Metro-North 40th Heritage Wraps

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:40 pm I recall that someplace in the Penn Central Forum section there is a discussion about the PC logo - specifically
the company that designed the logo and lettering font for the Penn Central Transportation Company (PC's
full given name) which was a 60s era advertising consultant (think "Mad Men") based in Manhattan...

The PRR and NY Central heralds were so much better designed along with their liveries...

One interesting note - the NYC oval logo that lasted multiple decades wasn't actually "designed" as such - according to the folks at the NYCSHS (who should know), it apparently was something a printer mocked up to fill in blank space in either an advertisement or on the front of a public timetable, and it just stuck...

MACTRAXX wrote: ↑Fri Mar 01, 2024 10:40 pmThe PC logo meant "failure" in many aspects during PC's 8 year 2 month lifespan...

You literally cannot look at that thing without thinking the words “decay”, “breakdown”, and “bankruptcy”. And looking at it from an objective perspective it looks HIDEOUS and stupid. The Eurostyle font adds an extra layer of dystopia to it. Replace “Penn” with “Panem” and it looks very appropriate (if you get the reference)

It actually surprises me that when I was a kid I really liked the PC FL-9s with the yellow logo and turquoise-ish blue-green or whatever the paint turned into over time (and that I still do to some extent!). I clearly spent too many hours combing through my grandfather’s copy of Diesels To Park Avenue back in the day.. I’m even tempted to pre-order one of the new Rapido Trains blue/yellow PC FL-9s out of pure nostalgia..

The PRR and NY Central heralds were so much better designed along with their liveries...

The Pennsy’s management style (especially towards the end) left a lot to be desired, but major credit to them for not scrapping the “PRR keystone” logo. Right until the very end when the Metroliners were being built they didn’t try to reinvent the wheel and put something “modern and innovative” on them.

Another thought: I never heard the term "beach ball" used to describe the 1983-1984 MNCR FL9 color
scheme until recent years - I think that this is a good livery using three colors that work well together...
It was quite a change from the Conrail and PC days for the FL9 fleet for starters literally at that time...

Yeah I had never heard of the term until last year when the 208 was unveiled. The Gennies should have gotten that look instead of that drab gray with minimalist blue. The current “warbonnet”(?) image is a major improvement.

jamoldover wrote:One interesting note - the NYC oval logo that lasted multiple decades wasn't actually "designed" as such - according to the folks at the NYCSHS (who should know), it apparently was something a printer mocked up to fill in blank space in either an advertisement or on the front of a public timetable, and it just stuck...

Interesting indeed! There’s not a piece of NYC equipment that used that logo that didn’t look sharp.

PRESS RELEASE: MTA.info

Metro-North Railroad Debuts Fourth Wrapped Locomotive from Heritage Series

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad has rebranded a fourth locomotive with special colors and designs as part of a Heritage Series to highlight the railroad’s 40 years of service to the public.

Skilled craft workers at Metro-North’s North White Plains Shop applied a vinyl wrap to locomotive No. 217 paying tribute to the Penn Central Railroad Corporation.

The train made its debut run on the Hudson Line on Monday, March 11, departing Croton-Harmon station at 7:58 a.m., and arriving at Grand Central Terminal at 8:55 a.m.

“Every new wrapped locomotive reminds us of the incredible history of rail travel in the region that preceded the formation of Metro-North Railroad,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “These wraps give rail enthusiasts and everyone who uses Metro-North every day an opportunity to step back in time as they travel down the scenic Hudson River.”

In the spring of 1970, the MTA signed an agreement with the Penn Central Railroad Corporation to subsidize the operations of the Hudson, Harlem and New Haven commuter rail lines which would later become the core rail lines that would make up Metro-North Railroad in 1983.?

One of the stipulations of the subsidy agreement with the MTA was that the Penn Central Railroad would rehabilitate some of its equipment and repaint it in the colors of New York State – a bright yellow and medium blue colors.?

FL9 locomotives 5014 and 5050 were the first two locomotives painted in this scheme, and these two locomotives were put into service on train 912 from Brewster to Grand Central Terminal on July 28, 1970.? In addition to the freshly painted locomotives, a complete set of refurbished coaches filled out this consist of this inaugural run to Grand Central Terminal. This particular paint scheme of the yellow and medium blue could be seen on many of Penn Central’s FL9 locomotives from 1970 until the start of Conrail operations on April 1, 1976.

The third rebranded locomotive paid tribute to New York Central, the predecessor railroad that operated on the Hudson and Harlem lines. Metro-North’s locomotive No. 211. Made its debut run on the Hudson Line, Tuesday, Nov. 14, 2023, departing Croton-Harmon station at 7:31 a.m., and arriving at Grand Central Terminal at 8:26 a.m.

The second rebranded locomotive paid tribute to Conrail, the railroad which is Metro-North's immediate predecessor. The train made its debut on the Hudson Line Monday, Aug. 14, 2023, departing the Croton-Harmon station at 7:31 a.m., and arriving at Grand Central Terminal at 8:26 a.m. The design of the wrap mimics the paint scheme applied to older FL9 locomotives that Conrail operated for the MTA over the Hudson, Harlem, and New Haven Lines from 1976 to 1982. Metro-North’s locomotive No. 201 is one of 31 P32ACDM models the railroad uses to provide service on the northern Hudson and Harlem Lines and the New Haven Line’s Danbury and Waterbury Branches.

The first rebrand in the series was locomotive No. 208, which made its debut in May 2023 with a vinyl wrap of silver, blue, and red to pay homage to Metro-North’s original design. The design was created upon the railroad’s founding in 1983 for the railroad’s historic FL9 locomotives and worn by them until the last was retired in April 2007.

The wrapped locomotives will remain in service for the foreseeable future.

So, model number 3 is ready as well...

Acela82 wrote: ↑Sun Mar 17, 2024 10:37 am So, model number 3 is ready as well...

pc217-5.jpg

Is the paint meant to gradually change color to white and turquoise after a couple of years?