"PC" in Color

Mike Schafer photo at Newark, New Jersey in June 1968

During the early months of the Penn Central merger, the newly formed railroad painted several locomotives with an experimental scheme that featured a red-colored "P" and white "C". There were also a small number of new GP40s delivered that wore an orange-colored "C" and a white "P". The rarest of the bunch might be a solitary RS3 that also wore an orange "C." It did not take long for road grime and ultra-violet rays of sunshine to change the red to pink. A plash of yellow color has been added here to provide a little bit of contrast. To a roster shooter, these PC-logo variants were similar to a kid finding a prize for the first time in a box of cracker Jacks.

The intent here is not to exhibit all of the nearly 170 Penn Central locos with color-filled "Ps" or "Cs" but to show a single representative from each model similarly painted. Please also note there were several Alco and EMD-built switchers, along with one Baldwin, that wore a red colored "P". Those locos will be featured at a later date.


XXXXXXXX* * * * * * *

A Photo Essay

FA2 #1350

Larry E. White photo (R. Craig collection)

F7A #1734 at West Detroit, MI

R. Craig photo (12 November 1969)

GP20 #2110 at Sharonville, OH

Dan Dover photo (R. Craig collection

GP30 #2246

"miningcamper"

GP35 #2398 at West Detroit, MI

R. Craig photo (5 September 1969)

RS27 #2405 at Conway, PA

Robert Farkas photo (March 1968)

U25B #2647 -- Location unknown

Keith Ardinger photo

GP40 #3174 at Toledo, OH (note: Orangish-red "c")

R. Craig photo (2 June 1970)

GP9B #3803 at West Detroit, MI

Ray Sabo photo

E8A #4292 at Massillon, Ohio

Robert E. Farkas photo

RS3 #5585

Internet search photo (photographer unknown)

FL9 #5033 at Oscawana, New York

Jim Gavin photo (24 August 1976)

SD35 #6035 at Columbus, OH (December 1968)

D. Graf photo (James Boudreaux collection)

RSD7 #6814 at Selkirk, New York

Jim Gavin photo (21 June 1973)

RSD12 #6855 at Toledo, OH

R. Craig photo (3 December 1968)

GP9 #7080 at West Detroit

R. Craig photo (13 September 1969)

RS11 #7650

Bob Gottschall photo (date unknown)

RS12 8085 at Camden, New Jersey

Permission pending

SW1 #8523 at Holidayburg, Pennsylvania

Phillip M. Goldstein photo (August 1969)

RS1 #9933 at Cleveland, OH

Robert Farkas (September 1968)

25th Anniversary

(placeholder)

The following list identifies the few remaining models that are not represented in the above photo survey, even though they are known to have worn a red "P" at one time.
  • C425 -- 2422
  • C628 -- 6312 (* permission to use pending
  • SD9 -- 6912
  • U33C -- 6557

XXXXXXXXNotes

Format by: R.Craig New: 1 March 2019

Michael Richmond was instrumental in identifying photos and securing permissions to use them.

Reference sources:
  • Penn Central Power by Robert J. Yanosey
  • Extra 2200 South Locomotive Newsletter (Nov. 1968)
  • Train Orders.com (Nostaliga & History)
  • RailPictures.Net website
  • RRPicturesArchives.Net website
  • Flickr.com website

Back to Motive Power Rosters

Back to Passenger Lines