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?

https://new.mta.info/press-release/phot ... ries-honor

Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) Metro-North Railroad has rebranded a fifth locomotive with special colors and designs as part of a Heritage Series to highlight the railroad’s 40 years of service to the public. Unlike the previous four rebrands, the rebranding of locomotive No. 214 pays tribute to the Metro-North workforce. Skilled craft workers at Metro-North’s North White Plains Shop restored locomotive No. 214, and a wrap was applied featuring pictures of past and present Metro-North workers.

The full-size mosaic images, created from the individual employee photographs, on each side of the locomotive are representative of Metro-North's East of Hudson lines, with the clock tower at White Plains station representing the Harlem Line, a New York Cityscape representing the Grand Central, a view of the Hudson River from the Bear Mountain Bridge for the Hudson Line and Bridgeport’s Black Rock Harbor Lighthouse for the New Haven Line. As a historical nod, one side of the locomotive uses the old two-toned “M” logo of the MTA, and the other side uses the modern MTA logo.

“All the progress Metro-North has made since 1983 can be credited to the faces you see on this train,” said Metro-North Railroad President Catherine Rinaldi. “When customers and rail enthusiasts see this employee tribute locomotive on the rails, I hope they use it as a reminder to thank Metro-North employees for the work they do every day to keep our system safe and our trains on the move.”

The employee tribute rebrand will make its way to employee facilities following a special ceremony held today at North White Plains.

The last rebranded locomotive hit the rails in March, and paid tribute to Penn Central, one of Metro-North's predecessor railroads. 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.

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.

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. 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.

This video from RetiredRailfanHornGuy at about 1/4 the way through claims that a MNRR operations department employee said that an additional P32 will be given a NYNH&H late 1940s era green and gold wrap. It didn’t specify as to whether it would be an MTA or ConnDOT owned unit, but my guess is the former as the ConnDOT units have been relatively recently repainted.

NH - Retired Railfan's video of the CH Open House was a good overview of his visit and travel that day...
Good to see this here after either the YT link or my device would not work when I tried to post this
specific video in that topic...

Earlier on I suggested P32 #203 be used for the NYNH&H 1950s green and orange color scheme taking
note to the condition on that specific unit's livery - and a reason that (203) would be even more of a
way to honor CT's most important historical fallen flag railroad...MACTRAXX

Well “the 203” does find its way into both Fairfield and New Haven counties…

I stand corrected the deep orange and green as depicted on the NH’s PA-1 locomotives would look much better on the Genesis model.

https://rapidotrains.com/ho-pa-1-dc-dcc ... -0760.html

One can only wonder what it would have looked like on the FL9s… (though a Canadian National FP9A was outfitted with a similar looking “nose paint job” for a movie shoot in 1972 as seen on Page 78 in the book “Diesels To Park Avenue”).


Now there is another livery option that could work nicely on the P32s: the dark green with white pinstripes EP-4 delivery paint scheme (as seen in the image below).
https://cs.trains.com/mrr/m/mrr-layouts/2292003.aspx

A couple of notes - 1) the scheme uses silver pinstripes, not white; and 2) the EP-4s (like the EP3's, and EP-2's before them) were delivered in green and gold. Variations of that paint scheme were used on New Haven equipment from the 1930's (on DL-109s) to the 1950's. While there were some other schemes used (green and warm orange w/pinstripes, various versions of green with silver pinstripes), the only major move away from the green & gold combination came with McGinnis and the Herbert Matter-designed schemes of the late 1950's.

I honestly think the orange and green would look better on the body shape of the P32's. The green with gold pinstripes is pretty, but feel like it would be, I dunno, too much? If that makes sense?

Having the cab and upper quarter of the sides in green with the lower portion in orange would break things up a bit.