MTH has just released their 2001 Vol 2 catalog and has announced that they are going to release their O-guage version of the Baldwin Centipede in SAL paint. The cab numbers are 4500 and 4503 and will only run together as an AA lashup. What's curious is that they show both engines in the multi-stripe citrus paint scheme. However, I believe that Warren Calloway indicated that only #4500 was painted in the multi-stripe pattern. Later units, and eventually #4500 were repainted in the wide single-stripe pattern.

The picture can be viewed by following the link: http://external.mth-railking.com/2001v2/detail.asp?itemnumber=20-2312-1.

Before I write to MTH to ask for a more correct version (which has been known to happen with them if you can catch the engine in pre-production) I wanted to verify this with the group.

The same catalog also announces an ACL E-8 ABA set, and a GP40 in the later light-green SAL livery.

-- Dean Blakeley (dfthomer@gateway.net), February 25, 2001

Answers

Only the frame and trucks of the early Baldwin demonstrator were used in the construction of SAL 4500. The carbody was new, much different than that used on the demonstrator.

-- Warren Calloway (callowayw@aol.com), April 20, 2001.

The reason 4500 looked different is that it was constructed from the body of a pre-war Baldwin demonstrator. see the comments in this forum under "Locomotives"-"Identify this Locomotive".

-- Michael W. Savchak (Savchak @MNR.org), March 26, 2001.

Only SAL 4500 wore the multi-stripe scheme. All other Centipedes were delivered in the standard freight scheme with the wide yellow stripe that tapered to the point on the nose. In my SAL Diesel book, there are a number of late 1940s era shots of units in the freight scheme. In addition, I have a number of builder's photos showing these units so painted.

SAL 4500 was a one of a kind scheme.

-- Warren Calloway (callowayw@aol.com), March 23, 2001.