How about this? Seems like a nice thing for UP to do for the preservation community. It's nice to see old paint schemes on new locomotives, quite a nice surprise actually. http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... ?id=113990

Only one problem with that analysis: They HAD to paint the locos with SOME paint. It's not the cost of the paint job that would be available; it's the incremental cost, i.e. the extra cost of four one-off jobs, and I doubt that's actually $20K.I believe these came fresh out of the factory? It's somewhat obvious to me that these paint jobs, and most likely their masks and stencils, were done on the computers, not by MoPac T&HS folks carefully measuring a replication of the original scheme and matching paint chips to perfectly replicate MoPac blue.Now, no doubt one can find a way to spend $50K per loco on the project--hire untold numbers of consultants and designers, etc. I just don't think that's necessarily what happened here.

At the risk of starting some lenghtly conspiracy theory, might this be a semi-logical extension of the "UP Lunacy" thread a few topics down ?By using these markings and road names, does not UP keep them "in existence", thereby "active" ??One would hope the people at UP have better and more important things to do, but I've seen even worse examples of petty nonsense in the corporate world.

The UP has been known to paint locomotives in special paint for various reasons. There have been more than a few over the years. Someone in high places likes to do it and therefore it is done. Nevermind what they could have done or should have done, they did what they wanted. This is how big business works. While it wont impact the bottom line, anything different is going to catch the attention of young rail fans/historians. While many don't like it or care one way or another there are lots, like my son, who were born well after the UP took over MoPac and Western Pacific. These young folks are saying, "that is pretty cool". We need new blood in the hobby. Has anyone been to a NRHS meeting lately and noticed the average age of the membership?

Well said Tom! I hope UP has some more painted along the same lines!-Alan S. Levy

I'm a steam fan, but I LIKE 'em! Nice to see something different out there.

I definitely think the SD70Ace is an ugly locomotive, if only because of it's new nose, even the SD70M and SD70Macs were better looking aesthetically, in my opinion. I am curious/interested in seeing the reported unit that is supposedly going to be painted for the MKT, which Union Pacific Acquired in 1988. I once watched a video that Pentrex produced at least 15 years ago and became fascinated by this road and it's bright green paint scheme. While I think UP is still classy for continuing their steam program, my mind is still out on what I think about these new "heritage" diesels.

It just amazes me that paint, plain old paint, can generate an 8 post chain in 8 hours. Look down the list and see how many legitimate preservation topics have generated such a response.

I'm sure that you're right.Just like the UP placing some of the old heralds on freight cars to keep them in use. I've seen the old "overland route" shield.I am sure that these paint jobs are designed to keep the old images in current use.