UPDATED Livery and Herald for the NorthWestern Pacific SouthWestern Pacific System (Font for herald finally selected)(Herald shape selected)

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I am currently working on developing a livery or paint scheme for the NWP/SWP system. To give you a little background on the railroad first.

In the 1930s the Western Pacific was struggling due to the Depression and so the WP management approached both the Northern Pacific and the Southern Pacific railroads about merging their respective lines into one system, both the NP and SP refused at first but after a couple of months they agreed to the merger. Then came the problem of getting approval from the ICC to help themselves along a little they devised a plan in which each railroad would retain ownership of their route but they also would grant trackage rights to the other two lines in addition to the creation of two other lines the NWP and the SWP.

So as you now know the railroad reaches from the desert into the mountains.

I have toyed with idea of making a navy and burgundy scheme or a sunset like scheme or a monochromatic blue, green, or red.

Any opinions or ideas???

PLEASE READ BELOW FOR UPDATE.

Please scroll through the replies to see the font for the Herald and the Herald design coming soon.

ANOTHER UPDATE 11/10/18

Herald shape selected and now working to finalize logo.

Please read the latest post for details.

2

It’s your freelance RR. You can choose any color-scheme you want. Maybe combine a color(s) from both the NP and SP to come up with something unique…

3

Yeah I was thinking of combining the liveries of the three parent roads.

But I’m asking for outside input too.

4

Some sort of logo (e.g. a silhouetted spruce tree - like the MEC) would make for a nice backdrop for the lettering…

Tom

5

I am actually considering writing an article on designing paint schemes for private roadnames (freelance).

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Best basic recomendations: Keep the stripes horizontal. Limit the pallet to black, green, dark blue, yellow, white, silver, and reddish brown (or burgandy). Keep it railroady and normal. Circular logos are always best, but if you are creative, other styles can work. Simple heralds like pine trees and horse heads are fine. Don’t go overboard.

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If you want to pay homage to legacy roads, do it with colors, not with striping schemes.

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Lettering should be white or yellow on a dark color, or black on white or yellow. Pretty much any other combination will not look right.

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Gold should only be used for striping.

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I hope some of this helped you out.

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-Kevin

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6

So the simple sunset idea is bad? And as for the herald would something like the actual NorthWestern Pacific Herald.

Like this.

7

How 'bout a “WP” being central to the logo (since it’s common to both) then have the “N” and “S” above and below (respectively) the “WP” to represent the northern and southern portions of the railroad?

You could also have the “W” be the central (common) letter and create a cross with the two railroads:

S

NWP

P

Unlike the sample above because the the forum software, the vertical spacing of the “SWP” would match the horizontal spacing of the “NWP”

Got another idea but I need to draw it up first.

Top

8

Thanks that’s a great idea for the shared equipment. There are six types of equipment on the system the parent roads equipment (NP,WP,SP) and then equipment shared by the NWP and SWP and then just SWP or NWP equipment.

Look forward to seeing your other ideas tstage

9

How about something like this?

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It suggests a sunset with the color scheme and pattern or the herald, but does not require any complicated painting.

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-Kevin

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10

Maybe something similar but with the

S

N W P

P

11

If it was me i would use a compass as my logo with the Initials formed aroud the outer edge.

On Time On Any line would be my Slogan Ah just a thought!!

12

Maybe I’ll do something similar to the onieda western or british columbia railway green schemes.

13

Here is two prospective logos I just made up.

What do you guys think?

14

The most important thing is what you think.

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In my oppinion, it is very dangerous to go away from Railroad Roman or Gothic Sans Serif for type styles on any railroads set boefore 1970.

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I use VERY bold Railroad Roman for the STRATTON & GILLETTE lettering, and Gothic Sans Serif for the circular logo lettering on “standard 1950s” SGRR boxcars.

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Using art-deco typestyle like you have chosen looks unusual. It might look great to you now, but will you still be happy with it in 40 years? I am still using the SGRR typestyle and color scheme I chose when I was in high school. It has evolved, but the basics are still there. Back then I could never have been able to afford a four color herald, but times have changed.

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Is your proposal just for locmotives, or is it the herald for boxcars?

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Remind me, what year is your railroad set in.

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-Kevin

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15

My model railroad is set in the transition era 1940-1960.

It was formed via a wartime merger between the SP, WP, and NP.

The merger was agreed to due to a increased efficiency of moving wartime supplies that the three railroads merged into one could deliver.

I like the art deco look of the top one very reminiscent of the 20s or a neon sign.

Well in that case maybe I’ll set my railroad in the first half of the 20th century give me more leeway in equipment.

Therefore the merger happened in WW1 not 2.

Just thinking outloud.

A version of the herald might appear on rolling stock.

Motive power mostly steam, first gen diesels, and a few second gen diesels.

Maybe I could use a similar font and the prototype NWP herald idea.

NWP with a line through it reading NorthWestern Pacific Lines.

16

OK, if it is a herald, I like the second choice better.

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Can you use Paint to make an example of what the whole car would look like? Since you are modelling the transition era or before, you are really going to need to work to justify a freight car color other than reddish brown. If you go even prior to that, you will have a hard time justifying paint colors other than white or yellow.

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-Kevin

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17

Here’s a herald that looks modern but is on a steamer.

18

Steven,

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No image came through.

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-Kevin

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19

Now I can’t post a link!

Google Bona Vista Railroad there’s a steamer with a modern looking herald on the tender.

20

If the locomotives aren’t in that paint style. Have you decided on a style or design for those tenders?

How big is the layout going to be? I designed several different boxcars in four different paint schemes. 1956-1978 all blue with yellow lettering. 1976 blue boxcar with cushion underframe 1978-present brown boxcar with simple logo. 1980s ex Railbox boxcar with stencil markings.

My railway might have at least 6-10 boxcars. Within the 1980s.

Nscalebuilder- the slogan reminds me of Railbox.