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Favorite RR paint scheme

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Posted by DavidGSmith on Monday, December 12, 2005 1:00 PM
Fergus you picked all of mine.
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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, December 12, 2005 1:06 PM
Nothing truly beats the black of a big steamer.
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Posted by dabug on Sunday, April 22, 2007 11:33 AM

1) ACL purple and silver w/yellow trim; 2) GN orange and green; 3) EL maroon and gray.  After that there are just too many other colorful postwar paint schemes to quantify easily. 

An allied question you might want to consider a posting for: beginning in the late 50s, railroads began applying greatly simplified paint schemes to their diesels and passenger equipment, often one, solid color.  What simplified paint scheme of that era and beyond did the greatest violence to the colorful paint scheme it replaced?  My vote goes to Southern-controlled CofG, that abandoned perhaps the "busiest" postwar paint scheme of them all.  Count 'em: there were six different colors on CG diesels!  Blue, gray, black, orange, yellow, and white (counting the number on the nose).  To go from that scheme to the uninspired Southern-style black was not, in my opinion, a case of merely settling for a drab, "plain Jane" color scheme (probably solely for the dubious purpose of saving money), but was an absolute abortion compared to the scheme it replaced.  Shameful!     

  

Golly gee whiz, how did the railroads ever do it in the age before computers or government "help"?  (Then: they did it.  Today: forget it!)

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Posted by WCfan on Sunday, April 22, 2007 11:43 AM
WC Maroon and gold, BN cascade green, and Soo Candy apple red.
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Posted by Heartland Division CB&Q on Sunday, April 22, 2007 12:40 PM

Just about any post WWII paint scheme was terrific!

Some that come to mind are ....  Texas Special (especially on the Katy PA's)....    Santa Fe warbonnet or freight blue/yellow....  GN Empire Builder ....... B&O blue/gray ...... MILW pre-UP yellow ..... WP ...DRGW...... SOUTHERN Green ....... IC passenger...  Orginal Rock Island.... SP Daylight......

OF COURSE:   CB&Q silver passenger ...... CB&Q grayback freight.... CB&Q blackbird.... and later the CB&Q chinese red.

There are others.

GARRY

HEARTLAND DIVISION, CB&Q RR

EVERYWHERE LOST; WE HUSTLE OUR CABOOSE FOR YOU

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Posted by bb4884 on Sunday, April 22, 2007 12:56 PM

1: BN's Executive

 

2: UP Gray FEF's with WHITE lettering

 

 

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Posted by ohiosulator on Sunday, April 22, 2007 1:04 PM

CSX STEALTH for me, always loved that scheme.

also the dark? future is kinda cool

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Posted by oleirish on Sunday, April 22, 2007 8:59 PM

Cool [8D] S.P./ Cotton belt.All colors!I be an S.P. nut!!!Smile,Wink, & Grin [swg]

JIM

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Posted by spidge on Sunday, April 22, 2007 10:38 PM

#1 SP Black Widow

#2 SP Bloodynose

#3 SP Daylight

Sadly I have no pics of my GS4.

$4 SP tiger stripes

John

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Posted by Andrew Falconer on Monday, April 23, 2007 12:00 AM

 Big_Boy_4005 wrote:

Here's one that I love, but I think it is more like MR's 75th Anniversary car, and a one of a kind paint job. Does anyone know how many were done?



By the way, the other side is a standard CN gray with red.

That Canadian National Cylindrical Hopper scheme was from a series of 4 cars that CN painted in 1971. Only one side of one car was painted. There is a G Scale Canadian Website with actual photos. Would have to search for it again. This CN Cylindrical Hopper model is a new release from LIONEL in O Scale in case anyone wonders.

These were the 4 Cars showing what they transported for an advertising campaign.

Mechanical Refrigerator with a Bull sectioned in many colors

Insulated Boxcar with a Large Apple and apple leaf

Plug-Door Newsprint Boxcar with the names of many Canadian Newspapers

Cylindrical Hopper with Pigment Formula and Spectrum of Colors.

Andrew

Andrew

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Posted by Andrew Falconer on Monday, April 23, 2007 12:15 AM

The Soo Line Colormark Scheme Locomotives and Cars applied between 1962 to 1976.

The Soo Line used a combination of paint and 3M Scotchlite Reflective film to create their bold graphics.

Runner-Up: Chicago & North Western Zito Yellow locos and rolling stock

Andrew

Andrew

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Posted by Master of Big Sky Blue on Monday, April 23, 2007 4:51 PM

If it isn't obcious to everyone, My favorite Paint scheme is GN Big Sky Blue scheme of 1967-1970 vintage.

James

"Well, I've sort of commited my self here, so you pop that clowns neck, I will shoot his buddy, and I will probably have to shoot the bartender too." ----- William Adama upon meeting Saul Tigh Building an All Steam Roster from Old Tyco-Mantua, and Bowser kits. Free Drinks in the Dome Car
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Posted by m sharp on Monday, April 23, 2007 6:12 PM

Although I'm a Purdue guy, I still liked the red and cream applied to the Monon F3s for passenger service.  I was always partial to blue C&O Geeps with the yellow pin stripes, and the dark green with lightning stripe on the Indiana Harbor Belt switchers was cool.

Mike

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Posted by twhite on Monday, April 23, 2007 7:49 PM

Some really striking ones for me:

The original UP Armour Yellow and Brown scheme for their M-10000 and City of San Francisco trains. 

The original Milwaukee Road Hiawatha orange and maroon scheme.

Great Northern Omaha Orange and green

Northern Pacific two-tone green.

Of course, SP's famous red/orange/black Daylight scheme.

SP's remarkable "Black Widow" scheme on their early diesels.

Rio Grande's handsome Grande Gold and Silver scheme.

Rio Grande's later black and orange on their later generaton diesels--man, that color scheme looked like it meant BUSINESS, LOL!

Burlington's steamers--silver smokebox/firebox, black boiler, red oxide cab roof and gold lettering.  Talk about HANDSOME!

Tom

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Posted by Hawks05 on Monday, April 23, 2007 8:49 PM

I like the BNSF Heritage 2 and the new "Swoosh" looks. Also a fan of the CP Beaver pain, and the new basic CP paint. Ever since I got into model railroading I've liked the NS paint scheme. So basic and "fast" looking. Also, both of the SOO Line schemes that can be seen today are pretty cool.

As far as freight goes, I like the Railbox, boxcar yellow schemes and the Railgon paint schemes. The many different schemes of the Canadian hoppers cars, ex. the Alberta blue scheme.

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Posted by bogp40 on Monday, April 23, 2007 9:29 PM

My all time favorite the B&O blue/ gray:

WM Circus is not too shabby either:

 

And of course what I run the most:

Modeling B&O- Chessie  Bob K.  www.ssmrc.org

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Posted by galaxy on Monday, April 23, 2007 9:32 PM

As a kid in the 60s and 70s, as the Erie Lackawanna trains rolled by on the crossing near my house hauling all kinds of cars, my favorite was the blue Chessie cat painted on the yellow boxcars.

Always was and is my favorite. I managed to get a Lionel blue on yellow box car. I recently was able to add an N scale blue on yellow to my N scale trains. I hope to find the blue on yellow in HO so I can add it to my set and have one of each. I have an HO YELLOW on BLUE, but it's just not the same. Alas.

-G .

Just my thoughts, ideas, opinions and experiences. Others may vary.

 HO and N Scale.

After long and careful thought, they have convinced me. I have come to the conclusion that they are right. The aliens did it.

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Posted by SD60M on Monday, April 23, 2007 9:36 PM
For me my favorite is BN's Cascade green and white face especially on the SD60M 2 window version but the executive shceme is a close second and the third would have to be Santa Fe's world famous warbonnet red.
Long Live The Burlington Northern!
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Posted by trolleyboy on Monday, April 23, 2007 9:56 PM

For me it's a no brainer. The CPR's Tuscan Red Grey Yellow pinstripe scheme witht eh script lettering. The earlier block lettering is okay, but the script is a true classic. espeacially on the big six axles Alco M630's and 636's

Rob

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Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 23, 2007 10:21 PM
D&H warbonnet!!
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Posted by tpd0418 on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 6:18 PM

My favorites are:

1. Santa Fe Warbonnet

2. Southern Pacific Black Widow

3. Southern Tuxedo

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Posted by stebbycentral on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 6:36 PM

Historical: Rock Island maroon & yellow, followed closely by the more modern red & yellow scheme adopted in the 60's.

Current: The Iowa Interstate RR.  Black body with yellow ends. A red stripe down the middle of the body, containing the railroad name in yellow lettering. 

Factoid: Purportedly the IAIS colors are adapted from the school colors of Iowa's major state universities - Hawkeye black & gold (U of Iowa) with Cyclone crimson & gold (Iowa State). 

I have figured out what is wrong with my brain!  On the left side nothing works right, and on the right side there is nothing left!

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Posted by Cannoli on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 7:26 PM

My favorites are:

  1. B&M maroon minute man scheme
  2. SP Daylight scheme
  3. PRR tuscan red with gold striping, especially on a GG1
  4. GN green/orange 

Modeling the fictional B&M Dowe, NH branch in the early 50's.

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Posted by jecorbett on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 7:29 PM
Hands down, SP's Daylight passenger cars. Nothing else is close enough to be in second place.
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Posted by SOU Fan on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 8:42 PM
Southern Railway's Tuxedo
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Posted by pcarrell on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:05 PM
Philip
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Posted by R. T. POTEET on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:12 PM

I have always liked steam locomotives done up in EAR (Early American Rust).

From the far, far reaches of the wild, wild west I am: rtpoteet

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Posted by CMSTPP on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 9:25 PM

The Milwuakee road's Hiawatha paint. The pre 1955 UP scheme. You can't go wrong with the orange, marroon, and black.Thumbs Up [tup]

James

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Posted by Texas Chief on Tuesday, April 24, 2007 10:15 PM

 RedLeader wrote:
AT&SF's red/yellow/silver warbonnet is by far the best, both in color composition and in meaning. You can't get any more streamlined than those PA/B's in the Ol' famous warbonnet with shiny silver cars. I've always thought that the red and yellow lines should have extended to the cars sides. That would have given a complete continuty to the color scheme (Just like Amtrack's Phase I, which by-the-way, is a great color scheme and no one seems to have noticed).

I can't see anything beautiful (artistic) in Conrail's scheme, unless offcourse you love blue and the rr!

I'm with you 100 percent Redleader. The "Valley Flyer" did have the red and yellow stripes along the bottom of all the cars in the consist. I once spoke to the publisher of one of the major model railroad mags. and he said that every time he published an edition with a Santa Fe "War Bonnet"  on the cover, they sold almost twice as many copies that month. My second favorite would be the Rio Grand in the yellow with black stripes and silver roof.

Dick                                                                                                                          

Texas Chief

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Posted by shawnee on Wednesday, April 25, 2007 8:45 AM

 

1)   Delaware and Hudson avon blue and yellow...Their avon blue is the nicest color in a RR scheme.

2)  Chicago & North Western yellow & black...classy scheme

3)  Western Maryland...classy railroad with a nice look

4)  Norfolk & Western...like Penn State football uniforms, classic, basic and tough.

Shawnee

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