Monday, July 18, 2016

Canadian Northern Logo Color(s)

While looking at this picture, I quickly discovered the Canadian Northern logo on the cab wasn't monochrome. If you look carefully, you'll see it is darker than the cab.

Library and Archives Canada/PA-188842 (MIKAN no. 3516147)

In the past, when I modelled British-American Oil tank car, the color difference between black, dark green and red was very similar.



Generally speaking, the Canadian Northern was Black/White/Red. Montrealers remember seeing an updated version of this logo on the Deux-Montagnes original electric boxcab locomotives to celebrate their retirement in 1995. I'm pretty sure the shady CDPQ's REM electric train won't have the sturdinesss of CNoR rolling stock!



However, a green version also existed.








If you have any hints about what was standard practice at CNoR, let me know. Meanwhile, I contacted Canadian Northern Society, a historical association located in Alberta and dedicated to preserve CNoR heritage in the Prairies.





By the way, any information about fonts and font sized used by CNoR to letter the engine would be welcomed. Also, it's quite hard to figure out what was written under the engne number on the cab. Probably the locomotive class and rating.

2 comments:

  1. Most railroad equipment wasn't lettered using "standard" fonts - most likely the builder or shop created a stencil and that's what became the "lettering style."
    I can be more help with the small numbers under the cab - they are certainly the locomotive class N - 5 - a for example on the left side. The right side it's the locomotive's tonnage rating expressed as " xx %"
    That smaller lettering is readily obtained from any of the Microscale CN or CN family decal sheets -
    Hope this helps.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks. You confirm what I thought. I contacted CNRHA about the lettering. I know Canadian National used CNoR various fonts on its own motive power for a long time, particularly the numerals (which CNRHA provides a computer font).

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