Weekend Photos - March 2025

[webenda]

Menard's uses a spectrophotometer to match colors.
I don't have a spectrophotometer but I do have the Color Grab application on my phone.
Let's see if it can read the color of Southern Railroad Green.

[webenda]

Color Grab from three of my Southern Locomotives.

[webenda]

The colors look right on to me. Maybe this idea is worth pursuing.

The numbers (RGB, CMYK) are additive for how colors appear on the computer screen. Mixing paint is subtractive.

Maybe we could just subtract the additive numbers from the maximum for the color system--like 100%-65%=35% for cyan (blue.)

And maybe not!

"While the appearance of a color on a screen can be described in three dimensions, the blending of color actually is happening in a six-dimensional space," explains Georg Petschnigg.
Reference: https://stackoverflow.com/questions/135 ... c2d715a12e

AI Overview
A typical paint mixer, like those found in paint stores, uses a core set of 11-12 pigments to create a vast range of colors, including variations of gray, which are often the most challenging to match.

The reference noted above makes this idea seem too complicated to follow through with it.

[webenda]

I want to try using the results from the Color Grab application to mix some Southern Railroad green so I ordered 6 primary acrylic paint colors and four 4oz bottles with calibrated glass droppers.

Six colors? In the context of painting, the traditional primary colors are red, yellow, and blue.

"The blending of color happens in a six-dimensional space," explained Georg Petschnigg.

Oh, blending requires working in the sixth dimension.

[webenda]

I think that any 1:48 scale model train car can negotiate O-27, 27" diameter curves as long as the wheelbase is not longer than 25" and perhaps with some minor modifications.

[healey36]

Wayne, matching paint is tough, especially certain colors. Green and red seem to always be problematic. Sarge tells me it can be done pretty readily using an airbrush, but still requires some work to get the tint just right. I hate using my gun, so at least for now, I'm still considering alternatives.

I've been looking for a set of the early NYC decals for the 610/610/612 consist, thinking I might just bite the bullet and do a cosmetic repaint. These cars are a bit rough, and one has some serious damage to the sheet-metal on one end. Still, hate to repaint anything anymore. One thing that has been holding that back from consideration is that I haven't been able to find an early decal set (NYC) specifically sold as O-gauge; however, I have a set of standard gauge that might be serviceable. I'm betting that they are the same size, Lionel having used the same stamp for both. I'll have to dig them out and have a look at them.

Another thing is that I really like the BNSF green made by Scalecoat, but I don't know if that stuff is available anymore. The last bit I have, I got at Mainline, but I don't know if they carry this anymore, or if it's even made. I'll have to get up there and/or look around.

As far as getting any freight car to make it through a 27-inch diameter curve, I can think of a few postwar items that might have an issue. Generally though, I'd agree. Might look absolutely terrible, but I'm guessing almost anything could be made to work.

[healey36]

A couple shots from this week's sojourn in Cresson, PA:



Snow on the morning of the 26th, high on the Eastern Continental Divide.

[webenda]

That UP engine in the second photo makes me wonder if it looked that way when NS borrowed it.

[healey36]

That UP engine in the second photo makes me wonder if it looked that way when NS borrowed it.

Yup, that UP unit was a bit rough, but then some of the NS gear was looking a little battered as well.

Managed to catch Amtrak's westbound no. 43 Pennsylvanian blowing through Cresson in the shadow of long string of double-stacks:



Sporting its 50th Anniversary scheme, it zipped by on its way to Pittsburgh.

[sarge]

That UP engine in the second photo makes me wonder if it looked that way when NS borrowed it.

Probably. It's easy to forget this is an industry and they have no desire to keep this shit pretty for the railfan's entertainment. A dirty running loco makes as much money as a clean running loco. No-one ever made a dime on the washrack. GRIN!

As far as a railroad is concerned, the general public shows its respect for their property by vandalising it every chance they get.

Here are a couple more shots:

[healey36]

Gotta agree with that, Sarge. In this era of what are likely razor-thin margins, a constant tarting-up of the equipment is money best spent elsewhere.

Can’t believe Q1 of 2025 is nearly over...

[webenda]

I don't disagree with Sarge but when I was living in Tucson, Arizona I noticed that Union Pacific was far more diligent about keeping their locomotives clean than Southern Pacific ever was. Southern Pacific was suffering from financial woes when Union Pacific purchased Southern Pacific. SP was a good example of the state of affairs described by Sarge.

When I lived in Arizona the UP engines often showed up looking like this Union Pacific ES44AC #7346 after coming through rain storms between Deming, New Mexico and Tucson, Arizona. I never saw one as dirty as the one in Healey's picture.


My thought about the dirty UP locomotive in Healey's photo was, either UP loans their worst locomotives to other railroads or, other railroads do no maintenance or cleaning of loaned or borrowed equipment. Just a thought.

Union Pacific on the other hand...

AI Overview
Union Pacific, like many railroads, washes its locomotives regularly, and they take pride in keeping them clean, as it's seen as an essential part of their operation and maintenance.

Union Pacific Corporation (NYSE: UNP) reported 2024 fourth quarter net income of $1.8 billion. These results include $40 million of labor expense related to the ratification of a crew staffing agreement.

When I first bought Union Pacific stock in 2008 it was penny stock ($1.63 a share.) Today that stock closed at $236.24 a share, up +$4.09 (+1.76%) from last Friday closing.



Financial Health
A company's stock price is influenced by its financial health and future profitability. Stocks that perform well typically have very solid earnings and strong financial statements.
Source on Financial Health: https://www.investopedia.com/articles/s ... l%20future.

Union Pacific's current financial report here: https://investor.unionpacific.com/finan ... ndamentals
It shows their yearly net income as $6,747 million dollars (that is $6.747 billion dollars.)

[healey36]

Here's a shot from two summers ago from the same spot; this UP unit appears to be a bit less beat up:



Thanks for the link to their financials. Having spent a sizable chunk of my former professional career writing financial statements, I find those of other companies very entertaining.

[sarge]

Lots of thoughts, and lots of interesting things either not said or truly suspect, I fear.

Google's "AI Overview":

Not in the slightest a reliable source. The algorithm takes any ol' bollocks someone posts and that what might actually be vetted for some veracity and equates them as data points, so bullshit and fact get equal weight. I wouldn't believe an interpretation based on an AI search conducted solely across that abyss of intellectual arse-gravy called the net, not for a millisecond. Referencing and citing Google's AI overview for anything, I can't think of a weaker cite.

I apologise if I'm appearing a cynic, but I'm not really a railfan; no favourite teams, no rooting for the hometown mob with rose-coloured glasses. I'm far more a historian and the history of industry and technology is my interest.

As far as that locomotive being indicative of anything, I doubt if NS has somehow kept it long enough to be responsible for its appearance. It probably is either run-through or running off hours to equate for NS power running through on UP. I don't believe traffic conditions on NS are so strong suddenly such that they are taking UP power on longterm lease because of a power shortage. It is an older unit and has suffered either a turbo-fire or fuel-line fire; the paint being scorched away in the area of the hood indicative of such events (and something older GEs are noted for). You'll notice the NS stuff in Healey's photos look as decent as anything running on UP or any other railroad today, if I'm honest. They all look better than they used to what with modern paints and printed graphics, yet all the railroads have locos ranging from pretty manky to spanking clean.

I stand pat on the statement no-one is cranking these things through some magic washrack. I'd feel pretty safe thinking that unit will get washed next only as preparation for when it gets painted again on its next scheduled major shopping or will be retired with those scorchmarks still in place, whichever comes first.

On a different subject, I have to wonder what that chart really just reflects the increase in earning power because of UP's absorption of first CNW and then SP, both in the timeperiod represented, let alone the dramatic effects industry-wide of deregulation (Staggers Act signed in late 1980) when the entire industry was finally allowed to make a reasonable profit. There was so much that went on in the period of that graphic historically that would tell me that I'm looking at more of an industry trend using UP as an example rather than UP as some sort of stand-alone wonder company.

[webenda]

AI Overview
Union Pacific, like many railroads, washes its locomotives regularly, and they take pride in keeping them clean, as it's seen as an essential part of their operation and maintenance.

Lots of thoughts, and lots of interesting things either not said or truly suspect, I fear.

Google's "AI Overview":

Not in the slightest a reliable source. The algorithm takes any ol' bollocks someone posts and that what might actually be vetted for some veracity and equates them as data points, so bullshit and fact get equal weight. I wouldn't believe an interpretation based on an AI search conducted solely across that abyss of intellectual arse-gravy called the net, not for a millisecond. Referencing and citing Google's AI overview for anything, I can't think of a weaker cite.

I think Google's AI, Gemini, is well-judged with everything you said. Maybe even Google agrees. Google says, "As Gemini continues to make a name for itself, we wondered, where did that name come from?" I can answer that, it came from Sarge.
Reference: https://blog.google/technology/ai/googl ... e-meaning/

The Google AI Overview I quoted is true, so I used it. I forgot that, from the beginning, Google's AI has been subject to general mockery or ridicule.

Concerning Union Pacific's policy on clean engines.

When Union Pacific (UP) purchased Southern Pacific (SP) in 1996 they started replacing SP engines with UP engines that were just as dirty as SP engines.


Then, around 2006 or 2007, the Tucson yard started washing the engines when they were filled with fuel. It reminded me of the good old days in the United States when the person who filled your automobile gas tank also washed your windows. I was told that UP used long-handled brushes to wash engines in Tucson.

There are nothing but clean engines to see today in the UP Tucson yard.


Nothing but clean engines waiting to be assigned to a train.


Some UP yards have engine wash racks similar to a car wash operation.
UP Engine Wash Rack at Davis Yard.