Colorado Bi-Tanics painted in ICG

Rio Grande Scenic has painted their Bi-Tanics to match their newly restored Illinois Central Gulf "Mardi Gras" Observation.

I don't think anyone would have predicted this when these cars were on LI!

They actually look really sharp with some color on 'em.

Interesting... they painted Stainless Steel. It does look cool. I like seeing pictures of the C1's being pulled around by the SD9043MAC's they have.

Now the home road should get some inspiration to paint a heritage consist... Ah we can dream and enjoy it!
I never expected to see them pain stainless steel though. Those cars look sharp!
On a side note I did not expect to see a tourist/scenic railroad want to use high level platform only equipment. Does this line have short High platforms (2-4 cars) or do they use some High Spots similar to Belmont Park?

"I never expected to see them pain stainless steel though. Those cars look sharp!"

I don't think they were painted. Take a look at buses and subway cars with vinyl wraps on the entire side of the body depicting ads.

I'm sure those ex-NJT Comet 1's got the same treatment. painting is expensive and there's the issue of paint adhering to stainless steel.

I think they were wrapped. It's probably cheaper.

Painting stainless? There was a time when the Long Island was the only road with that kind of money to waste. Remember the stripes on the M-1's?

Some pictures (not mine) before they repainted:

http://www.nyctransitforums.com/forums/ ... ?&p=396568

They do look good. Have they had their MU couplers and draw bars replaced with standard couplers? Also, I too was curious with what WorkExtra asked....do they only load passengers at high platforms with these cars, or do they run mixed consists with other cars that do have ground level access?

If I remember correctly they have staircases to the cars but my memory is fuzzy.

I could be wrong, but it looks like paint not wrap.

the wrap only last about a year because the plastic dries out, Im sure its paint.

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I will agree with Dutch.....defiantly looks like paint, not a wrap. The car looks too "perfect" to be a wrap.....especially on the ends. I wonder how long the paint will last on the stainless though?

The traditional IC colors look great on those cars! I also think it is paint and not a vinyl wrap.

Keep in mind that other railroads in the pre-Amtrak era went to the expense of painting stainless steel passenger cars; GN, IC, NP, PRR and UP come immediately to mind.

As much as I don't understand the Illinois Central style paint on something called "Rio Grande Scenic," the paint does look sharp and it's nice to see this equipment being put to use once more.

-otto-