Benjamin J. Dedek (1896-1973)

Kansas City Southern Color Scheme Proposal

Circa 1951.

In 1940, Kansas City Southern introduced a streamlined passenger train called the Southern Belle. The locomotives were painted bright yellow with a red roof and a black or olive green stripe surrounded by red pinstripes. In 1947, KCS purchased its first F3 freight locomotives and wanted them to be painted a variation of the Southern Belle colors, so EMD reversed the red and yellow, putting the yellow on the roof and red on the body, with the black stripe and yellow pinstripes. The problem with pinstripes is they are a lot of work to maintain and repaint, so when KCS bought the F7 locomotive shown here, it simplified the colors by eliminating the black stripe and pinstripe. Later it would simplify the color scheme even further by painting entire locomotives red.

This brilliant original tempera painting in crisp detail with skillfully rendered airbrush embellishments is executed on HI-ART Artist's Illustration Board and signed lower left front by the artist. It remains sealed in the original mounts and matting with label from the General Motors Electro Motive Division Styling Section which Ben Dedek was head of during the early years of GM's Electro-Motive Division. The technique of this early example differs from most Styling Division paintings in the way that rail and track, undercarriage and other elements are subtle references of velvety airbrushing contrasted by the striking red and yellow of the painting's main subject.

Sight site through the mat is 9.75 x 16, measures 15 x 20 inches overall.

Provenance: The Fred Roniger Estate Collection.

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Very good original untouched condition. There are no issues of stains, scratches, losses, repairs, in-painting or touch-up. The work is sealed in its original mount.