I never would have thought people would be getting excited over Conrail blue.

Official photos posted:

http://www.nscorp.com/nscorphtml/images ... _large.jpg

And the complaints are out: "She shoulda been painted in the SD80MAC Conrail Quality scheme!!!" "Needs marker lights on the ends!" "Blue's too light!"

Marker lights would be hot, but I'm definitely not complaining.

That's a beautiful job. NS really IS a class act.

It seems that NS has opened an account at railpictures.net

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 356&nseq=0

Social media may change being a rail enthusiast more than any single thing since men started photographing trains.

Im glad it was painted in the original Conrail scheme, not the "quality" scheme..original scheme is SO much better..
no opinion on marker lights..
but! the blue really is too light! ;) no question about that..
Conrail was "my" railroad when I first became a railfan as a teenager in the mid 1980's,
so im not complaining! she's a beauty..

Scot

I have been told that current transportation finishes have to meet different VOC compliance standards than those formulated back in 1976. Perhaps that accounts for the (perceived) difference in the blue hue ?

FWIW, the current NS corporate photog is a young feller who came right off the engineers' roster.

DPK

Hi,

I'm happy to get whatever NS wishes to provide.

Southern's Steam Program (later NS), NS business train set that looks PRR to me, not joining Amtrak until 1979, and so makes me very thankful to Southern and NS.

THANKS NS.

Now if you provided the money to them to make a special paint scheme, maybe they would do it. I recall seeing an Amtrak Genesis diesel with a pick up truck painted on the side with the wheel wells matching the truck locations. Advertising dollars seem to be making in-roads everywhere.

Of course, don't forget the AT&SF paying Lionel to offer the AT&SF warbonnet expecting to get something like 200 F's sold for advertising. That has become the best selling scheme for Lionel (I think for all time).

Doug vV

The blue looks just right to me. I think the original photo was captured a bit too overexposed. The image below is a bit darker.

My fantasy?

A couple blowhard know-it-alls (probably modelers, not CRHS members) go up to the new Conrail heritage unit and, through whatever "scientific" means, determine and proclaim that it has the "wrong" shades of blue and white.

Then the Altoona shops foreman come out and says, "Funny, as it turns out we used one of the very last of the original drums of paint left over from Conrail to paint that engine--just enough for the job, too. Funny story--it seems some worker here sneaked that barrel home one night, hoping to sell it to some crazy railfans on eBay after he retired and make a bundle.... By the way, who wants some authentic Conrail-era cigarette butts?"

I think NS did a fantastic job. Looks great! Can't wait to see the next one. Personally I would have edged the steps in white instead of yellow, but that's just me.

Wonder if people complained and nitpicked this much when the 4501 was painted green for its first excursion career or when somebody put a baggage car in the middle of a passenger train for selling drinks and souvenirs or when somebody took the walk-around restrooms out of a bunch of heavyweight coaches to increase their capacity or when silver sides appeared in a previously all Southern Coach Green excursion train? While I admit that over the years I might have done some things different or saw things done I wished I hadn't seen, given where we were when NS pulled the plug on the first excursion program almost 20 years ago versus where we are now......... I am more worried about hitting my head on the floor cause I fainted at what NS is giving to the railfan community than I am worried about whether the damn blue is the perfect shade or whether the edges of the steps are yellow or white.

"My fantasy?

"A couple blowhard know-it-alls (probably modelers, not CRHS members) go up to the new Conrail heritage unit and, through whatever "scientific" means, determine and proclaim that it has the "wrong" shades of blue and white.

"Then the Altoona shops foreman come out and says, "Funny, as it turns out we used one of the very last of the original drums of paint left over from Conrail to paint that engine--just enough for the job, too. Funny story--it seems some worker here sneaked that barrel home one night, hoping to sell it to some crazy railfans on eBay after he retired and make a bundle.... By the way, who wants some authentic Conrail-era cigarette butts?"--Alexander D. Mitchell IV

Ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho, ho!!!

"Wonder if people complained and nitpicked this much when the 4501 was painted green for its first excursion career or when somebody put a baggage car in the middle of a passenger train for selling drinks and souvenirs or when somebody took the walk-around restrooms out of a bunch of heavyweight coaches to increase their capacity or when silver sides appeared in a previously all Southern Coach Green excursion train?"--Hayneshopcat

I don't recall anything like that, but that was before the internet, with its instant communication capabilities for any old blowhard to come along (including me at times).

"I think NS did a fantastic job. Looks great! Can't wait to see the next one."--RBMN-ENGR.

I can't complain, either, and am just a little surprised that there are any squawks at all.

Having said that, I hope the people at NS read these comments here, and appreciate the generally positive tone we're seeing. Now, let's see if we can keep enough positives coming that we'll see 475 in Harrisburg or Hagerstown, that perhaps the 475 can meet 4501 or 630 at Bristol, and the ultimate fantasy, that we'll not only 611 and 1218 in steam, but also the 2020 (Y-3a) or the 2156 (Y-6a), and what the heck, let's throw in the 572!! :-)

worried about whether the damn blue is the perfect shade or whether the edges of the steps are yellow or white.[/quote]

Didn't say I was worried. And it was not meant to be a complaint. I was just stating my opinion. My sincerest apologies.

I'd like to see PRR. I understand the RR Museum of Pennsylvania's position on not replacing boilers or other historic fabric. They are their locomotives and my opinion is not relevant.

However, I'd like to see more PRR Steam. How about the Hippo (2-10-0) that is in New York State? How about the LIRR 4-6-0.

Oh well, the closest to PRR mainline steam will probably be an 0-6-0 or something like it. (When the PRR double header went through Enola and over Rockville and back to Strasburg, I had not kept up with RR events and had had been in Harrisburg visiting family two weeks before - DARNED).

Doug vV

People aren't REALLY taking a look at the CR Heritage unit and choosing to COMPLAIN about something as trivial as the shade of blue it's painted in,....are they?!?!