When did the Southern Pacific Railroad actually begin re-lettering its passenger (including head-end) cars, both streamlined and heavyweight, from "Southern Pacific Lines" to "Southern Pacific" only? I know that the lettering rule for just "Southern Pacific" was adopted in 1946 and that the GS-4s and GS-5s used on the "Daylight" trains started being re-lettered to "Southern Pacific" at least as early as October of that year, but I don't know when the SP also started relettering its cars to just read "Southern Pacific" on the letterboard. I assume that it was also started around the same time, so I just want to be sure.
http://modelingthesp.com/Passenger_Cars/Passenger_Cars_Lettering.html
"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."
I already looked at that page. What I'm looking for are maybe photographs that show when the re-lettering of the streamlined "Daylight" cars and also the heavyweight cars actually began to get re-lettered. I haven't had any luck in trying to find photographs that might help.
http://modelingthesp.com/Passenger_Cars/Passenger_Cars_Lettering.html Hope this helps. Cheers, the Bear.
An excerpt from Bear's link:
"Until June 22, 1946, the standard for letterboards was SOUTHERN PACIFIC LINES and afterward SOUTHERN PACIFIC. Evidence from photos suggests it was done pretty quickly, as it was a corporate name change. By the start of 1948 you would have been hard pressed to find many "LINES" cars. SP took its passenger car appearance seriously in those days. Someone on the list may have done a date-specific survey, which would be more exact.
There is no absolute date when the last passenger car was relettered, but the "NAME" trains were done very quickly, with the other cars being done within two years or so.
Tony Thompson"
I doubt you'll find any better infomration than this. Tony is one of the leading authourities on things SP.
Ray
WILSON BILLINGSLEYI haven't had any luck in trying to find photographs that might help.