Western Railroad Discussion > BNSF Leasing An Iowa Pacific (NYC) Diner

Here's the new "BNSF" diner #448 on the rear of today's Amtrak #4, along with a pair of Surfliners. This car is to replace the fire-damaged "Lake Superior" that caught fire back on May 26th ( http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?1,3753531,3754200#msg-3754200 ). 

Interestingly, the same car had been in Iowa Pacific's IC paint just a few weeks ago, when I shot it in Omaha on May 15th.  From a PM I received here yesterday, I guess the "paint" on this car was just a vinyl wrap?  Is that normal for IP's fleet?  I've got nothing against it, but it's just not something I've seen for anything but temporary advertising schemes.

Thanks a lot,
- Jeff Carlson



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/15 11:29 by bnsfsd70.

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bnsfsd70 Wrote:
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> it's just not something I've seen for anything but
> temporary advertising schemes.
>
> Thanks a lot,
> - Jeff Carlson

"Wrapping" is becoming quite popular in the automobile modification scene. From what I understand, it could be seen as a cheaper alternative to painting, though thats with an automobile, unsure about a railroad car.

Photo 4: Amtrak #187 leads the train into Topeka under I-70 as it approaches its station stop.

Photo 5: On the east end of town, the extended-length Chief rolls towards Tecumseh, KS as it heads under Goodell Rd.

Photo 6: The three extra cars on the rear end of the train.  The Surfliners are the 6904 and 6300.

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson

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Could this 448 be the former PV New York Central 448?

Regards,
Burlington John
 

I am always hearing about new vinyls in the the UK, where the franchises change frequently.  So how are these done and what are the advantages/disadvantages to regular painting?

Yup!  From http://www.villageoffranklinpark.com/assets/1/7/Train_Line-up_2014.pdf , they say that the "SLRG 448, 800448, built by the Budd Company for the New York Central Railroad in 1947 as their NYC 448 for service on their train “New England States” between Boston and Chicago. It became Penn Central 4548 before becoming privately owned. Iowa Pacific acquired this 48 seat diner in 2011."

Thanks for looking,
- Jeff Carlson

burlingtonjohn Wrote:
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> Could this 448 be the former PV New York Central
> 448?
>
> Regards,
> Burlington John
>  

Can't BNSF fix that diner car?? Is BNSF is just leasing this car few months??

railcity Wrote:
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> Can't BNSF fix that diner car??

Oh, they can certainly repair about anything, but these things take time.  

> ​Is BNSF is just leasing this car few months??


That's  my understanding of the situation.

- Jeff

This car has an interesting claim to fame:

www.freedomtrain.org/american-freedom-train-consist-448.htm

Regards,
Burlington John


 



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/06/15 14:10 by burlingtonjohn.

My bad, forgot to post it when arrived at LaJunta.
This car was vinyl. The big domes are painted.
The vinyl is cheaper due to what is involved to make paint stick to stainless steel.
It is headed west to Washington when reaching Chicago. I think until August.

Yeah but vinyl?? I'd hate to be the pour sap that got to push and press all that into those countless folds and grooves. My goodness...

Mr. MRL

Wraps are also being used on airplanes. Eliminates the hazardous vapor problem from painting...

Bill Deaver
Tehachapi, CA

Another great picture series, Jeff. The sun finally cooperated today.

Way to go, Jeff

The interior of NYC 448 is one of the nicest and most thorough period-feel restoration-refurbs going. And the car is one of a very few vintage full diners able to run in Amtrak-compatible service, if I'm not mistaken.

Wraps in vinyl, also if I'm not mistaken, are applied with heat guns and are nothing like contact paper or sticky-back vinyl. They can be painted with auto-grade finishes and applied to automobiles with virtually no visual distinction apparent between vinyl and paint. That said, I wasn't the person who had the job on a fluted car. :-) But it's probably a little easier for pros than it would seem. And it makes perfect sense. If only Phil Anschutz had wrapped the ex-SP "Sunset "Limited" diner and lounge now at CSRM, wearing their fading coats of Daylight paint over pristine Budd 18-8 stainless, reversibility would be a snap, as it was with 448.

Relatively speaking...

~ BZ

Is there a time limit to the length of time vinyl should be on stainless steel, etc?  I understood that NJ Transit had imposed a six month limit on ads etc plastered on their trains and buses. If the ad was renewed, a new wrap would be applied.

Something about the adhesive degrading, perhaps?  Or, perhaps that the wraps cover windows as well as the car body.

The wrap is guaranteed for 10 years... 

Here's an interior photo...

Lackawanna484 Wrote:
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> Is there a time limit to the length of time vinyl
> should be on stainless steel, etc?  I understood
> that NJ Transit had imposed a six month limit on
> ads etc plastered on their trains and buses. If
> the ad was renewed, a new wrap would be applied.
>
> Something about the adhesive degrading, perhaps? 
> Or, perhaps that the wraps cover windows as well
> as the car body.

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Wraps are very popular now.  In the emergency vehicle field they say 5-7 year life span but that's taking into account on the road every day and washing at least once a day.
They are applied and have a much different adhisvie as compared to traditional vinyl decals.  '

Many companies and emergency service companys are moving to wraps since as can be seen here they can be changed at a moments notice.  For a ambulance a custom
one color paint job can run from no extra charge (ie: your paiying for it already) to $15,000.00 if not white.  Compare that to doing full graphics and wrap in two tone color
scheme for under $7,500.00-$11,500.00. 

Best of all when the department is done with said vehicle, it's stripped of its wrap and a plain jane white ambulance is ready for another customer.  For an ambulance with
100,000 miles on it being painted white can bring in $2,000.00 - $3,000.00 more at resale than if it's painted red or some other color.  While not anywhere near the cost of a
new truck that kind of money can pay for new cot's or computers for the unit.  In todays day and age any penny saved is great for a munincipal customer. 

Kris

At Topeka!

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Thanks for all the additional details.  It certainly makes sense that a long term wrap would have a different adhesive etc than something which is expected to get pulled at six months. 

For some reason, I thought many of the NJ Transit ad wraps are a version of Mylar, rather than a true vinyl.