Many folks will tell you that Penn Central’s infamous “Two Worms In Love” was the worst https://blog.logomyway.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/logo-1968-penn-central.jpg , but I think Canadian National’s Sqiggle is equally hideous https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/1/11/CN_Railway_logo.svg They even show the same graphic heritage. What are your nominees?
I’ve seen CN’s referred to as the “lazy 3.”
I can’t really think of any heralds that are ugly. Unique, maybe.
At least the railroads didn’t resort to computer generated names like “Exxon.” Some of the corporate “names” (generally those consisting of initials) resulting from mergers have left something to be desired… I’m kinda partial to real names…
Wasn’t pleased with CSX in the way they ‘explained’ their naming Chessie Seaboard and the multiplier symbol ‘X’. Especially since the simple CSX could not be used for equipment identification because of how AAR rules defines the final X in owners initials and thus the corporation had to utilize CSXT as their identifier.
Isn’t CSX how the company is listed on the stock exchange?
Maybe, but that’s got nothing to do with what they use as an AAR reporting mark, which is CSXT (look at ANY photograph of a CSX freight car) because under AAR conventions, any mark ending in “X” designates a non-railroad operator.
Going to disagree with you on CN.
It’s a very simple, recognizable, and “clean” modern logo, and it’s remained unchanged for 60 years.
Yes - AAR identification rules don’t apply to stock exchange listings.
The CN family noodle logos (CN, GT, and CV) are all classics in my opinion. Plus, the paint schemes that went along with them were very nice and colorful. CN’s paint scheme still looks stunning 60 years later, especially if its clean. I’d rate it up there with the Santa Fe warbonnent and UP Armour yellow and grey paint schemes - timeless.
Of course, everyone else is entitled to their own opinions.
I think Texas and Pacific was one of the worst, so tiny you needed almost a magnifying glass to read the text.
My suggestion for worst. Here’s why: 1. No idea of what these letters stand for (some railfans know, but no one else does); 2. The shape itself is rather meaningless; how does one describe it? 3. It does nothing to sell or promote the railway; there’s no slogan or tag line or even a symbol of the cities or region it serves.
This might be a very nice railway but the herald is unattractive and boring. Just my opinion: I know nothing of this fallen flag company.
It’s sorta like the Frisco one. That names a city, too bad it has nothing to do with the railroad.
The Burlington Route herald shouts WE HAVE NO IMAGINATION.
I agree that the herald for the NC&StL railroad was not the best. I like their nicknames better:
To and From Dixieland.
The Dixie Route.
Hehe I thought the same, BUT mi kids like it and mos def I’ll get it for Christmas
-Mark
As I understand it, yes, it s
The story behind the Frisco logo is that there was a train station on the Frisco somewhere in the Ozarks that had no identification. The station manager found a coonskin hide, wrote the FRISCO name on it and hung it on the station. RR management noticed the sign and decided to use it as the RR logo. BTW the MKT and Rock Island heralds are also derived from “hides”-cowhides.
The pre-horsie NS logo was basically a knock off of the Western Maryland “speed logo”
Funny thing about that comment coming specifically from you,…my first exposure to that railroad was in looking over an old 1920’s vintage railroad atlas, and seeing those letters crowded onto a multistate rail map. And thinking “N,C,&StL? I didn’t know Nickel Plate had a route through Tennessee…!”
Speaking of which, I always found the Nickel Plate “Blue Bird” livery somewhat of a disappointment.
Not contempt for the road by any means, but it just always seemed overly unimaginative to me, like somebody said “pick something quick that will be inexpensive to deploy”
Most transit authorities have rather unimaginative heralds with the possible exception of Muni in San Francisco.