Before I spend a couple days generating a vector file for a General American trade mark stencil I thought I'd check with the group here.
The lifted picture below is the best photo I have so far. Checking to see if anyone knows of a vector graphic file of this trade mark.
Thanks, Buzz

Buzz -
I don't have the GACC builders logo in AI vector... yet - it's on the someday to-do list, when I need it, to add to my graphics library. I do have a some of the others' builders stencils, but not that one. I've seen a maybe three different versions.

Curiosity killed the cat: What project is this for and how soon do you need it? If I get a lazy, rainy day off, I might be able to knock out the artwork fairly quickly (if I have all the data) whether its an adhesive stencil without bridges that you peel off after painting or an old style, hand applied stencil with bridges that you'll have to paint out. I've done quite a bit of graphic work for car owners and model manufacturers.

GATX 26640 insulated box at the IRM. we did this car about 10 years ago but after siting outside most of that time we needed to re-side about 25% of the car.
Bob K. had stencils to hand paint, but I prefer vinyl masking via computer. I'll turn this out soon but my wrist is getting sore just thinking about all the little lines I need to define.
Here is a link to a pix in the the big photo album Kirk posted back then.

www5.irm.org/gallery/album22/afd

+/- Ten years is a pretty rapid rate for a complete failure of the siding. Do you have any idea what caused the problem with this car?

Wow. I understand your dread. That's a lot of stencil bridges and that's the first image I've seen of that logo with the stencil bridges left in. From what few images are available, it appears they were usually painted out by hand if done with a stencil but there are exceptions to every rule.

Back when that car was built, a lot of the solid lettering and heralds were pounced with templates and hand painted. Being a wood-sided car, I would have thought that was how it was done due to the joints between the boards. Stencils were reserved for car data since it wasn't considered advertising and didn't have to look pretty. Hmmm.... I might be learning something new here.

If you go to the IRM website, under members photos and look at my photos and look at the photos of the restoration of this car, you will see that only some boards in the section. That has failed were renewed, whereas all of the siding on the rest of the car was replaced. The old siding is where the failure has taken place.

This photo was taken a couple weeks ago when we removed the bad corner. As Kirk mentioned it was the remaining original siding that gave out. I still don't recommend outside storage for any wood car. Rail cars do not have eves to keep the water away from the siding.

Buzz,

If you are successful with creating a vector file, the folks at Conway Scenic may be interested as well. their new water tender for 7470 is a former GATX tank car and could use a refresh. will try and post a picture later.

Al P.

photo of new water car with triangular GATX logo. though I had a better one but all I have.

Howdy! I’ve been a regular lurker on this site for I think 15 years now? I’ve Never posted or even had a registered profile. I saw this post last night and it prompted me to finally register. I don’t have much to add to most threads however I can probably help the OP with this need in particular.

I am a graphic designer by trade. I’d be willing to lend a hand in re-drawing the above logo in vector AI format if you still need the help? What may take you a few days would likely take me a few hours. I do this sort of thing all the time.


-Eric Capers

Buzz,
You must not have received my private message. E-mail me at dennis(at)accurail(dot)com. I have an AI file for you, which is the herald but it still needs the stencil bars added. You might want to check the stroke width of the letters, as this was done by tracing over a photo. If you can use it, I'd like a copy of the file with the stencil bars added in return.

I redrew the logo in Adobe Illustrator. Here's a jpeg for reference. If anyone else needs the native vector Illustrator or .EPS file, let me know.

-Eric Capers

If you need the stencil bridges in the mask for historical accuracy: Unless something has changed, the cutters follow the vector lines so simply adding a white box over the black to represent stencil bridges won't work. Each little segment of the stencil has to be its own object. That makes a lot of little bits to measure, draw and scale which is pretty time consuming. I think it would be quicker to draw from scratch than to try modifying a file without bridges. IMHO.

Some cutter software will work with black & white jpegs but the cutter will attempt to cut around every pixel on the edges unless some sort of smoothing or averaging can be applied so the result is not as sharply defined as it should be. It also sounds like the machine is self-destructing cutting all those tiny little notches.

Or if Buzz already has a paper mask in good condition, consider a low-tack contact spray adhesive and have at it. Put the stencil on a non-stick backing sheet for storage. That'll save money and hassle.

Pretty easy to do in adobe illustrator. I usually start by drawing white boxes over the black areas. Then select all, head over to the pathfinder pallete and click "divide". Then select and delete the garbage vectors left over. Now you have separate vector objects that the knifes will follow.

I redrew the logo in vector format. It can be downloaded here:
https://www.dropbox.com/sh/ylrciw00o9wl ... ruoPa?dl=0

If you need stencil bridges added in, let me know

Eric,

I hear ya. I've done a lot of historic stencil reproductions (an odd niche) and for me it's easier, faster and less fiddley to initially draw the bridges in than use the pathfinder tool unless it's straight lines and square corners. I find that adjusting anchors, especially on curves, after using the pathfinder tool eats time and I admit I'm a bit of an analy retentive, OCD perfectionist, sometimes to my disadvantage. I guess what it boils down to is what best fits your personal workflow. We all have our way of achieving the same end result.

But now I've veered waaaay off topic and can hear the snoring.....