Amtrak paint schemes
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Amtrak, the national passenger train service in the United States, has colored its trains differently over the years. Amtrak has called most of their paint schemes "phases".
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[edit] Most-known paint schemes
[edit] Phase I
Phase I was the first standard paint scheme of Amtrak. On locomotives, phase I consisted of a red nose and then the Amtrak "pointless arrow" logo on the side of the engine. On passenger cars, however, this was not used. Instead, Phase I used the Amtrak logo on one end of the car, and then stripes along the side of the car, much like the later Phase II scheme. The "stripe" style paint schemes would be used on Amtrak for many more years.
[edit] Phase II
Phase II was one of the first paint schemes of Amtrak to use entirely the "stripe" style. Phase II stripes consisted of a fat red stripe over a very thin white stripe and then over a fat blue stripe, with white pinstripes on the outer edges as well. This paint scheme was used on the locomotives and passenger cars, even into the early years of the Superliners. Unlike Phase I, the Amtrak logo was removed from the locomotives and cars.
[edit] Phase III
Phase III was probably the most common and widely known paint scheme of Amtrak, introduced in 1979 and still lasting to this day on some equipment. This paint scheme used similar colors to those used on Phase II stripes, except that the outer white pinstripes were deleted and the red, white and blue stripes were of approximately equal width. On some equipment, the white stripe remained the same width while the red and blue were expanded to cover a larger area. Another distinguishing feature of this paint scheme is the labeling of every passenger car with its type and number in black lettering on the white stripe. This style of Phase III was used on Amtrak locomotives, passenger cars, and Material Handling Cars. Another name for the Phase III is the "tri-stripe" paint scheme.
[edit] Phase IV
Phase IV is currently the most common paint scheme on Amtrak's Superliner equipment, since it was introduced in 1993 with the delivery of the Superliner II cars. However, Phase IV was used on Amtrak engines and other passenger cars as well. Phase IV consisted of two thin red stripes over a white background, over a fat purplish-blue stripe. Phase IV was used on Amtrak locomotives, passenger cars, Material Handling Cars, Express Boxcars, and RoadRailers. Other names for Phase IV are the "Northeast Corridor," "Northeast Direct" or "Intercity" paint schemes.
[edit] Phase V
Phase V is currently the most common paint scheme on Amtrak's P42DC and P32AC-DM locomotives. However, Phase V was introduced with the arrival of the Acela Express high speed trainset. Then the new paint scheme was used on the "Genesis", starting with units 123-207, and eventually spreading to all units in the class. Phase V consists of a red stripe that runs down the bottom of the locomotive/car, and then a blue nose which runs up the side of the locomotive/car in a "wave" form. This is the first paint scheme to use the new Amtrak logo, which is portrayed on the side of most Phase V engines. Phase V is used on Amtrak Genesis locomotives, Acela Express passenger cars, and Material Handling Cars. In addition, several new switcher locomotivs have been painted in Phase V. As of January 2007, one Dash 8-32BWH, #507, and one NPCU (Non-Powered Control Unit) have been painted in Phase V. It has not, however, been introduced on most of Amtrak's passenger cars. Apparently, Amtrak has decided to keep the Phase IV stripes on its passenger cars with the new Phase IVb paint scheme.
[edit] Phase IVb/Phase VI
Phase IVb was the name given to the new paint scheme now appearing on most of Amtrak's passenger car equipment, including Superliners. Many people confuse Phase IVb with Phase V because they are, on passenger cars, after Phase IV. Others have called it Phase VI because it is clearly the next chronologically after Phase V. However, since it is largely based on the Phase IV design, the current name makes sense. There are a number of differences between Phase IV and Phase IVb, though. The Phase IVb stripes are the same size and arrangement as Phase IV, but the blue is lighter and resembles the color of Phase III blue. The new "wave" logo is now displayed in white, along with the car number and type in very small lettering. A red reflective stripe often goes along the skirt of the cars. Phase IVb is not used on any Amtrak locomotives except a few slightly upgraded Dash 8-32BWHs.
[edit] Pacific Surfliner
The "Pacific Surfliner" paint scheme may, in some cases, be confused with Phase V, because they are very similar, especially on the locomotives. However, one difference is that the new Amtrak logo is not on these trains, and that the blue does not go up the side of the engine in a "wave" form. There are also no red stripes on the skirt of the cars/locomotives. The Pacific Surfliner paint scheme is only used on the Pacific Surfliner trains in California, on the locomotives and passenger cars.
[edit] Amtrak Cascades
The Cascades paint scheme is only used on Amtrak's Cascades trains located in Oregon, Washington, and British Columbia. On locomotives, the Cascades is very similar to the Pacific Surfliner paint scheme except that the color is changed. Instead of blue on the side of the engine, on the Cascades it is green. There is also a brown streak along the side of the engine by the cab windows. On the Cascades Talgo equipment, the green slides down the car (on the baggage car) and then runs down the skirt of the cars. All the rest of the sides of the cars from the green up is brown.
- Amtrak Cascades design manual (PDF) Retrieved September 20, 2005 - See Page 11
[edit] Unusual paint schemes
[edit] "Pepsi-Can"
The "Pepsi Can" paint scheme was used on a series of Amtrak diesel locomotives called Dash 8-32BWHs. The Pepsi Can paint scheme is a spin-off from the standard Phase III. On the front of the engine, the red, white, and blue stripes run across the side of the locomotive much like phase III, except they are much more spread apart. Close to the rear of the engine, the red and blue stripes make a "turn" and go up the side of the engine after crossing over each other. Because of the Dash 8-32BWH's shape and the paint scheme, the nickname "Pepsi-Can" was given to the engines. Even though the engines have been converted over to Phase IV paint, the nickname is still used by many.
[edit] "Celebrate the Century Express"
This paint scheme was a very elaborate collection of enlarged stamps and postmarks that adorned the sides of Amtrak's P42DC locomotive #100, during the United States Postal Service's "Celebrate the Century Express" tour. This paint scheme was only used on engine 100 and today has been removed.
[edit] "Believe in America" Tour
This paint scheme was used on the John Kerry/John Edwards campaign train of 2004. The nose of the engine was standard Phase V but the sides of the locomotive were completely blue with campaign slogans and large "BELIEVE IN AMERICA TOUR" letters. The Believe in America paint was only used on one P42DC locomotive, and have thus been removed.
[edit] Toyota Tundra
Amtrak and Toyota began an advertising campaign in October 2004, with 2 P42DC locomotives painted in the Toyota Tundra paint scheme. The nose of the engine was standard Phase V but the sides of the locomotive had a giant photograph of a Toyota Tundra pickup truck on it, on a light blue background. On the corner of the side black letters spelled out, "THE POWERFUL TOYOTA TUNDRA". Both locomotives were repainted by March 2005, into standard Amtrak livery.
