Correct UP "system" logo decal?

[SandyEggoJake]

Does anyone have a source for a correct N scale Union Pacific "System" logo?  Water slide or Dry transfer, I care not. 

My initial review of Microscale's web site suggests they do not have this specific herald, used from 1914 to 1932... see http://www.up.com/aboutup/history/uplogo/logo5/index.htm

[Cajonpassfan]

Sorry Sandy,
I don't think this has been made commercially. The closest thing is the Microscale PFE with "overland" 4021, but of course it lacks the "system" line and has a simplified diagonal bar. Seems like you'll need to roll your own
Good luck, Otto K.

[C855B]

I'm wracking my brain to recall (...without poring through my books...) whether this particular medallion was used on rolling stock. IIRC it was mostly a corporate identity used for advertising and on buildings (quasi-advertising). Decals are usually produced for rolling stock, which sort of explains the dilemma.

[hnipper]

The Overland herald is still used on at least one unit of rolling stock to keep the right to use it active. Don't have a recent picture of one of the box cars, but within the last decade an Overland box car was seen near the Kellogg plant in Omaha in active service.

Here is the catalog id of at least one set of decals with the Overland herald: Microscale N 60-4009 UP Yard Switchers Overland Route Shield. They are on sale at Model Train Stuff this week.

Good luck.
Henry

[C855B]

Jake's looking for the "Union Pacific System" medallion, not the similar "Overland" medallion that just says "Union Pacific":



The more I think about it, the more my gut confirms what I already surmised, the "System" medallion was never - or very rarely - used on rolling stock. It was primarily used to identify partnerships and partial ownerships of ventures that weren't directly the UP railroad itself, but were supposed to benefit from the association. I think the Utah Parks Company operation was one such subsidiary that featured the "System" medallion on advertising, although it is possible the medallion could have appeared on the earliest motor coaches.

Jake, do you have a photographic reference of something that used this version that you're trying to model? Context would be helpful.

[Spades]

I think I have seen it on PFE Reefers.  They may have been someones What if PFE models.
G

Googled a bit and found: http://modelingthesp.com/Rolling_Stock/Reefers_I.html
PFE markings between 1922 and 1954
1922
In 1922, PFE started to use railroad emblems on the side of cars. SP was on one side of the car and UP on the other. The SP emblem was always on the B end. The UP emblem had the diagonal strip “The Overland Route.” and the “Union Pacific System” at the top.

[Cajonpassfan]

Like this?

[C855B]

Super find, Spades (and Otto). Of course - PFE being one of the joint ventures I was talking about. Duh.

[ryan_wilkerson]

I know these two are not the desired "System" logos but I looked through some of the photos on my website and found these shots of a WP box car #38515 with the Overland logo.

[highway70]

Pacific Fruit Express 2nd edition by Thompson, Church and Jones has photos of reefers with the "UNION PACIFIC SYSTEM" logo.

Car types pictured include R-30-12, R-30-13, R-30-15, R-40-1, R-40-2, R-40-4, R-50-1, R-50-5,  R70-2,  Cars painted "after 1935" did not have the word "SYSTEM" on the logo.

[SandyEggoJake]

Thanks all.  And yes, my project is in fact the "never before in N" PFE R-40-1.  Got the builders pics from the CSRM, which clearly show the SYSTEM logo. 

BLT 1927 the PFE R-40-1 was never rebuilt and instead scrapped between 1948 to 1955.  I'm doing a small fleet - likely with correct custom decals for the as blt era given it also had an atypical yellower PFE color scheme.  Will be a perfect car to add a little prototypical variation to my "Salad Express". If interested in getting some for your own, PM me as I might be willing to do a few extras. 

And yep, Cajonpass is correct, Microscales 4021 is the closest I've found as well.  But after buying some found that not only is it lacking the white "system" in the escutcheon, but also has the wrong color font "the Route" on the shield (should be blue, but theirs is red).  As such, this 4021 version of the UP logo is unfortunately a foobie for all uses as far as I can tell.  Their long since discontinued 4240 at least had a correct UP logo some some years (to my eyes, 1903 to 1912 and also for a few days in 1942) .... just not for the period from 1914 to 1933 ... and specifically, for when the then experimental R-40-1 hit the rails.   The hard lesson I've learned here once again is you can't take it as gospel that any manufacturer's products are true to prototype nor that the era dates they claim on their products are even remotely close to accurate.   

Any suggestions on the best source for custom decals with the precision sought for N scale, but without Microscale's 250 min?

[SandyEggoJake]

Otto, so who's the maker of that sweet R-30-13 in your picture?  (And almost as important, please please please tell me that is in N scale ... not another drool worthy HO model from Tichy, Sunshine, Speedwitch, Westerfield, etc!)

[peteski]

Any suggestions on the best source for custom decals with the precision sought for N scale, but without Microscale's 250 min?

Contact John Hagen at sprinthag_at_yahoo_dot_com and tell him that Peteski sent you. He prints custom decals on Alps printer and since he does mostly RR decals, he might already have the artwork for that logo.  If not, it is fairly simple logo, so it shouldn't be difficult to create the artwork.  Or if you are capable of creating vector-based artwork, then you can save some money.

[Cajonpassfan]

Otto, so who's the maker of that sweet R-30-13 in your picture?  (And almost as important, please please please tell me that is in N scale ... not another drool worthy HO model from Tichy, Sunshine, Speedwitch, Westerfield, etc!)

Sorry Jake, I wish, but it's a Tichy HO kit, don't know who built it. A great example of the "system" era paint job though.

[robert3985]

Jake,

Although the cars "as built" had the metal shield with "System" in the upper field of the shield, if you have problems with finding or having that decal made for you, in 1936, PFE removed the word "System" from the shields on all of their cars, so running the cars with the later shield might be correct for an 18 year time period between 1936 and 1954 when the last R-40-1's were scrapped.

However, my references say that the R-40-1's "...survived with their original numbers..." until they were scrapped, so only dated reference photos would provide evidence if they retained their original "Union Pacific System" shields also.

I'll be very interested in seeing your progress in building your "fleet" of these PFE reefers, since I run several reefer blocks on a normal operating day on my layout...and PFE reefers occupy a special place in my brain.

Reefers, reefers everywhere at Echo Curve...


Bob Gilmore