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Re: (erielack) EL and decals on the prototype
Those UP units are definitely using decals. You should see how they reflect
headlights. Those BNSF units would probably cost a fortune to paint, due to
all the man hours required for the job. I'm told the DLW/EL cab unit scheme
was also expensive to do, given the masking required for the nose pattern,
in three colors, yet.
BTW: here in Binghamton, I have heard the new CP beaver scheme referred to
as the "Golden Rodent".
Tom B
- ----- Original Message -----
From: "Tupaczewski, Paul R (Paul)" <paultup_@_lucent.com>
To: "'David Green'" <davandli_@_empacc.net>; "ELHS Mailing List"
<erielack_@_lists.railfan.net>
Sent: Monday, May 20, 2002 3:05 PM
Subject: RE: (erielack) EL and decals on the prototype
> Dave Green wrote:
>
> > No doubt in my mind that UP's "wings" emblem is a giant
> > decal, as is all their lettering. There's no way a sign
> > painter's job could ever stand up to today's graphics in
> > crispness and longevity. If decals is all we are using in
> > the school bus industry (which isn't noted for being on the
> > forefront of
> > innovation) you can bet the big railroads have long since
> > abandoned paint!
> >
> > Also, race cars? the good jobs are ALL decals. Sign
> > companies around here make a living on decorating the local's
> > racers (it's a big deal around here).
>
> Almost all major railroad lettering is done by decal nowadays. Several
reasons: 1. No masking necessary. 2. The decals are usually Scotchlite,
which is very reflective and very visible (adds safety). 3. Too much labor
to mask and paint lettering. 4. Complexity of items doesn't matter (check
out the flag decals on today's UP units, or the "golden beaver" of today's
CP units)
>
> I remember at a shop tour of Conrail's Juniata Locomotive Shops there was
a brand-new BNSF Dash-9 out of their paint shop, and a Conrail painter
commented that the extensive Scotchlite decals on those units cost upwards
of $20,000 (!!!!!). Not cheap, but it works for them, I suppose.
>
> I would be remiss if I didn't mention that the EL switched their nose
logos from the old maroon/brown-on-white decals (yes, they were decals!) to
Scotchlite decals around 1974. This is why you see later units with diamonds
that are more "red-orange" in color (I guess that's one of the color
matching limitations of Scotchlite). To the best of my knowledge, however,
all the other lettering was masked (see
http://gelwood.railfan.net/loco/el-hornell-shop-c.jpg to see the striping
all ready masked off, lettering hasn't been masked yet)
>
> - Paul
>
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