Amtrak America - new LD train branding

[Amtrak172]

What I don't get is that Amtrak spent years on repainting all of there cars into Phase IVb and just recently finished. Why are they going to go through all of the trouble AGAIN on repainting there cars into Phase III? Mixed paint schemes on Amtrak will make there trains look horrible. They should stick to Phase IVb because it's more modern and it will match all of there existing fleet.

 

[neroden]

The "paint scheme" today is just vinyl wraps. It's not that expensive and it's not that much trouble.

 

[Amtrak172]

I knew that. I just wish they would stick to phase IVb

 

[jis]

I have heard a usually reliable rumor that the plan is to go to Phase III+ (as it appears on the VL IIs) progressively as resources permit, for the entire single level LD equipment set.

 

[Ryan]

That'll be lovely. Does that mean P42s as well? I'm not a fan of their current paint job.

 

[Amtrak172]

The current paint job on the p42s is the best one they ever had. No, the p42s will not be painted nor wi the Superliner's or amfleet I's.

 

[Ryan]

You're smoking crack.

This is a classy looking locomotive:

Amtrak 66 P42 Heritage Unit by knelson27, on Flickr

This is a locomotive that matches the cars that it's pulling:

Amtrack 184-Capitol Limited Surprise by Photo Squirrel, on Flickr

I would fall asleep looking at this locomotive:

Amtrak 84 5/8/2013 by clkayleib, on Flickr

I do appreciate you clarifying that Superliners and Amfleet I's aren't "single level LD equipment".

 

[Amtrak172]

You need to realize that you grew up in the old days. Amtrak is up to date with their paint and it should be that way. It figures that you would want phase III to return. And the ones that you posted pictures are "HERITAGE" locomotives. I hope you know what I meant by that.

 

[Ryan]

You need to realize that you grew up in the old days.

Holy sh-t, I did?

How old do you think I am?

(you're also assuming that I grew up at some point)

Is this you?

 

[user 1215]

Note to Amtrak172: Ryan's avatar is NOT him.

I do prefer the current paint schemes - both the locos and the coaches. Superliners and Viewliners and Amfleets, I AND II. I even like most of Amtrak California's livery.

I think I'm royally confused. Phase III(b?) going on ALL Viewliners and associated Amfleets? NERs stay the same? What about the Palmetto which doesn't use Viewliners, but it not really an NER train?

 

[Ryan]

Heh, I didn't even think about that.

Here, lemme fix it.

That's not me, either. But my daughter's closer in age to me than my Grandfather was.

 

[Green Maned Lion]

I'm not from the old days. I prefer Phase III. IVb is a reminder of Amtraks logo under Warrington- three sheets to the wind. Just like the company and the thankfully dead Warrington's ego.

 

[jis]

I did not mean to start a war here. I was just (re) stating a rumor I have heard several times from sources that in the past have proved to be reliable (but past performance is no guarantee for the future, as they say on Wall Street). Also this is not even the first time I have mentioned it, even in this thread.

Palmetto is categorized as an LD train.

However, answering any detailed question at this point is impossible, since what I heard said nothing about those details. So please save all your apoplexies for later when we know for sure what will or will not happen. All that I heard is that all single level LD trains will eventually be liveried in Phase III as it appears on the new Viewliners, funding permitting.

As for my personal opinion, I think the Shamu livery on P42s is the worst of any livery on any Amtrak equipment ever. Even converting them to just plain Phase IVb would be a huge huge improvement. But Phase III would be even better. The Phase IV scheme is sort of like the new United livery, dated and blah. It may indeed be time for Amtrak to strike out in a new direction as far as livery goes, but until then I'd settle for Phase III rather than Phase IV anything. Just IMHO of course.

And please spare me the bovine scatology ad hominems involving whatever one thinks my age is or is not (Amtrak 172, I'm looking at you)

 

[PerRock]

As a graphic designer...

I prefer the current Travelscape logo over the older Chevron logo. Namely as it's a very over-used style from the era. As for paint schemes, I like the phase Vb paint scheme currently being used on the P42s, however I dislike that it doesn't carry accross to the cars, that being said I'm not certian how one would impliment that. Personally if I were coming up with a new paint scheme & logo for this "Amtrak America" branding I would look forward & come up with something new and different, rather then revamping an old design.

The logo for Amtrak America is hideous, it looks to me like something a secertary did in MS Word, rather then something a Graphic Designer would have done; even operating under the restrictions of re-using the older Chevron logo.

peter

 

[JoeBas]

You need to realize that you grew up in the old days. Amtrak is up to date with their paint and it should be that way. It figures that you would want phase III to return. And the ones that you posted pictures are "HERITAGE" locomotives. I hope you know what I meant by that.

Wow, we've FINALLY found the sole arbiter of taste and opinions in America.

When convenient, please tell us all what our favorite food, music, sports team and color should be, so we can all conform to your tastes in order to be "right". TIA.

 

[neroden]

Honestly, I don't care about train color schemes at all.

There might be some small functional advantage to different color schemes on different types of trains, just to keep the people trying to catch a San Joaquin off of the Coast Starlight, and to keep the people trying to catch a Regional off the Silver Meteor.

But I was OK with the NYC Subway "graffiti" color scheme of the 1970s-1980s, so really, I don't care. ^_^ As long as the trains run on time. (Oh, wait...)

 

[Bob Dylan]

,I'm not a Graphic Designer but I play one on AU! LOL I think Ryan's pictures speak for themselves! The Blah Blue paint scheme on the P-42s is just that!

IMHO the Classic Santa Fe War Bonnet Paint scheme on their Engines along with the SP Orange on the Streamliners were the Classiest looks ever!But I really am OLD!

 

[Ryan]

As for my personal opinion, I think the Shamu livery on P42s is the worst of any livery on any Amtrak equipment ever

Second worse, in my opinion.

This takes top honors for being the worst:

 

[Bob Dylan]

The Horizon Coaches paint scheme deserves a (Dis) Honorable Mention!

 

[Devil's Advocate]

I found the 1970's and 1980’s schemes to be about as modern and sophisticated as an Uncle Sam poster. Seeing them make a comback would be funny if we didn't have all our eggs in one basket case. If you mentioned that Amtrak was ordering new hardware to a layman they might think this meant high speeds, advanced designs, improved service, and new branding were on the way. It's rather depressing to think that all this really means is that we'll have a bunch of new 1980's boxliners covered in 1980's branding.

 

[Amtrak172]

Wow, you are all taking this the wrong way. What I meant by "you grew up in the old days" is that phase III was probably the current paint. I have know idea nor do I care how old you are. We all have our taste in trains and Amtrak in the current paint is mine. I'm not trying to say that I wouldn't like Amtrak if they go back to phase III. I do think that if Amtrak wants a new paint scheme, I don't think they should go back to an older one.

 

[Amtrak172]

You need to realize that you grew up in the old days.

Holy sh-t, I did?
How old do you think I am?

(you're also assuming that I grew up at some point)

Is this you?

 

[jis]

Cool! Peace!

As you will find some of us on AU here, grew up way before Amtrak had even appeared as a possibility, indeed some (not me personally) even were involved in the conception of Amtrak to save a national passenger rail system. So, many of us have gone through every phase starting from the Rainbow years of Amtrak, and Phase 0 and I and so on. Phase III was a relatively late comer to the game. Heck many of us have traveled by train when Steam was the primary power for railroads and diesels were just getting introduced to replace steam, and in electrics GG-1 in myriad of color schemes was the king. So one does need to broaden ones horizon beyond just thinking everyone older grew up when Phase III was in vogue.

OTOH, many of us have also traveled extensively in Europe and Asia, so have been exposed to many other (some very attractive, much more so than anything that Amtrak has come up with so far) liveries beyond what has been in vogue in the US. Indeed beautifulplanet has been running a campaign on AU for introducing more attractive livery on Amtrak and moving away from the traditional dated drab fair that has become the signature of Amtrak. See for example this thread:

http://discuss.amtraktrains.com/index.php?/topic/58590-high-speed-rail-a-more-attractive-exteriorinterior-design/

 

[Ryan]

So one does need to broaden ones horizon beyond just thinking everyone older grew up when Phase III was in vogue.

And some of us are too young to ever remember seeing Phase III (except in its modern reincarnation). Phase IV for the win!

This is a sweet looking railcar:

 

[Amtrak172]

You need to realize that you grew up in the old days. Amtrak is up to date with their paint and it should be that way. It figures that you would want phase III to return. And the ones that you posted pictures are "HERITAGE" locomotives. I hope you know what I meant by that.

Wow, we've FINALLY found the sole arbiter of taste and opinions in America.

When convenient, please tell us all what our favorite food, music, sports team and color should be, so we can all conform to your tastes in order to be "right". TIA.

Shut up lol, you all took that the wrong way