[RITSlist] Qusetions on Rock Island 50-foot Pullman Standard Boxcars

[jeff worones]

----- Original Message ----
From: Eric Miller emillerz at yahoo.com

2. Why did the Rock Island change the boxcar scheme to
white at the very end?

Not sure why, but it's rather interesting to try and follow.
The RI started tinkering with the slogans and paint schemes in late 1978. Could be the start of a positive outlook that the RI might just make it. In reading management documents from this time, you get the impression of hope - that they believed that they just might pull it off and emerge from bankruptcy.
Late 78/early 79 they started the "The Rock" slogan. With the underlined Rock, the hoppers and gondolas started appearing black (with white slogans, blue underline, blue R's with a white center). Shortly after that, the "Route Rock" slogan appeared, then the white box cars.

Of course I must throw in the ROCX open hoppers in black with white "ROCX" and R with a blue center.

Then there were the rumors of SD40-2's and MP15's in a black scheme. No hard evidence has appeared to prove this.

Pure speculation, but I wonder if the W&OV cars came first and were painted white to distinguish them...
Then the Rock cars followed in the same color.

Notice that none of the rebuilt cars from El Reno or Biddle were turned out in white, but had the latest slogans. Stencils were cheap and there were still gallons of blue to use.

Cheers!
Jeff

Jeff Worones
Seattle WA

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