Post by URR566 on Jul 30, 2014 9:26:16 GMT -5
The first ever blue and white painted locomotive, Buffalo 619, made its debut forty years ago this summer (I don’t have an exact date for when it was painted). At the time it was an experiment in an attempt to replace the Apple Green scheme with something that would stand up to the elements better. The Apple Green scheme had been around since May 1970 (cabooses had been green since 68) and faded badly due to the harsh environments the railroads equipment operated in. Over time the blue and white scheme was the longest enduring and most photographed paint scheme the railroad ever had with four basic variations appearing with the only major changes being the type of lettering they apply to the units.
I always noticed there were several versions and felt it was unfair that nobody ever took the time to name them. Railroads such as BNSF, CSX, Union Pacific, and Santa Fe all had different schemes and each were named, the URR had four versions of blue so I felt it was only fair to give them names. Maybe I’m nobody and don’t have the right to do this but I did it and it makes identifying paint schemes easier. I used articles or inside knowledge about either the name of the color used or the time period which they were using each scheme when attempting to name them. My findings have never been published anywhere before. I have already seen someone use the True Blue name before, but that person was using it in a different context than how I use it.
In the early-mid 1970’s, the Union Railroad had problems with their Apple Green paint scheme fading and becoming dirty. I have seen some engines that were repainted every two years due to the green turning grey. The railroad set out to create a new scheme that would stand up to the elements better.
The first blue scheme the URR developed was this one:
This scheme first appears in the summer of 1974 on Buffalo 619 (contrary to what most people say, which is that diesels have been painted blue since 1975). It reused the stencil style logo and numerals (with a different number font) employed on the previous Apple Green scheme, with the blue replacing the green and the white replacing the yellow. Since this was the first blue scheme, and was literally an experiment, it was referred to as the “Experimental Blue” scheme.
The second blue scheme has a bit of a back story to it. In July 1975, the URR took delivery of their second order of MP15’s from EMD (URR 15-19). These were the first bought new locomotives to wear blue and white from the factory. The URR requested that EMD deliver the units painted like this:
Only the number decals and “1500-H.P.” were applied by EMD, the Hall Shops would apply the rest of the lettering to them upon delivery. At that time the URR was still using the Experimental Blue lettering however that is not the way these would be lettered.
Ok, lets get back on track. The second blue scheme is this one:
www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1086292
This scheme first appears in August 1975. The basic blue and white was reused from the Experimental Blue scheme, as well as the stencil style numbers, however the locomotives now wear the “Tri-Colored” Logo and the name “UNION R.R.” is spelled out on the hood. The lettering and logos were designed by a secretary of the company specifically for Bicentennial MP15 17, and from then on this lettering would be applied to all other blue and white units painted at Hall. According to an article I once read, the shade of blue on this scheme was called “Imorn Blue” (don’t know how accurate that is, but that is my understanding). Since that’s what I know, I dubbed this scheme as the “Imron Blue” paint scheme. It should be noted that the factory painted MP15’s and SW1001’s are NOT painted this way, in photos of those units sitting next to engines painted at Hall, the blue appears to be a slightly different shade, although I‘m not entirely certain of this. Also, the shade of blue on the “Experimental Blue” scheme seems to be the same on the Imron Blue scheme, the lettering is what changed. In later years, some of these locomotives would have the lettering and logos, which sometimes wore off, replaced with newer styles that were in use at that time.
The third scheme shown here first appears around the fall of 1978/early 1979:
The shade of blue appears to be darker than before. The Tri-Colored Logos now feature a white ring around the outer edge, the numbers are no longer of the stencil style and the font on the name “UNION R.R.” has changed to a Century Gothic style (just as the numbering font had been since the debut of the Experimental Blue scheme in ‘74). This scheme was used up until the late 1980’s. I have never heard of a name for the color used, and since this was the scheme applied to units repainted throughout the 80’s, I refer to it as the “1980’s Blue“. Spotting features on this scheme vary a bit over time. On early repaints the bottom step edge is blue and the corners of the hand railings are painted blue. Like the Experimental Blue and Imron Blue schemes the two center handrail posts/drop steps are painted blue. Over time, locomotives had wore off lettering and logos replaced with whatever was the norm at the time, which can get a bit confusing when trying to date a locomotives scheme.
The fourth blue scheme first appears in 1989:
The basic blue and white gets reused. The shade of blue appears lighter than the previous version. The lettering drastically changes, a new style font is used, it becomes very thin (both the name and numbers) the periods after the letters “R” are eliminated, the logo stays the same. This scheme was and is the longest lasting of them all, it remained standard until 2002, and the majority of the locomotives you see in service today still wear this scheme. Due to its 20+ year run, and mainly due to what a friend said is THE NAME OF THE COLOR USED TO DO TOUCH UP WORK AND PATCH JOBS TO THESE UNITS, I have called this scheme the “True Blue” scheme. This scheme has the highest number of variations due to its long lifespan. Early repaints had the two center handrail posts and drop steps painted blue, this was later eliminated. Starting in 1995, all locomotives began receiving fluorescent orange step edges/railings for safety sake, which I believe was actually copied from the B&LE. Starting January 1997, a small white rectangular decal was applied to all units, this was the ISO 9002 decal, it lasts until 2002. At some point, all lettering became reflective 3M Scotchlite decals (it may have always been Scotchlite, but I think it became reflective in the early-mid 90’s I‘m not sure). This is all the further I will go on this scheme, since it lasts so long there are too many variations to name.
Here are some examples of older schemes being modernized. Note that these updated schemes do not go past the True Blue era:
SW1500 7 has a little bit of everything present. This is Imron Blue paint with the Bicentennial font on the hood (mostly faded), the numbers and “F” have been replaced with the 1980’s Blue lettering, fluorescent orange step edges and railings (added 1995/96) and the ISO 9002 logo (1997) the original Tri-Colored logo has been replaced with the newer white ringed version to boot:
MP15 32 wears 1980’s Blue, but the majority of the lettering has been replaced with the thin True Blue lettering. It also features fluorescent orange step edges/railings (1995) and the ISO 9002 decal (1997). This engine still looks this way today except minus the ISO 9002 decal that was removed:
Number 569 wears the 80’s Blue, but it has fluorescent orange step edges/railings (1995) and the ISO 9002 decal (1997). Also, check out how the O in UNION is smaller than the other letters, its actually the number zero:
578 Wears its old Imron Blue, but a new white ringed logo has been applied to the cab:
I always noticed there were several versions and felt it was unfair that nobody ever took the time to name them. Railroads such as BNSF, CSX, Union Pacific, and Santa Fe all had different schemes and each were named, the URR had four versions of blue so I felt it was only fair to give them names. Maybe I’m nobody and don’t have the right to do this but I did it and it makes identifying paint schemes easier. I used articles or inside knowledge about either the name of the color used or the time period which they were using each scheme when attempting to name them. My findings have never been published anywhere before. I have already seen someone use the True Blue name before, but that person was using it in a different context than how I use it.
In the early-mid 1970’s, the Union Railroad had problems with their Apple Green paint scheme fading and becoming dirty. I have seen some engines that were repainted every two years due to the green turning grey. The railroad set out to create a new scheme that would stand up to the elements better.
The first blue scheme the URR developed was this one:
This scheme first appears in the summer of 1974 on Buffalo 619 (contrary to what most people say, which is that diesels have been painted blue since 1975). It reused the stencil style logo and numerals (with a different number font) employed on the previous Apple Green scheme, with the blue replacing the green and the white replacing the yellow. Since this was the first blue scheme, and was literally an experiment, it was referred to as the “Experimental Blue” scheme.
The second blue scheme has a bit of a back story to it. In July 1975, the URR took delivery of their second order of MP15’s from EMD (URR 15-19). These were the first bought new locomotives to wear blue and white from the factory. The URR requested that EMD deliver the units painted like this:
Only the number decals and “1500-H.P.” were applied by EMD, the Hall Shops would apply the rest of the lettering to them upon delivery. At that time the URR was still using the Experimental Blue lettering however that is not the way these would be lettered.
Ok, lets get back on track. The second blue scheme is this one:
www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1086292
This scheme first appears in August 1975. The basic blue and white was reused from the Experimental Blue scheme, as well as the stencil style numbers, however the locomotives now wear the “Tri-Colored” Logo and the name “UNION R.R.” is spelled out on the hood. The lettering and logos were designed by a secretary of the company specifically for Bicentennial MP15 17, and from then on this lettering would be applied to all other blue and white units painted at Hall. According to an article I once read, the shade of blue on this scheme was called “Imorn Blue” (don’t know how accurate that is, but that is my understanding). Since that’s what I know, I dubbed this scheme as the “Imron Blue” paint scheme. It should be noted that the factory painted MP15’s and SW1001’s are NOT painted this way, in photos of those units sitting next to engines painted at Hall, the blue appears to be a slightly different shade, although I‘m not entirely certain of this. Also, the shade of blue on the “Experimental Blue” scheme seems to be the same on the Imron Blue scheme, the lettering is what changed. In later years, some of these locomotives would have the lettering and logos, which sometimes wore off, replaced with newer styles that were in use at that time.
The third scheme shown here first appears around the fall of 1978/early 1979:
The shade of blue appears to be darker than before. The Tri-Colored Logos now feature a white ring around the outer edge, the numbers are no longer of the stencil style and the font on the name “UNION R.R.” has changed to a Century Gothic style (just as the numbering font had been since the debut of the Experimental Blue scheme in ‘74). This scheme was used up until the late 1980’s. I have never heard of a name for the color used, and since this was the scheme applied to units repainted throughout the 80’s, I refer to it as the “1980’s Blue“. Spotting features on this scheme vary a bit over time. On early repaints the bottom step edge is blue and the corners of the hand railings are painted blue. Like the Experimental Blue and Imron Blue schemes the two center handrail posts/drop steps are painted blue. Over time, locomotives had wore off lettering and logos replaced with whatever was the norm at the time, which can get a bit confusing when trying to date a locomotives scheme.
The fourth blue scheme first appears in 1989:
The basic blue and white gets reused. The shade of blue appears lighter than the previous version. The lettering drastically changes, a new style font is used, it becomes very thin (both the name and numbers) the periods after the letters “R” are eliminated, the logo stays the same. This scheme was and is the longest lasting of them all, it remained standard until 2002, and the majority of the locomotives you see in service today still wear this scheme. Due to its 20+ year run, and mainly due to what a friend said is THE NAME OF THE COLOR USED TO DO TOUCH UP WORK AND PATCH JOBS TO THESE UNITS, I have called this scheme the “True Blue” scheme. This scheme has the highest number of variations due to its long lifespan. Early repaints had the two center handrail posts and drop steps painted blue, this was later eliminated. Starting in 1995, all locomotives began receiving fluorescent orange step edges/railings for safety sake, which I believe was actually copied from the B&LE. Starting January 1997, a small white rectangular decal was applied to all units, this was the ISO 9002 decal, it lasts until 2002. At some point, all lettering became reflective 3M Scotchlite decals (it may have always been Scotchlite, but I think it became reflective in the early-mid 90’s I‘m not sure). This is all the further I will go on this scheme, since it lasts so long there are too many variations to name.
Here are some examples of older schemes being modernized. Note that these updated schemes do not go past the True Blue era:
SW1500 7 has a little bit of everything present. This is Imron Blue paint with the Bicentennial font on the hood (mostly faded), the numbers and “F” have been replaced with the 1980’s Blue lettering, fluorescent orange step edges and railings (added 1995/96) and the ISO 9002 logo (1997) the original Tri-Colored logo has been replaced with the newer white ringed version to boot:
MP15 32 wears 1980’s Blue, but the majority of the lettering has been replaced with the thin True Blue lettering. It also features fluorescent orange step edges/railings (1995) and the ISO 9002 decal (1997). This engine still looks this way today except minus the ISO 9002 decal that was removed:
Number 569 wears the 80’s Blue, but it has fluorescent orange step edges/railings (1995) and the ISO 9002 decal (1997). Also, check out how the O in UNION is smaller than the other letters, its actually the number zero:
578 Wears its old Imron Blue, but a new white ringed logo has been applied to the cab:
