What is the most boring and most exciting paint schemes out there on diesels at any time in the history of them in the USA.
The most boring to me is the Norfolk Southern’s Black and White livery. The most exciting is all the4 Heritage livery of Burlington Northern Santa Fe.
Modeling 1960’s ATSF and 1990’s Amtrak at Keystone N-Trak Club.
I have always liked the Chessie system paint schemes. I would call them exciting.
I agree on the NS. Boring
Most steam locos were basic black, but there were exceptions… SP Daylight 4-8-4, Southern Crescent Green 4-6-2, and GN glacier green come to mind as colroful exceptions in the steam era.
In the diesel era, Penn Central’s basic black was most “boring” … Santa Fe’s war bonnet looked the best and had unmatched mystigue.
The most boring to me is the later B&O Solid blue loco with yellow B&O splashed on the side. Some of them don;t even have the Capitol Logo on them. Ducks from B&O fans’ assult At least the NS has stripes.
The most exciting fo rme are the Bicenntenials by virtue of what they are, a free-range canvas to show off on.It’s har do pick one, but maybe the ATSFs.
I think I have to go with SP for exciting… Daylight, Black Widow, and Tiger Stripe. However I also really like Texas Special/Frisco Meteor Red and Silver (too bad the red faded so badly).
For boring… Conrail blue and white followed by UP yellow, gray, and red.
Since you specified diesels in the US - boring, 100%[zzz]
I will admit a certain partiality for the grey, cream and traction orange scheme applied to JNR diesel-hydraulics in the 1960s…[8D]
Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)
I always liked the ACL’s purple/silver/yellow, or the Chicago & Eastern Illinois blue and orange.
But the Warbonnet SF’s are a big hit anywhere.
Rotor
NS color scheme boring? Maybe but you have to admit that is a clever maintenance gimmick. I’m sure it’s easy to find a color match after any body repairs.
As far as exciting, I think the UP Heritage series locos are front runners for that nomination. I also like the UP Desert Storm camouflage scheme from a while back.
I"m with Jasper on UP’s Heritage schemes. Good collection of winners there.
For boring or drab? I’d say the locomotive leasing companies. (Helm, GECX, etc)
When you factor in their final paint scheme, SP could win for both most exciting and most boring.
For current paint schemes, the Wisconsin Southern wins hands down for best scheme, while the CSX "we can even screw up something as simple as the old C&O paint scheme) dip jobs are the worst.
More “colorful” than Norfolk Southern? Sure. However, the Norfolk Southern has the way better logo hands down, IMO. The stallion signifies both “horse” power and speed. The BNSF logo does nothing for me.
OT: Speaking of logos, I think one of the best and most clever was Northwest Airlines’ older version:
I like the fact that the pointer not only pointed northwest on the compass but subtly created a “W” out fo the “N”. I had looked at their logo for years before I realized that.
Anyway, back to the boring and exciting…
Tom
The most boring to me would be the the Norfolk Southern’s paint scheme. The newest and really outstanding paint scheme to me is the new KCS stuff. It is totally awesome!..chuck
Boring-NS and old black & white Penn Central.
Exciting-GE Evolution Hybrid scheme and some of the Demonstrator paint jobs.
[zzz] Norfolk Southern black hearses, Penn Central grime covered B&W, SP grime covered bloody nose
[:D]Southern Pacific Daylight, Santa Fe Warbonnet, Uncle Pete’s Armor Yellow (but only when new) and the Heritage units
Since this is any railroad in U.S. history, i’m surprised ya’ll are picking the Norfolk southern as most boring. I nominate a RR involved in the creation of the NS, the Norfolk and Western’s all black w/ just the letters NW on the side in white. I nominate either the Wisconsin Central, CSX, or Chessie system as most exciting.
Exciting for me was the SP Black Widow and Daylight schemes. Also the Rio Grande 4-stripe Grande Gold and silver. The ATSF ‘Warbonnet’ was a real attention-getter, and I always found the Great Northern Omaha Orange and green to be a really attractive scheme.
Tom
Most boring to me, BNSF, most exciting to me, ATSF before BNSF.
Bob
I’ll toss in the BN. I think it was a nice mix of color and practicality. The roof was black so you couldn’t see the dirt. The green was bright and friendly and very NW USA. The nose stripes added some complexity and the big numbers on the side combined a graphic design element with a real bit of practicality (remember also the tenders on ATSF steam). I also like that the logo was originally done small–a bit of understatement. You can guess that I don’t like as much the later green BN schemes. Still up in the Northwest, I like the various NP schemes, though not so much the “canoe”.
On a less colorful note, I really like the NYC lightning stripes–perhaps the most “colorful” of the schemes that had no color.
I’ll mention that the N&W, to me, NEVER had a decent diesel scheme–perhaps steam’s revenge?–their steamers were quite stunning.
So many opinions, so little time, Ed
I have to say the most exicting (for me) is the WC Z stripe on there F45s, and on one of there OLS SD45s.
When matched back to back the F45s where fairly attractive.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=222760&nseq=0
This was the only SD45 painted in the Z stripe. It was the OLS unit.
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=190771&nseq=1
I don’t know what the most boring scheme would be. I like them all!
I don’t think there is a “boring” paint scheme…I like all of them.