Paint Scheme Artists

[Anonymous]

Who designed the various paint schemes?
We all know the stories about the design of classics like the GG-1 and Milwaukee Road's Hiawathas.
What about all the others. The ones in the lists of "favorites" and the ones in the lists of "least loved?"
How were these schemes determined? Someone in public relations? marketing? contracted industrial designer? Did they conduct studies? Panels? Some were too good/creative to have been done by chance.
The story of the evolution of the various schemes would be quite interesting, I would think, does anybody else?

[eolafan]

The answer to your question is varied. Many of the schemes on EMD units (and likely GE units and others as well) were designed for the railroads by in-house (at EMD, etc.) staffs of designers. Others have been designed by railroad design staffs and still others contracted out by the roads to outside individuals or design firms, but since the service of designing paint schemes for the "good customer" roads by EMD and others was usually complimentary with a new order, many if not most were designed by the locomotive manufacuters staff.

[Anonymous]

A number of years ago (mid-1980's?), Railfan-Railroad Magazine ran a two part series on General Motors/EMD's design department and how they developed locomotive paint schemes during the late 1940' and 1950's. They wanted to create unique, distinctive schemes for each customer. Some, like NYC, pleaded for simplification.

John in Ohio