I was sitting at a crossing watching a mixed train roil by and noticed how drab most cars are these days. Later in the day I went to my train room and looked at my small fleet of freight cars. Lots of red and blue and green, etc. Just huge splashes of color. Even my diesels are colorful. So are trains less colorful nowadays? Or is my fleet of train cars just magically like a 64 pack of Crayolas? DOH! I meant were, not where. lol
Great Northern, (very image conscience company), had thier 40 boxcars in all kinds of colors. They were so bright folks dubbed em "circus cars" even though they were for regular freight. I have no idea what era they are from. Also: CP Rail - Bright red freight cars Red White and Blue State of Maine cars. Then again I'm sure there were lots of companies that did flat black / brown / what ever was cheepest etc..
There are still bright colored cars these days. Check out the centerbeam flats, Canadian grain pool hoppers, autoracks, etc. Then there's graffiti...
Well it is relative. Compared to modern era? Yes I think railroads in general were more colorful. Chessie compared to CSX? Chessie wins. Locomotives and freight cars had some color because there was still some public perception. Also the Bicentennial had a role in some colorful locomotives, cars and cabeese. Were the 1970's railroads more colorful than the 1950's? No. By the late 1960's the railroads were experimenting with less labor intense and costly paint schemes. Witness the original B&M maroon and gold to the blue dip, D&H's lighting bolt blue and gray to dark blue and yellow. There are always surprises like BNSF, but most railroads just use paint as a means to an end. Keep the rust off. Jim
On must appreciate that before the consolidation and collapse of most of the U.S. rail system, companies were vying for quick recognition in the public's eye and particularly among potential shippers. Post 1970's, with only a few major carries left after the dust cleared, there was far less need to call attention to the few companies that remained...you had a simple choice between using them or trucks. Elaborate multi-color schemes also cost more and modern companies were looking to cut spending in every way possible. You'll notice that even the basic maintanence of existing cars (beyond simple saftety) has declined dramatically. NYW&B
I agree, I think one can go way back in time to see that colors came and went depending on the economics of the time. In the 1870s engines and passenger cars were generally very ornately painted, but this quickly gave way to basic black engines and basic car colors (Green, Yellow, or Maroon being very common) for cost and lower maintenance. When people found they could advertise on cars we see lots of color come back on specific cars, like reefers. All of this sort of went drab during the depression when the railroads really could not afford to keep up paint jobs, and this was followed by the war where many of these resources were being used elsewhere. The 1950s were not only colorful but they were also "space-age" in that streamiling and use of aluminum siding in passenger runs was becoming popular. Color in the 1950s can be equated to a booming economy and an attempt to get away from the drab memories of the war years. Although this carried into the 1960s, I believe general inflation and other problems eventually led back to basic car colors so that by the 1970s things were becoming drab. That trend really lasted into the 1980s. Sure there were a variety of engine colors, but rolling stock in general got boring. Part of it too was railroad consolidation and creation of new rail "systems." Today the industry has changed dramatically, and color is still there. Stack containers are very colorful and the various engine colors are interesting if not attractive (BNSF in particular). Anyway, my 2 Cents worth... John
I think it's more an issue of economics - using many different paints, masking, and stencils for logos just takes more time and labor. Definitely think the 1960's and 1970's were more colorful. The passenger trains of the 1950's were spectacular - and greatly missed.
There's little doubt that railroads from the late '50's through early '70's were much more colorful than any other period. The use of Chinese Red, purple & silver, varyiing shades of green - and don't forget the blues. Even the smaller roads, such as TP&W, M&StL, NC&StL got into the act. Watching a freight train then was much more exciting and interesting. Contrast that with a freight on today's CSX, at least in this area - out of 100 cars; 82 are CSXT, 6 are St. Mary's Railroad and the other 12 are various shipper owned cars. Efficient, no doubt - attractive or interesting - no. And, by the way, this is not to disparage those who have chosen to model all the longer, very plain cars of today's railroading. It is just a different type of modeling/railroading. Better flanged wheels than no flanged wheels.
I disagree. Having worked for the last forty years as a railroader, I believe the most colorful period of railroading was the late 1960 to 1980 era. This was due to the new fleets of covered hoppers which were replacing the 40' grain boxes and the abundance of new 50', high perdiem, boxcars which flooded the rails. Looking back, it was a grim time for the rails due to over abundance of track and not enough revenue to maintain and keep it in service. It was however a very colorful time rrackside. Barry
Actually, CP post-1968 freight cars were red, yellow, green or black. Combined with the red-orange engines and all unified by the Multimark, it was certainly the boldest-looking time in CP's history. In fact, Chessie compared to pre-Chessie B&O/C&O? Chessie still wins. 1960s CB&Q. Chinese red, old "Blackbirds", silver passenger units, and in its last year, Cascade green pre-BN colors. Early BN was even more of a riot. You got all those CB&Q schemes, GN Empire Builder, simplified Empire Builder and Big Sky Blue, NP "canoe" freight and two-tone green passenger, SP&S black/yellow, and of course Cascade green. However, current BNSF is just as varied when it comes to locomotive paint. And not in the manner of early CSX, either. There were many predecessor schemes and several early CSX schemes, but most were gray and/or blue and/or black. BNSF is as colorful as early BN. And, of course, PC had some of the dullest locomotives in existence, but their aquamarine freight cars made up for it. Witness the return of Southern Belle colors to KCS, after decades of successive red, white and gray dip jobs. Were the 60s and 70s more colorful? It depends on where you look. Were they better-looking? That's a matter of opinion. In general, I'm not a lover of EMD's transition-era cab unit schemes (DL&W/EL being an exception). I like the simple, bold look of CP Multimark, CN sergeant stripes, Chessie, Conrail, BN, Frisco Mandarin/white... the 60s-70s "modern" look. Then again, I also like modern schemes like MRL that reflect that style.
I live about three or four blocks from the joint line near Alemeda and Santa Fe. I see trains most days of the week, but it's mostly unit coal shuffling back and forth. *Yawn* It's those mixed manifest trains that get my blood flowing. Also those Mexican state railways diesels catch my eye. I see quarter mile rail trains coming out of pueblo mills too. Once, I was sitting in a diner and got to see the Boeing airplane fusalage train roll by, now that was a real treat!
Ah, I think Triplex is right--you're talking about a "mixed freight." The phrase "mixed train" traditionally means freight and passenger in the same train. Hasn't been done in revenue service for years (at least, that I know of).
Ontario Northland still regularly runs mixed trains. NdeM/FNM hasn't existed for about ten years. Some of their two-tone blue engines are certainly still around, though.
I have to say trains were more colorful back then before they got blan. I live close to the Georgia Railroad rail line in my home town, owned by Central Of Georgia in the days. now CSX. we see alot of different manifest trains there usually CSX, but we do see some brightly colored trains from FEC, making trips to Atlanta. Also BNSF, UP, and NS. Have to agree BNSF are some very flashy units, also some of the FEC trains running through. I usually see intermodal manifests here though.
I think you're all overlooking how colorful today's international stacktrains are. Tell me these as colorful as anything else that's ever been on the rails... http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=183076 http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=181086 The main thing we don't have going for us these days is that there are fewer railroads so we see fewer different locomotive paint schemes. But I think that as a group, todays locomotive paint schemes are as colorful as ever. You guys have seen the Ferromex paint scheme, right? Also, CSX has moved away from gray, and KCS appears to be doing so as well.
And power-by-the-hour, runthrough and longer-term lease power are all common, meaning that you'll see more foreign units on any given railroad that you would have in earlier times.
Yup, my lingo for a mixed freight is just a mixed train. I see the confusion. Mixed consist is pretty well gone. About those diesels I thought may be from Mexico. Maybe i'm seeing some leased power with sort of mexican color schemes. Big grey things with what look like a mexican flag on em.
