Google doodle celebrates Raymond Loewy's birthday.

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To me at least, it really looks like a locomotive (perhaps a certain PRR passenger K4s), thought he also worked with appliances and other vehicles.





Anyways, enjoy this blast from the past!

[Pacific 2-3-1]

The stylized rendering of G-O-O-G-L-E is cute, but to me the rounded imagery suggests a couple of the New York Central System locomotive designs of Mr. Loewy's celebrated rival, Henry Dreyfuss, rather than Loewy's designs (for PRR).

Dreyfuss liked to showcase the big driving wheels of the steam locomotives, while these were usually covered with skirting on Loewy's designs.

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Ironically enough, i think that is because the long-in-the-tooth K4s did not have big sexy driving wheels and were often double headed even on passenger trains, they did not have the steaming power nor the high top speed of the NYC's hudsons.

I often feel that PRR's delay in improved steam and relatively late diesel conversion is what ultimately cost their existence. That combined with the extremely poorly planned merger into PC is why we have what we have today. If they had been more proactive about their motive power, they likely would have survived in some form. Instead we have 2 southern railroads dominating everything east of the mississippi.