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  • Thread For Posting Heritage Unit Locations

  • Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.
Discussion related to Amtrak also known as the National Railroad Passenger Corp.

Moderators: GirlOnTheTrain, mtuandrew, Tadman

 #888485  by strench707
 
This is apparently one of things in gearing up for Amtrak's 40th Birthday!!! I'll let the pic speak for itself!

Image

*Photo taken by Nick O'Dell.

Davis
Last edited by strench707 on Mon Jan 10, 2011 8:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #888506  by hi55us
 
Is this at the Bear Shops? Looks cool!
 #888519  by amtrakhogger
 
Word has it that Amtrak is going back to the pointless arrow for it's logo. So this may be a sign of things to come.
 #888539  by Matt Johnson
 
amtrakhogger wrote:Word has it that Amtrak is going back to the pointless arrow for it's logo. So this may be a sign of things to come.
Really? That's weird. I actually like the current logo much better, as well as the current paint scheme. (The logo's not as big a deal, but I hope they stick with one color scheme, as whenever they change it, it takes years to update the entire fleet and get to a point of decent looking uniform consists!)
 #888558  by strench707
 
hi55us wrote:Is this at the Bear Shops? Looks cool!
Beech Grove, IN.

Word is they are making a heritage train that will go around to all of the terminals in the system. There's also word that they're gonna fire up some F40s but we'll have to wait and see. :P

Davis
 #888563  by Jersey_Mike
 
Cool! Maybe they'll run some of their vintage "Amfleet" equipment or dust off some Superliner I's. Oh man, I remember those stainless steel "tube" trains running around when I was a kid. They were so futuristic looking! I even heard some rumors that they might unearth a few of the "Heritage" cars from the 1950's. Wow, where the hell have they been storing those? I can't believe how much Amtrak has changed since the mid 1970's. :P
 #888568  by Gilbert B Norman
 
Like any other Federal agency, Amtrak is not required to return a surplus to the US Treasury, and the increase in both Corridor and LD ridership has resulted in just that. However, over the years, Amtrak has learned how to "play the Washington game' and knows that there cannot be too much of a surplus, lest you become first target for a budget cut next Fiscal Year.

But this has got to be a waste of the first magnitude; aside from the railfan photography community enjoying (disdaining) a return to the days of "Rainbow trains', this will prove nothing beyond getting Amtrak in the X-hairs of a now Republican controlled House Appropriations committee.

Time for Amtrak to take a page from American Airlines' playbook.
 #888594  by Jtgshu
 
I totally disagree GBN. How much "waste" is putting a differnet decal on a loco or car that is being "repainted" (they don't even use paint anymore really other than the base colors, if any) The time spent for someone to come up with the design and put it in the computer? A computer cuts the decals, its no different than making a "standard" decal.

There is something unique about the railroad and Amtrak with its varied history. While there are fans of other gov't organizations, I don't think there would be much fanfare if the say....IRS decided to go retro and celebrate their history! hahahha

If anything, it shows Amtrak more in touch with itself and its history, and in turn its history and the people who ride, and how they view the railroad. One could argue that its a throwback to the "good times" of the 1980s, with the commericals and the more visible role Amtrak played back then in media.

With National Train Day which is a success, and this, Its refreshing to see the excitement about something that was written off for dead not very long ago.

BTW, the loco looks GREAT. The 3 stripes "are Amtrak" and one of those things that are recongizable without a name being necessary. and not even just to railfans, to "normal" people too!
 #888611  by Jersey_Mike
 
Time for Amtrak to take a page from American Airlines' playbook.
They are taking a page from an Airline that people actually want to fly.
Last edited by Jersey_Mike on Mon Jan 10, 2011 1:12 pm, edited 1 time in total.
 #888630  by mtuandrew
 
Likewise, US Airways has recently shown up with aircraft in heritage colors of Pacific Southwest Airlines, Allegheny Airlines, and a pair of America West paint schemes. It costs an airline a lot more money to repaint a plane than it does Amtrak to re"paint" a locomotive, especially one whose paint scheme is one that Amtrak shop crews knew well - with Amtrak's 40th anniversary coming up, let them have their fun.
 #888672  by Pacific 2-3-1
 
Well, as far as historical usage, Amtrak never completely abandoned the use of the name "Amtrak" in the original upper-and-lower-case Helvetica typeface. It has remained unaltered on both the cars and the F59 locomotives used for the "Amtrak California" San Joaquins and Pacific Surfliners, as well as the Pacific Northwest Amtrak Cascades.

Furthermore, the Acela Express cars/locomotives display the name "Amtrak" written in RED Helvetica letters under the windows (where the number board would have otherwise been placed). The "acela" logo and color scheme slightly predate the present Amtrak logo.

Some may have noticed that starting with the October 26, 2009 National Timetable, the name "Amtrak" was changed from all-caps to upper-and lower-case spelling for the phrase "The Amtrak System" at the top of the fold-out map.
 #888690  by strench707
 
Something also important to note is that the employees who work on National Train Day and 40th Anniversary stuff do it voluntarily in addition to their normal work. This goes to show how many Amtrak workers are really proud and interested in their company! I don't see how this could be a waste in the least. Even if it was spending money in a way that doesn't directly translate to profits, its been forty years and now things are starting look good for Amtrak. In fact with press about it sure to come and people seeing the trains and signs around, it may attract more customers, and translate into some return on the festivities.

Davis
 #888776  by Jtgshu
 
uh oh, the pic link don't work - maybe someone in high places saw it :(

either way, i can't wait to see it in 1:1 scale!
 #888787  by strench707
 
Works fine on my end. Its a teaser photo so far. They took a half picture of it for a reason, lol. Its anyone's guess which unit this is but there's good evidence that its P40DC #822.

Davis
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