Railroad Paint Scheme Question.

[Anonymous]

I know that everyone thinks that I am a total jerk on this Forum but I have just one Question about Railroad Schemes. Hell maby I am just over doing it here.
Question.......Why can't most Railroads just pick just one Paint Scheme for their Locomotives and just leave well enough alone??
For instance.......Union Pacific Railroad,Norfolk Southern Railway.
Sorry for the gripe,Allan.

[espeefoamer]

Because the model manufaturers make more money this way.Modelers have to have all of thier favorite roads paint schemes on thier layouts[}:)]!

[dehusman]

I am suprised you brought up the UP, who has had the basic Armour Yellow and Harbor Mist grey with red stripes since the 1940's. The most they have changed is the placement of the wording, the addition of a various slogans, the resurrection of the wings and they added a lightning bolt to the top stripe after the CNW merger. Other than that they have had a pretty static paint scheme. The unique paint schemes have all been basically one of a kind commemorative or honorary units, Desert Storm, the Olympics engines, the United Way engine, the heritage engines. The flag units were a patriotic reaction to 9-11.
I am suprised you left off the BNSF who rivals the LV in the number of different variations of paint schemes. Even the BN was had umpteen variations of stripes and cab faces.
The real question I have was why in heavens name did the BNSF get rid of the red and silver warbonnet? That was probably the most recognized paint scheme on the planet. Its like Coke deciding to up and scrap the Coca-Cola button or Ford ditching the blue oval or UPS deciding to stop using brown trucks. You can't buy that kind of brand recognition.

Dave H.

[james saunders]

well for a start i think after a while some schemes get tired and they have to update/change the paint schemes, although UP harbor mist and armor yellow shold never be changed nor should BNSF hve got rid of the red/silver warbonnet (bring back the warbonnet)!!

[Anonymous]

Great information. The number one thing that I think,is that they should pick one paint scheme and stick to it for along time and not have every color in the rainbow. Allan.

[oltmannd]

Sometimes, the paint scheme is changed to make it easier to paint (i.e.cheaper) CSX has gone through this a couple of times - from blue and gray, to all gray and from blue/gray/yellow/black to blue/yellow.

Sometimes, it's to improve visibility. Conrail and NS added reflective sill stripe and end lettering. CSX added yellow ends.

Sometimes it's a change or modification to the corporate image. Conrail adding the "Quality" logo. NS "horsehead" once CR integration was done. UP adding Iden/CNW lightning stripe and wings. UP adding flag after 9/11.

Sometimes it's because the CEO says so. The Conrail business train was repainted from blue to dark green because Stanley Crane wanted it that way.

[SchemerBob]

QUOTE: Originally posted by espeefoamer

Because the model manufaturers make more money this way.Modelers have to have all of thier favorite roads paint schemes on thier layouts[}:)]!

I was going to say the same thing when I first read this![:D][:D][:D] Just Amtrak alone has had 5 different standard paint schemes...that's not including Phase IVb, California, Cascades, and all the odball paint schemes!

Union Pacific is really the only railroad I can think of that hasn't changed their basic paint scheme for a long time (unless you consider a red "lightning stripe" or website address a major change).

[RudyRockvilleMD]

When it comes to a variety of paint schemes we can't forget the Seaboard Airline (SAL) who had several different paint schemes on their passenger diesels.

I agree, the red and silver paint scheme on BNSF locomotives is the best I would like to see BNSF bring itback.

[CSSHEGEWISCH]

Railroads aren't the only businesses that periodically change their public image (paint schemes, logos, etc.). Airlines are also pretty good at change, the first Midway Airlines had three different paint schemes for its planes during its existence and I'm sure that other examples could be cited. Retailers are also pretty good at changing their image on a regular basis. The reasons behind image changes are as diverse as one can imagine.

[icmr]

How did NS change? All they did was put a horsehead in their original scheme.




ICMR

Happy Railroading.[swg][swg]