Pan Am's Heritage Locomotives

[b&m 1566]

What are the chances of Pan Am painting a few engines in Heritage colors? I know that its next to 0% of ever happening but anything is possible, especially given that this company is unpredictable.
So with a little wish fullness, what would you want to see?
Some examples:
B&M/MEC - Maroon & Gold / Black with the red stripped nose
B&M - Blue
MEC - Pine Tree Green/Harvest Gold
Springfield/Portland Terminal

[Hux]

You have a better chance of winning the lottery without a ticket.

[atsf sp]

Soon out of Waterville you will have the 252 and 216 in Harvest Gold. But no longer PAR engines.

[cpf354]

What are the chances of Pan Am painting a few engines in Heritage colors? I know that its next to 0% of ever happening but anything is possible, especially given that this company is unpredictable.
So with a little wish fullness, what would you want to see?
Some examples:
B&M/MEC - Maroon & Gold / Black with the red stripped nose
B&M - Blue
MEC - Pine Tree Green/Harvest Gold
Springfield/Portland Terminal

None, they don't do that kind of stuff. As noted, only units sold to tourist lines or historical societies.

[b&m 1566]

If Pan Am does happen to acquire a pair of F units for its business train, I feel anything could be possible after that. If it were to present a good marketing opportunity for them, they may be foolish not to.

[KSmitty]

If Pan Am does happen to acquire a pair of F units for its business train, I feel anything could be possible after that. If it were to present a good marketing opportunity for them, they may be foolish not to.

I would highly doubt it, they just spent oodles of money to repaint the cars. Once and then a second touch up job with black underbodies. If the F's come to PAR, which still remains to be seen, they would almost definately be painted into some type of PAR scheme.

[MEC407]

I guess I don't understand how it would be a marketing opportunity. Freight customers want their goods delivered on time, in good condition, at a low price. How many of them would be more likely to ship with Pan Am simply because the company has a couple of pretty locomotives with pine trees and/or minutemen? How many of them would even remember what those logos/colors represent? It's been almost 30 years since B&M and MEC lost their independence. I would think that most of the customers who would be likely to remember such things have probably retired by now.

Looking back at history, we've seen that this company has gone out of its way to erase even the smallest traces of the identities of its predecessor companies. It would be a pleasant surprise if they reversed that trend. Nothing is impossible, as Mr. Hutchinson said in another thread. But that goes both ways. The F units (if they actually are a reality) could end up in NS paint with PAS reporting marks. Like he said, nothing is impossible.

[KSmitty]

Hmm, I wonder, If by some chance PAR does actually get the sisters, or another set of F's, what the chance is that they might pull freights when the OCS is parked? If your going to purchase them you might as well get your money's worth out of them.

[b&m 1566]

I know the marketing comment is a stretch but I figured I would throw it out there anyways.
It's got to mean something for the bigger railroads to be doing it, like UP and NS. I can't image those railroads doing it for the pleasure of rail fans.

[MEC407]

Yes, but look at how often those railroads run their business trains. The NS and UP business trains are almost always out and about. PAR uses theirs maybe two or three times a year. NS and UP are companies that have consistently embraced their history and have never tried to hide it. That's kind of the opposite of PAR's philosophy, which has been to ignore or erase their history whenever possible. And everyone knows that the main reason UP painted all those heritage locomotives was so they could stick it to the model train manufacturers for royalty fees.

[MCER401]

I guess I don't understand how it would be a marketing opportunity. Freight customers want their goods delivered on time, in good condition, at a low price. How many of them would be more likely to ship with Pan Am simply because the company has a couple of pretty locomotives with pine trees and/or minutemen? How many of them would even remember what those logos/colors represent? It's been almost 30 years since B&M and MEC lost their independence. I would think that most of the customers who would be likely to remember such things have probably retired by now.

Looking back at history, we've seen that this company has gone out of its way to erase even the smallest traces of the identities of its predecessor companies. It would be a pleasant surprise if they reversed that trend. Nothing is impossible, as Mr. Hutchinson said in another thread. But that goes both ways. The F units (if they actually are a reality) could end up in NS paint with PAS reporting marks. Like he said, nothing is impossible.

I've got to say, I'm always suprised at how many non-railfans I meet while I'm out taking pictures that still call the line the "Boston and Maine." When you are trying to market yourself, "brand recognition" is huge, and the Boston and Maine had brand recognition. I think Guilford was foolish to abandon that, and would be smart to capitalize on the strong brand recognition that still exists with a few heritage units.

People choose brand over price all the time in every day life, because the brand represents "quality" or "history" or "because it's cool." And the generic may be boring, lack quality, or is uncool. That's what marketing and advertising is all about!

[KSmitty]

I've got to say, I'm always suprised at how many non-railfans I meet while I'm out taking pictures that still call the line the "Boston and Maine." When you are trying to market yourself, "brand recognition" is huge, and the Boston and Maine had brand recognition. I think Guilford was foolish to abandon that, and would be smart to capitalize on the strong brand recognition that still exists with a few heritage units.

People choose brand over price all the time in every day life, because the brand represents "quality" or "history" or "because it's cool." And the generic may be boring, lack quality, or is uncool. That's what marketing and advertising is all about!

Sure, maybe a common person recognizes Boston and Maine, and yes brand name is often chosen over a generic object for history's sake. But, when you deal with businesses its not about that history, corporate America is as unsentimental as you can get. All that matters is that "shipment A" gets from Rigby to Mohawk in a timely fashion. If B&M or Pan Am Railways gets the goods moved doesn't matter so long as they get moved!

[northernline]

I was just on nerail photos and there was a photo of GP9 #52 on EDPO. The caption mentioned it was headed to waterville for "special work". Anyone know what is being done?

[thebigham]

Pics of the some the Geeps at Waterville in May:

http://samayotte.com/PAR_Waterville_2.html

[merrman]

Rumor has it that the "special work" is a paint job, but not just any paint job.
I think, if this pans out the way I think it will, we will be pleased with the results.