UP Ditching the Heritage Paint Schemes

Maybe it is time to repaint them anyway within the life of the locomotives, so it is cost effective to go yellow.  When they were painted in the heritage, UP kept numbers open for them to be renumbered back into.  Also, these are now about 10 years old, so the "newness" of them has worn off.

That really stinks that we are losing the UP heritage. Like, really. Can anyone give an article that speaks on this?

Hopefully they will reconsider.  I'm glad to have some heritage units roaming my pike!  

Please not the Heritages.  UP stock is selling for over $100 a share.

First it will be the Heritages.  Next they will paint over the American Flags.  If things worsen then shut down the steam project.  Ugh. 

Don't they know what kind of impact these have on railfans?  See video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYXNwvcl6A

Impact on railfans? You do realize that UP is a company right? Sure they have steam but not every thing they do should be railfan oriented. 

I am surprised that they would do this. But at the same time, not. Anyway, it will be sad, but not forgotten.

Well to add some, UP 1982, 1983, & 1988 are in Mt. Vernon ILL since January. 1983 reported back in January to be repainted. From reading Mt. Vernon is a contract paint shop. Usually UP units to get repainted into Yellow go to North Little Rock. So maybe there's still hope.

Well, I thank UP for the time they given them to us in heritage.

John

Steims posted:

Please not the Heritages.  UP stock is selling for over $100 a share.

First it will be the Heritages.  Next they will paint over the American Flags.  If things worsen then shut down the steam project.  Ugh. 

Don't they know what kind of impact these have on railfans?  See video:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RhYXNwvcl6A

Seems someone's foam runneth over.

This probably won't help:

Rail Fest 2013, Bailey Yard, North Platte, Nebraska.

Time for a reprise.

Getting rid of the diesel paint schemes isn't the worst of it, where's my UP3985?

Ed

Not surprising at all.  Their time has past.

Eventually NS will return their heritage units to standard, also.

Rusty

They are complex paint schemes and were probably never intended for a repaint as it is more cosfly. Time and the elements take their toll. Glad UP is a company run properly. Want to make money in the market? Invest in companies like UP. 

Scrapiron Scher

SDIV Tim posted:

In the March issue of Railfan and Railroad, Supposedly UP is discontinuing the Heritage diesels and will be painted Yellow with new colors.

INCORRECT!!!! I have the latest issue of Railfan and Railroad Magazine right in fromt of me, and the title of the "News Item" is; "New Paint for Commemorative Units".  Quoting from the article, "Union Pacific has started the process of repainting its fleet of commemorative locomotives that is well over a decade old now. National Railway Equipment in Mount Vernon, ILL., repainted No. 1982, the Missouri Pacific unit, and No. 1983, the Western Pacific unit. Both units were completed in January, and were awaiting their return to service on UP. Six units pay tribute to the major railroads acquired by Union Pacific in the 1980s and 1990s."

Note that NOWHERE is it stated, nor implied that ANY of the commemorative units would be returned to "Yellow with new colors."!

Does anyone know why? I wish they kept the engines the way they are, I love them and like many others so do they.

Thanks

Woodshire Bill

I don't have any real interest in UP either way, but that video was downright impressive. Thanks for sharing it.

It's always additional enjoyment when mother nature gets in the act.lol

Larry

Woodshire Bill, si that your outdoor setup? Id like to know more about the 3 rail outdoors. Got time to answer some questions as this is something I really want to do

Hot Water posted:

SDIV Tim posted:

In the March issue of Railfan and Railroad, Supposedly UP is discontinuing the Heritage diesels and will be painted Yellow with new colors.

INCORRECT!!!! I have the latest issue of Railfan and Railroad Magazine right in fromt of me, and the title of the "News Item" is; "New Paint for Commemorative Units".  Quoting from the article, "Union Pacific has started the process of repainting its fleet of commemorative locomotives that is well over a decade old now. National Railway Equipment in Mount Vernon, ILL., repainted No. 1982, the Missouri Pacific unit, and No. 1983, the Western Pacific unit. Both units were completed in January, and were awaiting their return to service on UP. Six units pay tribute to the major railroads acquired by Union Pacific in the 1980s and 1990s."

Note that NOWHERE is it stated, nor implied that ANY of the commemorative units would be returned to "Yellow with new colors."!

Does anyone know why? I wish they kept the engines the way they are, I love them and like many others so do they.

Thanks

 

Hot Water, you are correct. If it doesn't state anything being repainted into yellow, and it's not going to North Little Rock and it's going to Mt. Vernon then their being repainted into the same paint scheme. So they'll look like a brand new unit.

Seems like a dumb idea in many ways. First, it would be cheaper to just leave the locomotives as they are than repaint them. Second, the locomotives are most likely increasing UP's public relation stats. Finally, they are railfan favorites!

If you leave the locomotives as they are, and don't repaint them, they will continue to deteriorate and railfans will complain about that.

It doesn't matter what they do. Railfans will find a reason to complain about it.

Of course the whole discussion is MOOT, because they are repainting them as heritage units.

The paint schemes do nothing with regards to public relations. Only railfans recognize them and what they represent. Railfans are far and few between, and do nothing for the company's bottom line. Your average Joe Everyday just sees an odd-colored flash as the head of the train hurtles through the crossing, while he curses the railroad for delaying him from his destination.

But if the UP keeps some items with names of the roads it bought, it can say it is keeping the intellectual property alive.  I think UP has some hopper cars also with some of the older logos.

Now what about the BSA and the unit with the pink ribbon?

But it would be neat for the UP to paint one of its units in TTG, like the 844 was at one time!  The roads own Heritage Unit!

645 posted:

I understood UP had extra decals made for the Heritage units so they could be touched up due to accidents and weathering. Perhaps they have used up the supply? At least UP used the Heritage units in service and for display unlike UP 4141 which just sits around in Little Rock under a tarp for years which I never understood. Could understand it better if it were an older unit such as an SD40 rebuild in a special paint job but not a new SD70ACe...

Look at the locomotive in the background. What kind of road number is Y622?

Actually, I wish UP would get rid of the flag units.  It is an insult to Old Glory when they get dirty, or the paint fails!

Railfan Brody posted:

Look at the locomotive in the background. What kind of road number is Y622?

The "Y" prefix on UP indicates that it is a "Yard" unit.

AMAZING!  Haven't any of the most recent posters to this thread, read the whole thread? The original poster is WRONG!  The UP is NOT painting out/over their heritage units! They are simply RE-PAINTING the existing units, since they are looking shabby after some 10 years of service.

Is it April 1st already?

Hot Water posted:

AMAZING!  Haven't any of the most recent posters to this thread, read the whole thread? The original poster is WRONG!  The UP is NOT painting out/over their heritage units! They are simply RE-PAINTING the existing units, since they are looking shabby after some 10 years of service.

That is all too common. There are times that I am SURE some reply just from reading the TITLE of the thread, without even reading the original post, never mind any subsequent posts after the original.

Doug

Hot Water, your method of replying to a previous is confusing AF. Just about the rest of the internet quotes the first person's text, then responds below. I can see your point of view that you can reply to individual sentences your way, but its not the way its done. Kind of like how Americans have to swap the fork to the other hand to cut meat, and your mom and grandma have to beat it into you, which I think is pretty dumb but I do it because my wife wants my kids to learn the way its done in the USA.

Hope UP also gets around to George Bush 4141 (?) in that Raymond Loewy like paint scheme mimicking Air Force One. Just gorgeous. Someone here, a dentist or surgeon on the east coast, had the Lionel Legacy one for sale at a very reasonable price, I have NEVER seen it at that price again.

illinoiscentral posted:

Hot Water, your method of replying to a previous is confusing AF. Just about the rest of the internet quotes the first person's text, then responds below. I can see your point of view that you can reply to individual sentences your way, but its not the way its done. Kind of like how Americans have to swap the fork to the other hand to cut meat, and your mom and grandma have to beat it into you, which I think is pretty dumb but I do it because my wife wants my kids to learn the way its done in the USA.

I disagree.  I find HW's method (also used by others) to be very accurate and to the point.

And as far as the whole fork thing, doing something because "everyone else" does it that way, is dumb.

Opinion.

illinoiscentral posted:

Hot Water, your method of replying to a previous is confusing AF. Just about the rest of the internet quotes the first person's text, then responds below. I can see your point of view that you can reply to individual sentences your way, but its not the way its done. Kind of like how Americans have to swap the fork to the other hand to cut meat, and your mom and grandma have to beat it into you, which I think is pretty dumb but I do it because my wife wants my kids to learn the way its done in the USA.

I actually PREFER Hot Water's method of replying. HW usually replies in a different color font, and it is VERY clear to me, and he replies to each specific point directly, it makes it MUCH more convenient, in MY opinion, than having to go back to the quoted original post(within the reply post) to relate his reply to the original statement, I wish more would reply that way.

myself, I am not very computer Savy, and when I change settings like that, I usually cause myself more trouble than it's worth.

what I find Frustrating/annoying and confusing, is when someone replies within the quote box without changing the font color, and makes it look like their reply is PART of the original quoted post��. 

Doug

I dunno. Is it really such a burden on a company that has revenues in the range of $22B to paint a couple of pieces of equipment in fancy colors?

Additional thought:  bright, fancy paint on equipment gives the impression of a healthy, vibrant industry. Drab equipment lends the impression of a broken down, clunk industry - one which investors might have some reluctance to invest in. Or maybe some shippers might develop a bit of concern and put away their checkbooks.

illinoiscentral posted:

Hot Water, your method of replying to a previous is confusing AF.

Such a statement is just an opinion, on your part which, in my opinion, I disagree with.

Just about the rest of the internet quotes the first person's text, then responds below.

Again, just my opinion but, I don't care HOW the "rest of the internet" does it, the two sites that I participate on, do NOT all do it that way.

 

illinoiscentral posted:

Hot Water, your method of replying to a previous is confusing AF. Just about the rest of the internet quotes the first person's text, then responds below. I can see your point of view that you can reply to individual sentences your way, but its not the way its done.

Sure, HW does his replies a little different from everyone else, but I'm fine with it. Often, he's addressing specific questions on historical or technical aspects of steam operation. And many of these questions might have several points he's addressing individually.

While I might not have seen eye-to-eye with all his posts in the past, I like the manner with which he replies, so you know exactly what he's addressing.

Hot Water posted:

AMAZING!  Haven't any of the most recent posters to this thread, read the whole thread? The original poster is WRONG!  The UP is NOT painting out/over their heritage units! They are simply RE-PAINTING the existing units, since they are looking shabby after some 10 years of service.

Yeah, I found myself wondering exactly the same thing after I read past your clarification and everyone kept going with UP going to all yellow/gray...

Thank you for your many informative and worthwhile posts, Hot water. You deserve a pat on the head.

Glad the paint schemes are getting renewed.  Thanks for the clarification HW.

Tommy posted:

Thank you for your many informative and worthwhile posts, Hot water. You deserve a pat on the head.

I imagine that HW would prefer a pat on the back, or a shake of the hand to a pat on the head. He would probably Appreciate a COLD BEER even more��

Now my old Golden Retriever would have LOVED a pat on the head, back or shake hands a LOT, but Ol' Barney didn't care all that much for BEER, Cold or otherwise��.

Doug

I saw the Katy unit a few years ago.  The cracked condition of its paint and rust around the edges was a let down.  As a heritage unit it was supposed to be neat, not old and worn.  I am glad the company is repainting it. 

Nathan

They may be Heritage units with regards to their paint, but don't forget they are first and foremost road power and work for a living.  So dirt and road grime ect will happen.