PC: More on Speculative Modelling

[Philip.Kuhl@xxxxxxx]

A collective thank-you to the list as a whole!  You all are coming up with
more nifty ideas about "what ifs" than I ever could have dreamt of -- I, for
one, hope the ideas keep coming!

What a great idea to try to get New York State commuter authorities to bring
back a New York Central lightning-stripe paint scheme as the Connecticut DOT
did with the New Haven.  Who would we write to in order to ask that this be
considered?

Now, FPL-45s in lightning stripes would be great, but had to imagine since
NYC had already gone to the simplified medium grey/white stripe/cigar band
emblem paint scheme on the E-7s and E-8s several years before the merger.
If we go on the assumption that the Penn Central merger never took place,
then "modern" NYC passenger cars pose an interesting problem:  The
Metroliner silhouette may or may not be a reasonable prototype--maybe NOT
because the Metroliner was a PRR/DOT project that probably would not have
resulted in New equipment for the Central; --maybe SO because the Metroliner
was built by Budd and Budd could easily have developed it into the new
standard railroad passenger coach, just as was the case with Amfleet.
Whatever the equipment, I'd like to see a NYC cigar band emblem at window
level next to the passenger car door (as Southern Railway did in later
years) for the same reason as did the Southern:  news photographs of
arriving dignitaries detraining would necessarily include the emblem, thus
giving some free publicity to the railroad.

My guess (Can anyone confirm it or refute it?) is that PC's black paint
scheme was the result of the railroad looking for something simple and cheap
to apply to its motive power.  Black paint can come from any number of paint
suppliers and will still be black, whereas other colors can vary according
to supplier.  (Look at the discussion we've had about what was PC/NYC
green!)  A lack of striping or multi-color painting makes the paint scheme a
lot less expensive to apply -- a consideration for cash-strapped PC.  But as
our "modern" PC got some cash in its pockets, how might it have painted its
motive power and why?  Personally, I can't quite see PC using a variation of
either NYC or PRR paint schemes since it probably would have the idea of
creating a new corporate entity, but maybe some of you have other ideas?

How about locomotive numbering series for the "new" PC power?  Sticking with
passenger trains because they are easier for me, I figure "PCFleet" is a
real likelihood as is the conversion to head-end power.  Thus, the steam
heat boilers of the E units would no longer be needed and the E's would be
progressive retired or traded in through the 1970s and 1980s.  Replacement
power (FP-40s?) would probably be geared for passenger speeds and have a HEP
generator, so they truly would be "passenger units." My guess is that they
would have stayed in the 4000 series -- perhaps 4300s or 4500s to
distinguish them from the earlier power?

How about electrification?  Through the years there has been much thought
given to electrification of the former NYC New York-Chicago main.  Would
that ever have come about?  If so, would it have been third-rail or overhead
catenary (replacing, of course, the third rail between Harmon and GCT on the
former NYC Electric Division)?  Why?

Phil