LIRR Passenger Car Lettering Schemes

Except for special name trains, steam locomotives only had “ LONG ISLAND ” on their tenders.  Heralds really came into use with the arrival of diesel locomotives.

When the first diesels arrived, they only had “ LONG ISLAND ” in gold lettering, a practice most likely used as on the steamers.  The first herald for diesels appeared in November 1949 when Alco RS-1 #465 wore the new Tichy herald along with the Tichy paint scheme.  This was applied to passenger locomotives only.  The FM C-Liners arrived in 1950 with this paint scheme already applied, as did the H16-44s upon their delivery.

The Tichy colors were applied to passenger cars as well, with MP54 electric coach #1901 being the first to wear them.  According to the December 1949 issue of the employee magazine, Long Island Railroader, these colors consisted of a bright aluminum color roof, slate gray body, and dark green underbody.  “Lettering is in aluminum, and numerals are in red against an aluminum background.”   

mp411111rockparkox0GOLD, Delux lettering was used with the Tuscan Red color schemearthuneke.jpg (33329 bytes)Delux gold font lettering was used DULUX gold lettering in Penn Roman font was used with the Tuscan Red color scheme.

Here's a photo courtesy from Art Huneke's website which shows the color scheme in question on an MP41 car.

While it's not an MP54 car, the color scheme was identical:  While the paint has been faded and, perhaps, the color dies as well, you can see the Penn Roman lettering and car numbers on the side were DULUX gold lettering and the car numbers stenciled in the end windows were white. This was for the Tuscan Red scheme only.   
Info: Dave Keller

Dulux Gold was a DuPont color that simulated real gold for lettering. The Tuscan Red cars used that after real gold, or gilt, lettering got too costly. The letter style (or typeface, as we usually speak today), was a PRR design known today as Penn Roman - not sure what its original name was. Tichy and Goodfellow used Futura, which is a very famous design - it is the letter design chosen for the cornerstone of the new Freedom Tower at WTC.

 mu201495bklyn20201956vf3Tichy had white numbers underlined in red in the windows, white lettering and perhaps red or gray.jpg (30177 bytes)Tichy had white numbers underlined in red in the windows, white lettering and perhaps red or gray (can't determine from this photo) numbers on the car sides. 
Info: Dave Keller

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mu204147jamaica669iv3Goodfellow-Era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end windows..jpg (26535 bytes)MU20 #4147 Jamaica 06/69 Goodfellow era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end windows.

mu204920jamaica1069va1Goodfellow-Era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end windows..jpg (23045 bytes)MU20 #4920 Jamaica 10/1969 Goodfellow era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end windows

mu204156jamaica370xk5Goodfellow-Era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end windows..jpg (22612 bytes)MU20 #4156 Jamaica 03/1970 Goodfellow era paint scheme had white letters and red side numbers and RED car numbers stenciled in the end

 MP75worldsfairlogo.jpg (15640 bytes)

mp75cmu2525innywfcolorswb8.jpg (29160 bytes) MP75 #2525 in New York World's Fair colors.
Photo/Info: Dave Keller

 

mp75cmu2525innywfcolorswb8_2.jpg (35353 bytes) MP75 #2525

 

 

 
Private-Car-Smithtown-MPYard-Queens-5-40.jpg (53250 bytes)Private car “Smithtown” with aluminum painted roof and Futura lettering at Morris Park Shops yard – 5/18/40
Archive: Dave Keller		 MU-1725-Experimental-Alum-Paint-Jamaica-2-37.jpg (62478 bytes)MU #1725 in experimental aluminum paint color scheme – Jamaica – 2/12/37
 Photo: George E. Votava  Archive: D. Keller
AlColemanprivatecarAmerican Dream06-86_C1portjeff_John Fusto.jpg (37230 bytes)Private car  “American Dream” Owner: Al Coleman - 06/1986 Port Jefferson 
Photo: John Fusto