Trains.com

Loco Color Scheme-CPKS

14037 views
32 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
Loco Color Scheme-CPKS
Posted by VGN Jess on Tuesday, November 9, 2021 9:19 PM

Has any word "leaked" on the subject? I presume CPKC will be on the long hood like BNSF, but wondering if the Southern Belle scheme has been discussed? It would homage CP with the red as a predominate and KCS with the yellow and black.

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,785 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 9:43 AM

No leaks that I'm aware of, but I hope they keep the new paint scheme as simple as possible. In my opinion, simple often looks better than more complex. Santa Fe's "blues" scheme was better looking than the yellow/blue scheme that followed. Likewise with CP "action red" over tuscan and grey.. the current CN scheme over the zebra scheme.. Personally I'm not hung up on the beaver logo either.. 

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,770 posts
Posted by wjstix on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 10:45 AM

Once they start doing full repaints (rather than patchouts), I would assume they'd just be painted in the current CP scheme, like Soo Line engines have been. There would be nothing to indicate they had been KCS engines previously.

Stix
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 24,920 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 11:58 AM

Should have dueling native animals - Beavers & Crawfish or maybe Moose & Squirrel

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,845 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 12:20 PM

  I suspect basic CP red with lots of 'grime'....

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,785 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Wednesday, November 10, 2021 1:10 PM

BaltACD

Should have dueling native animals - Beavers & Crawfish or maybe Moose & Squirrel

 

 

.. or maybe an eagle with a hapless beaver in its claw.. 

 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    January 2001
  • From: SE Minnesota
  • 6,845 posts
Posted by jrbernier on Thursday, November 11, 2021 6:36 PM

Considering that an adult Golden or Bald Eagle can only lift/carry about 3-4 lbs, it must be a pretty scrawny beaver!

Jim

Modeling BNSF  and Milwaukee Road in SW Wisconsin

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Sterling Heights, Michigan
  • 1,673 posts
Posted by SD60MAC9500 on Thursday, November 11, 2021 11:28 PM
 

BaltACD

maybe Moose & Squirrel

 

Seems fitting!

Alex Anderson, Creator of Rocky and Bullwinkle, Dies at 90 - The New York  Times

 
 
Rahhhhhhhhh!!!!
  • Member since
    June 2009
  • From: Dallas, TX
  • 6,819 posts
Posted by CMStPnP on Friday, November 12, 2021 9:09 AM

I have a real hard time believing the Canadians are going to allow a departure from using the Canadian Pacific name in full.    It would be considered sacrilege North of the Border.

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,472 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, November 12, 2021 12:00 PM

I don't think that it will be that big of an issue.  When the Multimark first appeared,  all that you saw was CP Rail, CP Air, CP Ships, etc.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,785 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Friday, November 12, 2021 2:10 PM

Hopefully they come up with something better than CPKS.. 

  • Member since
    February 2005
  • From: Vancouver Island, BC
  • 23,321 posts
Posted by selector on Friday, November 12, 2021 3:40 PM

jrbernier

Considering that an adult Golden or Bald Eagle can only lift/carry about 3-4 lbs, it must be a pretty scrawny beaver!

Jim

 

  ...and indifferent to the claw in its skin.  Beavers are not to be trifled with....they can get pretty nasty and aggressive when provoked.

  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, November 12, 2021 7:29 PM
All red with CPKS on the side?
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, November 12, 2021 7:29 PM
CPKC or Canadian Pacific-KC?
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, November 12, 2021 7:30 PM
They could use: Canadian Pacific-KC ???
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Guelph, Ontario
  • 4,785 posts
Posted by Ulrich on Friday, November 12, 2021 9:05 PM

Beaveagle Rail..

  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Saturday, November 13, 2021 11:18 AM

I think the official name should be Canada America Mexico Railway, and go by CAM. If CP has way more locos than KCS, keep the solid red. But commission a new logo which incorporates the shape of the three countries rendered as one, with CAM inside of that.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Saturday, November 13, 2021 12:37 PM

I think the official name should be Canada America Mexico Railway, and go by CAM. If CP has way more locos than KCS, keep the solid red. But commission a new logo which incorporates the shape of the three countries rendered as one, with CAM inside of that.

Still in training.


  • Member since
    December 2017
  • 2,671 posts
Posted by Lithonia Operator on Saturday, November 13, 2021 12:42 PM

Lithonia Operator

I think the official name should be Canada America Mexico Railway, and go by CAM. If CP has way more locos than KCS, keep the solid red. But commission a new logo which incorporates the shape of the three countries rendered as one, with CAM inside of that.

 

Here's a crude logo I cooked up: https://imgur.com/BGIbXsR

Still in training.


  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,770 posts
Posted by wjstix on Thursday, November 18, 2021 1:39 PM

Canadian Pacific's lines in the U.S. are currently called "Soo Line". They didn't change the name back in the 1990's when they combined Canadian and U.S. operation. If the merger goes through, it will really be more CP taking over KCS rather than a BN-style merger of equals. As I understand it, CP's U.S. lines will be "Kansas City Southern" and the U.S. headquarters will move from Minneapolis to K.C. I'd assume equipment will (slowly - given there's still stuff lettered for Soo Line around) be repainted for Canadian Pacific.

Stix
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • From: South Central Virginia
  • 204 posts
Posted by VGN Jess on Friday, November 19, 2021 1:09 AM

Lithonia Operator: I like the CAM logo. It shows geographicly what a large footprint CPKS will have.

  • Member since
    September 2002
  • From: Maricopa, AZ
  • 268 posts
Posted by DanRaitz on Friday, November 19, 2021 9:20 AM

Seeing that this not a merger but a take-over.  I belive we will see KCS disappear into CP (image-wise that is).

 

Dan

If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy .... Red Green
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 24,920 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, November 19, 2021 12:27 PM

wjstix
Canadian Pacific's lines in the U.S. are currently called "Soo Line". They didn't change the name back in the 1990's when they combined Canadian and U.S. operation. If the merger goes through, it will really be more CP taking over KCS rather than a BN-style merger of equals. As I understand it, CP's U.S. lines will be "Kansas City Southern" and the U.S. headquarters will move from Minneapolis to K.C. I'd assume equipment will (slowly - given there's still stuff lettered for Soo Line around) be repainted for Canadian Pacific.

From my viewpoint as a kid riding the Capitol Limited into and out of Grand Central Station - I alway viewed the Soo Line as 'down trodden 3rd rate operation' from the image they displayed with their trains at GCS.  In my mind CP didn't do themselves any favors when they adopted Soo Line as their US identity.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,472 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Friday, November 19, 2021 1:53 PM

Soo's passenger image may not have been that great but their freight equipment with the large SOO LINE lettering, looked pretty good.  The red and white paint scheme introduced with the GP30's was quite eye-catching.  Besides, CP long had a controlling interest in Soo.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 24,920 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Friday, November 19, 2021 4:03 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
Soo's passenger image may not have been that great but their freight equipment with the large SOO LINE lettering, looked pretty good.  The red and white paint scheme introduced with the GP30's was quite eye-catching.  Besides, CP long had a controlling interest in Soo.

The Soo's white with red lettering came much later than the period of my experience - 1959-1962 - when I would take near monthly trips to Chicago to visit the All Nation Hobby Shop.  Everything I saw was dirty maroon - both the GP7's or 9's that were the power and the cars.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 2,622 posts
Posted by kgbw49 on Friday, November 19, 2021 5:25 PM

The only original Soo Line that is part of CP is the line west from Shoreham Yard to Glenwood MN and from there a line to Winnipeg and a line to Portal, as well as the New Town branch.

Everything else of the original Soo Line east of Shoreham Yard is owned by CN now.

Ironically, the majority of the Soo Line track that is now part of CP is actually ex-Milwaukee Road. Everything south of St.Paul, MN to Chicago and Kansas City, as well as the lines in Iowa, is ex-Milwaukee Road, with the exception of the line to Huron, SD, which is former CNW.

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
  • 13,770 posts
Posted by wjstix on Monday, December 6, 2021 3:16 PM

Soo Line was one of the first railroads to realize that passenger trains were not going to boom after the war as many thought, so was one of the few major railroads not to invest post-war in streamlined passenger equipment...so yes, by 1960 their heavyweight equipment was getting pretty old. The railroad as a whole however was far from run-down or failing, and was successful enough that it even took over other railroads (DSS&A, Milwaukee).

Re Soo maroon...In the 19th century, Wisconsin Central's passenger cars were varnished redwood. When the Soo Line took over the railroad (c.1909 IIRC), they liked the look of the cars so much that they started painting their passenger cars a matching color. Eventually CP decided they liked it too, and starting using it on their equipment.

Course it didn't hurt that the Soo Line was headquartered in Minneapolis, not far from the Univ. of Minnesota whose "Golden Gophers" wore the same maroon and gold the railroad used.

Stix
  • Member since
    March 2016
  • From: Burbank IL (near Clearing)
  • 13,472 posts
Posted by CSSHEGEWISCH on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 10:00 AM

College colors are not that uncommon.  DM&IR diesels also wore UMinn colors.  Iowa Interstate diesels wear black for Univ of Iowa, red for Iowa State and yellow is for both.  TASD diesels wore either Alabama or Auburn colors, usually one of each.

The daily commute is part of everyday life but I get two rides a day out of it. Paul
  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 24,920 posts
Posted by BaltACD on Tuesday, December 7, 2021 6:41 PM

CSSHEGEWISCH
College colors are not that uncommon.  DM&IR diesels also wore UMinn colors.  Iowa Interstate diesels wear black for Univ of Iowa, red for Iowa State and yellow is for both.  TASD diesels wore either Alabama or Auburn colors, usually one of each.

Monon used, from time to time, the Red & White of Indiana University as well as the Black & Gold of Purdue.  Both university's were on line.

Never too old to have a happy childhood!

              

  • Member since
    January 2015
  • 2,622 posts
Posted by kgbw49 on Wednesday, December 8, 2021 7:49 AM

Odds are CPKC will be the current CP red.

It is simple - less costly to apply (though no locomotive paint job is cheap).

It seems to hold up well.

It is fairly visible (although gets muted when dirty).

It is unique to the other Class 1 railroads and large regionals and short lines.

In terms of simplicity it might be the simplest of all.

One color - red - and then white decals or paint for the name on the sides and initials on the nose. Black running gear.

NS has a bit more complicated treatment on the nose compared to just the CP initials, but is right up there in simplicity of their locomotive painting.

Join our Community!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

Search the Community

Newsletter Sign-Up

By signing up you may also receive occasional reader surveys and special offers from Trains magazine.Please view our privacy policy