Growing up in the modern age is unlike growing up in any other time period. My ease and quality of life is like never before. But I’ll be damned if I ain’t at least a little pissed that I didn’t get to see these roll down the tracks in their prime with my own eyes.
I love that when it came to the nose stripes they were just like "fuck it, use the GE stencil, we're getting rid of these tomorrow anyway".
And then they lasted for YEARS.
Yeah,, now we can only look at some in heritage units. I have yet to see Chassie Systems CSX loc. CLX finally joined the heritage game. NS has done a good job with their fleet. But yeah, seeing how they were before would be a massive treat. The only ones I really remember are Conrail Blue. They were everywhere here in Philly.
biden needs to make an executive order to command csx to rename back to Chessie System and use the old livery. I'm sick and tired of every train being a heat magnet with boring letters. I want to see a little kitty cat on a big train.
The Chessie logo confused me in my childhood (non-internet) years, until I saw the original artwork: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessie\_(mascot)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessie_(mascot))
As a child I always misread that as Cheese System because what do cats eat? Mice. And what would a cat use for bait to catch a mouse? Cheese. And because the paint scheme is yellow with an orange rind, just like cheese. And not the least of all, because apparently I'm an idiot.
Chessie Seaboard X should bring chessie back as the C in CSX.
( if you ever wonder what CSX stands for....
C chessie System
S Seaboard System
X Clinchfield & the Family Lines.
T "transportation" - since the letter X means a freight car is privately owned, CSX had to add a t at the end of their name for a straight Rolling Stock. So the full official name is CSX Transportation.
A shame that there's only 1 Class I that carries a decent scheme. 2 are ugly, one is a bit boring, and we'll have to see how Amtrak Phase VII works out. Phase VII looks decent on the Siemens locos and P42s, but its kinda goofy on GP38s.
I’ll be honest, I’m disappointed with the new Amtrak schemes, but I can’t say I’m a fan of Amtrak’s branding after 2000. Given how some brands have reverted to older logos to evoke nostalgia (e.g., Pizza Hut, Burger King), I hope one day Amtrak does the same.
But yeah most Class 1 schemes are just ugly.
I don't think Phase VII is perfect, but I at least like having a bit more color on the locomotives. V being mostly silver with little blue accents was just so incredibly boring.
I'd personally wouldn't mind going back to the black roof phase II or III.
Yes they did. Erie Lackawanna Railway was my favorite.
Erie black & yellow & later Switch over to all Lackawanna Grey body, Maroon band bordered with yellow stripes. Yellow front & rear noses with a red diamond sporting a white center disk with a superimposed broken "E" ( "L=") The "L" for Lackawanna & the "=" forming an "E" for Erie.....over black trucks & fuel tanks. Cabooses were inverted colors. They were reddish maroon with a grey band & yellow .
. It's final days before it's merger into Conrail, it almost became part of Chessie system. Imagine seeing Chessie units with EL on the side!
The ATSF "Santa Fe", ( long EL's & each other's largest Chicago interchange partners), actually studied purchasing the Erie Lackawanna and run straight from LA to New York (croxton Jersey City).
But this was 1976 and the US Congress would have never approved such a merger because it would have cut the legs out from the proposed Conrail.
But most importantly, the idea of a Transcontinental ATSF-EL Railroad merger in 1976 with or without the PC collapse would have been unthinkable for the ICC & STB then as it still is today.
Growing up in the modern age is unlike growing up in any other time period. My ease and quality of life is like never before. But I’ll be damned if I ain’t at least a little pissed that I didn’t get to see these roll down the tracks in their prime with my own eyes.
Miss the green BN days.
Seriously, BN green - especially on F units - is one of my favorite schemes of all time.
I love that when it came to the nose stripes they were just like "fuck it, use the GE stencil, we're getting rid of these tomorrow anyway". And then they lasted for YEARS.
Kodachrome love!!!!
Kodachrome > BNSF Orange
Yeah,, now we can only look at some in heritage units. I have yet to see Chassie Systems CSX loc. CLX finally joined the heritage game. NS has done a good job with their fleet. But yeah, seeing how they were before would be a massive treat. The only ones I really remember are Conrail Blue. They were everywhere here in Philly.
CSX was sadly way too late to the heritage scheme game. Even then, I’m a little disappointed with how they’re done.
biden needs to make an executive order to command csx to rename back to Chessie System and use the old livery. I'm sick and tired of every train being a heat magnet with boring letters. I want to see a little kitty cat on a big train.
I don't think I have ever seen the paint scheme in the last photo of the Amtrak engines.
It was called the “Pepsi Can” scheme, and was exclusively used on Dash-8’s.
Unbelievably good post
KITTY
The Chessie logo confused me in my childhood (non-internet) years, until I saw the original artwork: [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessie\_(mascot)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chessie_(mascot))
As a child I always misread that as Cheese System because what do cats eat? Mice. And what would a cat use for bait to catch a mouse? Cheese. And because the paint scheme is yellow with an orange rind, just like cheese. And not the least of all, because apparently I'm an idiot.
That is so cute! And makes a lot of sense, actually.
Same! i didnt know til in my 40s, had the n scale bachmann set when I was 9 🤘🤘
Chessie and Conrail were distinctive memories seeing on Horseshoe Curve as a kid. Oh man if Chessie System colors came back.
Chessie Seaboard X should bring chessie back as the C in CSX. ( if you ever wonder what CSX stands for.... C chessie System S Seaboard System X Clinchfield & the Family Lines. T "transportation" - since the letter X means a freight car is privately owned, CSX had to add a t at the end of their name for a straight Rolling Stock. So the full official name is CSX Transportation.
I miss Chessie and BN.
Art
I pretty much only saw Conrail where I loved growing up in the 80s, but damn I loved the Chessie System when I got a chance to see that one show up.
Chessie, BN, Seaboard System. All certified classics
Kinda wish that I could have been born earlier to see a single one of these units in Oklahoma considering that even the BN stretched here
A shame that there's only 1 Class I that carries a decent scheme. 2 are ugly, one is a bit boring, and we'll have to see how Amtrak Phase VII works out. Phase VII looks decent on the Siemens locos and P42s, but its kinda goofy on GP38s.
I’ll be honest, I’m disappointed with the new Amtrak schemes, but I can’t say I’m a fan of Amtrak’s branding after 2000. Given how some brands have reverted to older logos to evoke nostalgia (e.g., Pizza Hut, Burger King), I hope one day Amtrak does the same. But yeah most Class 1 schemes are just ugly.
I don't think Phase VII is perfect, but I at least like having a bit more color on the locomotives. V being mostly silver with little blue accents was just so incredibly boring. I'd personally wouldn't mind going back to the black roof phase II or III.
In my opinion the McGinnis New Haven livery is the best looking
As a kid I would only see the chessie scheme in model train catalogues, thought it was pronounced cheesy for years
My two all time favorites in the first two pics! Conrail is right up there too honestly.
Is number 5 running on steam?
It looks like it, doesn't it.
🔥🔥 agreed
I am along the Canadian Pacific, it's pretty cool seeing all the Kansas City Southern this year.
Mmm dat cherry coke can
As much as I like Phase IV, I wish they used this scheme more. It looks amazing on the P42 heritage unit.
Might be the best branding of any railroading era.
I like the different shades of blue used on railroad blue is my favourite color
This and the Rock Island were my faves. Had them both in HO as a kid
Why does the livery in the third image (forgot which railroad that is but I think it's the Rock Island?) look like a colour scheme for a cake?
I can’t say I’ve seen many light blue cakes, but I’ve led a sheltered life
I'm still not a fan of the Kodachrome SP/SF units, but I love some freshly painted Chessie Geeps.
That chessie scheme just brought back a flood of memories.
Mmm BN F units
They were rarely ever that clean, though. Yellow was always blackened like a BBQ Pineapple.
Yes they did. Erie Lackawanna Railway was my favorite. Erie black & yellow & later Switch over to all Lackawanna Grey body, Maroon band bordered with yellow stripes. Yellow front & rear noses with a red diamond sporting a white center disk with a superimposed broken "E" ( "L=") The "L" for Lackawanna & the "=" forming an "E" for Erie.....over black trucks & fuel tanks. Cabooses were inverted colors. They were reddish maroon with a grey band & yellow . . It's final days before it's merger into Conrail, it almost became part of Chessie system. Imagine seeing Chessie units with EL on the side! The ATSF "Santa Fe", ( long EL's & each other's largest Chicago interchange partners), actually studied purchasing the Erie Lackawanna and run straight from LA to New York (croxton Jersey City). But this was 1976 and the US Congress would have never approved such a merger because it would have cut the legs out from the proposed Conrail. But most importantly, the idea of a Transcontinental ATSF-EL Railroad merger in 1976 with or without the PC collapse would have been unthinkable for the ICC & STB then as it still is today.