Speculation on a Phase VI Paint Scheme

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Blackwolf

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Nothing too serious here, but something just dawned on me.

Our (un)beloved current Phase V paint scheme is starting to look a little "long in the tooth" by Amtrak standards, at least when looking back through the history of the previous schemes and how long they were utilized. Actually, it is now the second-longest lasting scheme in Amtrak history, having been instituted in 2002! AFAIK, this is the timeline since "Amtrak Day" in 1971:

  • Phase I = 1971 to 1975 (roughly 4 years)
  • Phase II =1975 to 1979 (again, roughly 4 years)
  • Phase III = 1979 to 1994 (about 15 years)
  • Phase IV = 1994 to 2002 (just shy of 8 years)
  • Phase V = 2002 to present (10 years and running!)

I in no way really think now is the greatest of times to suddenly up and re-brand the whole system with new paint schemes, but eventually Amtrak will redo their fleet again, and if history has anything to say about it, this will likely occur before 2020 (8 years from now, STRANGE to realize that fact!! :eek: ) Further more, if you really look at the core design differences between the last phase and the one now(4 and 5,) you could almost say that the two are in essence the same and thus both the longest-running and the most in need of updating! As such, in the spirit of good wholesome entertainment, just what might something look like for the inevitable Phase VI?

Aaaaaand..... GO! :D
 
Keep the current stainless steel silver while altering the stripes. Then apply the same thing to locomotives. Don't know what stipe, though.
 
I say leave it alone. There's nothing really wrong with the current paint scheme. It doesn't look "long in the tooth" by any means.
 
I did like Peter's idea and renditions of the "go green" Genesis units that were outfitted with the interesting shade of green. With a descriptive decal to complement it, the green scheme would be a nice and subtle way to telegraph the environmentally friendly virtues of Amtrak travel.
 
I like the current scheme, it reminds me of the glory days of railroading. What I'd like to see is the locomotive brought back to the Phase IV with the silver trucks. The F-40's of that era had a very classy look to them.

Another thought, with the UP and NS painting locomotives using the heritage railroad paint schemes, why not bring back the "rainbow era!"
 
I'd say let the existing livery be the base, and build up a bit on it. One major difference between all earlier schemes and current one is that earlier they all had red and blue in it, this one has only blue and it looks quite dull with just silver and blue. I'd suggest adding a dash of red sweeping curves to complement the blue.

Here is my hastily painted, rather bad rendition of a "modified livery" superimposed on the existing scheme-

amtrakloco.jpg


Something on these lines would look nice.

And please no green color! I am sick of seeing all kinds of establishments painting their things green literally to show their "green initiatives". If you want to be environment friendly, do something productive, painting everything green is just super-cliche.
 
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I liked the Phase IV best, I thought it looked professional and classy. I didn't get to see it much, was overseas with the USAF nearly all that time, but I like it. The current cars are fine, but those locomotive's look....I don't know, just bland. I would also like to see (in a perfect world) the horizon cars in something other than grey. They look horrible.
 
I'd say let the existing livery be the base, and build up a bit on it. One major difference between all earlier schemes and current one is that earlier they all had red and blue in it, this one has only blue and it looks quite dull with just silver and blue. I'd suggest adding a dash of red sweeping curves to complement the blue.

Here is my hastily painted, rather bad rendition of a "modified livery" superimposed on the existing scheme-

amtrakloco.jpg


Something on these lines would look nice.

And please no green color! I am sick of seeing all kinds of establishments painting their things green literally to show their "green initiatives". If you want to be environment friendly, do something productive, painting everything green is just super-cliche.

I like your rendering but with a few changes, first have the red be bordered with a two inch white reflective stripe on top and bottom and second extend the red to end at a point in between the MU receptacles. Sorry but I'm not good at retouching photos.
 
I, for one, do not want to see a green-based paint scheme. I'd like to see a return to one of the earlier schemes (II or III), or something close to it.
 
I, for one, do not want to see a green-based paint scheme.
I don't think green would be across the board, rather just a small subset to raise awareness about the efficiency of train travel. In principle, not unlike the handful of heritage units out on the road today.
 
Isn't the current scheme the Phase VI scheme?
The current scheme seen on most cars is called Phase IVb. The Scheme seen on most engines is called Phase V (there was a short period it was being called something like "long haul"). Then there is the Acela scheme, Cascades scheme, AmCal Scheme, Surfliner, & now the Wisconsin Talgos have their own (yet to be publicly named). Oh and the Autoracks are in Phase V.

There was a short-lived scheme called "Capstone" that was going to be used on the Regionals; This scheme was referred to by some as "Phase V" or "Phase VI" however it officially wasn't. Most Amfleets that were painted in Capstone have been repainted back to IVb.

A good source of info for the Amtrak Paint Schemes (I update it):

http://en.wikipedia....k_paint_schemes

For those going all "No Green paint schemes!" I wasn't suggesting Amtrak do a green paint scheme, but more a green advertising 'wrap' on a couple of their engines.

peter
 
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amtrakloco.jpg


And please no green color! I am sick of seeing all kinds of establishments painting their things green literally to show their "green initiatives". If you want to be environment friendly, do something productive, painting everything green is just super-cliche.
I agree: No green color. Green is as green does, and it takes more than promiscuous displays of a certain color to convince thinking people of sincere corporate intent.

But I also say no flowing, twisting, wavy lines (as above) please. They're just plain lame, smacking of flowing ribbons, tra-la-la rides to fairyland, seasick bobbing in ocean waves, indecisiveness of direction, or worse. Similar lines look terrible on Metrolink, and would be a nationwide disgrace on Amtrak equipment and worked into a revamped logo in some misguided attempt at branding fusion ("synchronicity?").

Though rail paint schemes is a rare area where I tend to be conservative, I've never been a fan of the current one and believe it's long overdue for Phase Out; just not in favor of linear lameness. Far more appropriate would be something bright and bold, with the emphasis on high visibility, not ethereal ribbons of greenwash.

The sickly Metrolink waves:

1217876093_4iXAD-XL.jpg
 
I don't mind the new Metrolink design. I don't think there's anything really wrong with it, and it's light years better than their old "crash test dummy" logo (as morbidly ironic as their old logo was, it was also very ugly in its own right).

I've also mentioned that I don't particularly mind the current Amtrak locomotive scheme, but I'll agree that the proposed red ribbon as show above just doesn't look like it has any real purpose. Looks like something out of a horror movie.
 
I think Amtrak should go with a scheme similar to VIA's scheme......

VIA_Rail_Train_London_Ontario.jpg


Replace the yellow with red and VIA logo with Amtrak logo for the locomotives.

For cars I wish Amtrak would go with something similar to the NCDOT scheme, but I dunno how well a fully wrapped car with fluted sides would look.
 
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I'd prefer to see any available money spent on getting new equipment and maintaining current equipment well, and not spending on gratuitous paint scheme changes. The current one is fine. Let's have more trains going more places with more cars first. But if we must change, my preference would be to go back to Phase III.
 
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And please no green color! I am sick of seeing all kinds of establishments painting their things green literally to show their "green initiatives". If you want to be environment friendly, do something productive, painting everything green is just super-cliche.
There is of course a soulful way to do things like this; however, it requires one to open their mind and summons some creativity. As for a bright red slasher stripe, I don't believe that's the answer either. Ultimately, I think Jis is right that Amtrak has much bigger and more important fish to fry at the moment than fussing over paint jobs. 
 
And please no green color! I am sick of seeing all kinds of establishments painting their things green literally to show their "green initiatives". If you want to be environment friendly, do something productive, painting everything green is just super-cliche.
I agree: No green color. Green is as green does, and it takes more than promiscuous displays of a certain color to convince thinking people of sincere corporate intent.
Actually research in color theory would say otherwise. While something being green (colored) may not convince you; it does convince the majority of consumers out there. Green almost always associated with Nature, Ecology & the Environment. In the graphic design world we use green to make people see the design and think that whatever it is we designed is Environmentally Friendly, Healthy for you, or a good buy (will bring your fortune). Green being used to denote environment & nature in design isn't something new; it's been used in design for that purpose for centuries. What is new however is the verb "green".

Green isn't the only color used to convey a message in design.

Red: portrays passion, excitement, and attention.

Blue: represents loyalty, confidence and trustworthiness. (hence why most banks use blue)

Yellow: happiness, warmth and awareness.

Red & Yellow together tends to make you hungry, take a look at most Fast Food companies.

peter
 
Red, white and blue - seen by the left as too nationalistic - OUT

Blue - seen as sexist - OUT

Red - Seen as scary - OUT

Red or Blue - would be rejected by the political party who's color it is not - OUT

Pink - seen as PC by the right - OUT

Black or brown - seen as pandering to minorities by the right - OUT

Yellow - seen as cowardly - not fitting for the U.S. - OUT

White - gets dirty and looks ugly. Too expensive to constantly clean - OUT

Chartreuse, Lavender, etc - Seen by the right as pandering to the gay community - OUT

Green - Seen by the right as tree hugging and trains shouldn't hug trees especially when moving - OUT

Orange - hurts the eyes. Won't pass approval by the Surgeon General - OUT

Purple - too dark. Ends up with too many truck and car bodies attached - OUT

The only color left? Fire Engine Lime Green

Can be seen by everyone. Firefighters are loved by everyone so it does them honor. Not politically incorrect.

There's your answer - Lime green Amtrak cars!
 
The only color left? Fire Engine Lime Green http://www.flickr.co...ol-710119@N24/. Can be seen by everyone. Firefighters are loved by everyone so it does them honor. Not politically incorrect.

There's your answer - Lime green Amtrak cars!
Only problem... Firefighters HATE that 'safety-yellow' color, even if it is more green than yellow. One of the main reasons why most, aside from a very few backward departments still living in the 1980's for paint schemes, have reverted back to RED! :lol:

Guess we'll just have to follow the Burlington's lead and return to all silver?
 
Only problem... Firefighters HATE that 'safety-yellow' color, even if it is more green than yellow. One of the main reasons why most, aside from a very few backward departments still living in the 1980's for paint schemes, have reverted back to RED! :lol:
As I understand it, the problem wasn't so much that firefighters didn't like the color, it's that it turned out that people didn't quickly "recognize" a fluorescent yellow-green fire engine as being a fire engine, since people were so used to red.

So if Amtrak switched to that color, perhaps there would be even more grade crossing accidents, with people not recognizing a train as being a train.
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