Recently one of the former UP/CNW C40-8s #2112 has been sighted repainted in new CN paint with the new “15 Years” logo on it’s long hood, which has a depiction of a CN loco with the number 15 on the side.
Supposedly this is commemorating CN’s 15 years as a private, non-government owned corporation. I wonder if this is just a special scheme CN’s only applying to one or a handful of locos ala UP, and not a new logo that CN’s adopting system wide? IMO, I think this “15 Years” logo is ok with one or a handful of locos like UP’s special schemes, but I wouldn’t want it to be CN’s “New Image” since the large white CN noodle stands out better.
Not exactly my “home team”, but it is not a bad looking image. I suspect it will only be applied to a few locos, as in a year the message would be obsolete. Thanks for the photo. I hadn’t heard of this fifteenth anniversary in the local press.
I heard that the “15 Years” logo will be applied to 15 of the ex-UP, nee-CNW C40-8s that CN got. The funny part (to me) is that there’s an EMD loco on the logo which is being applied to GE locos…
It seems the “15 years ago” logo is exactly the same as todays logo, that odd wet noodle thing, couldn’t they have come up with some classic CNR red maple leaf emblems from a while back for a logo, I guess no one in the U.S. would recognize those old classic logos.
Actually I was going to mention this on another CN related thread a while back. My father always referred to that railway as “The CNR”. I find I automatically work that into some of my post’s here after all this time.
I just checked and the 50th Anniversary of the “Wet Noodle” will be in December 2010.
And I got a real laugh out of Dan’s comment that the logo has an EMD loco on the sides of GE units.[(-D]
Interesting paint scheme! I think it looks pretty good as presented.
I always loved the air horns on their locomotives ( never knew what kind it was) but they were always diestinctive, and classy when compared to some of the noises emitted by their American cousins.
One of my favority train watching experiences was seeing CP’s 'The Canadian" roll up to the Pointe Au Baril station when I was on vacation.
I don’t mean to dismiss those who prefer CN’s classic maple leaf logo, but the wet noodle has actually been a huge success for CN, from a corporate perspective at least. As a marketing student, I once ran across a publication discussing ‘all-time great logos’, and CN’s noodle was ranked as one of the best, most recognized, and most frequently imitated worldwide. It was the only railroad logo to get a mention (although I personally believe if you broadened the parameters a bit, ATSF’s red-and-silver warbonnet paint scheme would deserve even higher accolades, up alongside the Campbell’s soup can, etc.).
I know, I know, this is a railfan forum, who cares what the great unwashed think…
I would think that CN’s current logo has worked well because it’s distinctive and eye-catching, no matter where it is: on a locomotive, overpass, facility entrance, etc. While the maple leaf is a nice design, it’s a motif that’s quite common among a variety of Canadian firms in many lines of business.
That 15 years thing doesn’t look good… once it gets dirty it will look like a stain. and 15 years since privatization is nice, but when some of your competitors have been private for over a hundred years 15 years isn’t something to run up the flagpole.
Overall I like the CN logo and paint scheme in that is it is simple and good looking…and I like black on locomotives.