and black and was nicknamed the Kodachrome paint scheme
The SPSF paint scheme was unveiled in August 1985, when the first trial combination of red, yellow, and black was introduced on the rebuilt Santa Fe SD45 5394. The colours were chosen to represent the impending merger of the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads, which would form the SPSF Railway. The new unified paint scheme drew inspiration from the Santa Fe's "Yellowbonnet" design, featuring a prominent red stripe on the locomotive's nose. The remainder of the locomotive body was painted in Southern Pacific's scarlet red, with a black roof extending to the lower sections of the radiator grills. The number boards were red with white numerals, and the sides bore large block letters "SP" or "SF".
The colours of the SPSF scheme resembled the boxes that Kodak used to package its Kodachrome slide film, which was popular among railfans at the time. Thus, the paint scheme earned the nickname "Kodachrome". The nickname was further reinforced by the fact that the colours of the scheme were the same as those on the Kodak logo.
The merger of the two railroads was denied by the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) in 1986, and the companies were mandated to disentangle their operations within two years. Despite the denial, the SPSF paint scheme made its mark on railroad history. It became the subject of jokes among industry insiders and railfans, who quipped that SPSF stood for "Shouldn't Paint So Fast".
By the time the merger was denied, approximately 306 ATSF locomotives, four ATSF cabooses, 10 ATSF slugs, 96 SP locomotives, and one SP caboose had been painted in the Kodachrome scheme. Following the regulatory decision, both railroads began repainting their locomotives to their original schemes. Santa Fe managed to complete the repainting by 1990, while Southern Pacific's repainting progressed more slowly, with some Kodachrome units remaining operational even after the SP acquisition.
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The Kodachrome nickname was inspired by the colours' resemblance to Kodak's Kodachrome slide film packaging
In 1985, the Southern Pacific and Santa Fe railroads, anticipating the approval of their merger, repainted hundreds of locomotives in a unified livery of red, yellow, and black. This colour scheme came to be known as the "Kodachrome" paint scheme, inspired by its resemblance to the colours on the boxes of Kodak's Kodachrome slide film. Kodachrome was a colour reversal film introduced by Eastman Kodak in 1935 and was widely used for professional colour photography, especially for images intended for publication in print media.
The Kodachrome nickname for the SPSF paint scheme was thus inspired by the colours' resemblance to Kodak's Kodachrome slide film packaging. The red, yellow, and black colours of the paint scheme were chosen to represent the combined identity of the two merging railroads, with the yellow and red taken from Santa Fe's Yellowbonnet livery and the scarlet red from Southern Pacific's existing colour scheme. The new livery was designed to symbolise the unity and strength of the merged company, and the colours were intended to be eye-catching and memorable.
The Kodachrome paint scheme was first unveiled in August 1985, when the first trial run of the new livery was conducted on a rebuilt Santa Fe SD45 5394 locomotive. The distinctive colours immediately caught the attention of railfans and the public, with some loving the bold choice and others despising it. The nickname "Kodachrome" was quickly adopted by railfans, who were familiar with the brightly coloured Kodachrome slide film packaging. The colours of the Kodachrome scheme were a significant departure from the more sombre grey, black, and red colour schemes previously used by Southern Pacific and Santa Fe.
The Kodachrome nickname also carried a sense of irony and humour, as the merger between Southern Pacific and Santa Fe was ultimately rejected by the Interstate Commerce Commission. After the denial, railroad enthusiasts, employees, and writers joked that SPSF stood for "Shouldn't Paint So Fast," poking fun at the premature repainting of the locomotives. Despite the merger's failure, the Kodachrome paint scheme left a lasting impact on railroad history and remained a polarising topic among railfans and the railroad industry.
The Kodachrome era marked a pivotal moment in railroad history and photography, with rail photographers capturing iconic images of the colourful locomotives against the backdrop of the American landscape. The use of Kodachrome slide film in railroad photography allowed for accurate colour representation and long-lasting preservation of these historical moments. The Kodachrome nickname thus not only reflected the colours of the packaging but also the vibrant and lasting impression the paint scheme made on those who witnessed it.
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The SPSF acronym was joked to stand for Shouldn't Paint So Fast after the merger's denial
The Santa Fe-Southern Pacific merger was an attempted consolidation of two major railroads in the Western United States: the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad. The merger was announced in September 1983, and the companies were acquired by a new holding company, the Santa Fe Southern Pacific Corporation, in December of the same year.
In March 1984, the companies petitioned the Interstate Commerce Commission (ICC) for approval to merge their railroads. Confident that the merger would be approved, the company began repainting their locomotives in a unified paint scheme that would allow the future railroad to be called the SPSF Railway. This new paint scheme, combining yellow, red, and black, came to be known as the Kodachrome paint scheme due to its resemblance to the colours on Kodak's Kodachrome slide film boxes.
However, in 1986, the ICC unexpectedly denied the merger, stating that it would create too many duplicate routes. Following this denial, railroad industry writers, employees, and railfans joked that the SPSF acronym stood for "Shouldn't Paint So Fast". Indeed, by the time of the merger's denial, a significant portion of the fleet had already been repainted, including 306 ATSF locomotives, four ATSF cabooses, 10 ATSF slugs, 96 SP locomotives, and one SP caboose.
After the denial, both railroads began repainting their locomotives to their standard paint schemes. Santa Fe was able to repaint all its Kodachromes by 1990, while Southern Pacific's repainting progressed more slowly, with some Kodachrome units remaining operational within the Union Pacific roster even after the SP acquisition.
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Frequently asked questions
The SPSF paint scheme was unveiled in August 1985.
The colours were red, yellow and black.
The SPSF paint scheme was inspired by the Santa Fe's "Yellowbonnet" design, featuring a red stripe on the locomotive's nose.
The SPSF paint scheme was introduced in anticipation of the merger between the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway and the Southern Pacific Railroad.
After the merger was rejected, SPSF came to be known as "Shouldn't Paint So Fast".
