Amtrak's Iconic Iconography

Рет қаралды 177,256

3 жыл бұрын

Amtrak has had its fair share of paint schemes and logos over the course of their nearly 50 years in existence. Their look and brand has changed consistently overtime bearing mind with design trends of the time. From a very 1970s look to something a bit more streamlined and modern post-2000, Amtrak has gone through quite the evolution. But how and why did Amtrak make the creative decisions they did? Here I do my best to explain that and some of the history behind it.
Special Thanks to those who provided pictures and videos:
Mountain Ridge Films
/ @mountainridgefilms8504
SantaFe669
/ caseybnsftrains
TheTrainMiser
/ @thetrainmiser8642
ALMTrains
/ @a.l.m.trains
CoasterFan2105
/ coasterfan2105
Metro North Railfan Productions
/ @empirestaterailfan4960
Music Used:
Jazz Spastiks - Toothpaste Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Fresh Oranges Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Bananas Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Apples Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Marshmallow Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Vinyl Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Move Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Cannabis Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Bubblegum Instrumental
Jazz Spastiks - Yoga Sutra Instrumental
steezy prime - explore
Links:
Instagram: / amtrakguy365
Twitter: / amtrakguy365
Flickr: www.flickr.com/people/1424538...
My Site: amtrakguy365.weebly.com/

Пікірлер: 432

@AmtrakGuy365 3 жыл бұрын

Sorry that this video took so long to get done, it was a bit of a bigger project and some personal circumstances prevented me from getting it done sooner. Either way, special thanks to those listed in the description who provided pictures and videos for this project! The music used is also in the description! Also I'd like to clarify a couple things, the original Amtrak Arrow logo is officially called "The Arrow" and not the "Pointless Arrow". I'm also aware I used the typeface Arial when talking about Helvetica earlier in the video. The two are similar but have minor differences in the letterforms. Back when I made this (I'm typing these corrections out in 2024) I never noticed the differences.

@AVeryRandomPerson 3 жыл бұрын

Lol the CDTX NPCUs use the original Caltrain Scheme from 1987.

@therailfan6499 3 жыл бұрын

Nah you did ok don’t worry

@AngelBrock1TubbySupporter8888 3 жыл бұрын

It's doesn't matter if it's late or not it only matters if it gets uploaded at all

@AngelBrock1TubbySupporter8888 3 жыл бұрын

Please request CENDLoveGaming to react to your videos

@dabulphilly 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid

@casey6556 3 жыл бұрын

Somehow I'd never quite "seen" the rails in the Amtrak logo until now, and now I'll never be able to unsee them LMAO

@AJRailfan 3 жыл бұрын

Same

@churroman183 3 жыл бұрын

me too

@scottfw7169 3 жыл бұрын

I still don't see rails in it; the thing looks far more like a flag that fell on the ground.

@PowerTrain611 3 жыл бұрын

How about ConRail? Their logo is "wheels on rails" and once I saw it I was the same way. Can't unsee it.

@Upguy-tj3gv 3 жыл бұрын

Same

@xott99 3 жыл бұрын

7:35 *Angry Dutch noises*

@justaP42DC 3 жыл бұрын

Itwaseas

@poplee6478 3 жыл бұрын

lol

@Vanilla0729 3 жыл бұрын

"clop, clop, clop."

@packr72 3 жыл бұрын

2020 and we’re still waiting for “Highspeed Rail” in Illinois.

@lemagnifique1573 3 жыл бұрын

Don't worry man, Biden is die-hard train enthusiast. I'm pretty sure that he'll invest so much on Bullet Train

@packr72 3 жыл бұрын

@@lemagnifique1573 Illinois “Highspeed Rail” was part of the 2009 Stimulus that Biden had a hand in. Everything has been in place to run trains from Chicago-St Louis at 110 but Union Pacific is holding it up.

@singhatar0912 3 жыл бұрын

@@lemagnifique1573 lmfao

@StocktonSubber 2 жыл бұрын

You should see us with our Highspeed Rail here in California.

@Carmen-st1uc Жыл бұрын

@@StocktonSubber daddy!😂

@robertbauers2210 Жыл бұрын

The Attendant at 3:04-3:07 is Julie Byrne I worked for Amtrak and started working Onboard AutoTrain (Onboard Services) October 1995 and Julie was the Crew Chief on the Crew I was on

@Mr.StayPuft 3 жыл бұрын

You have the mark of a truly high quality KZfaqr, a constantly increasing quality in your videos

@declanrex9435 3 жыл бұрын

Always found trains interesting but never was able to "get into" them as I rarely encountered them and it is a hard topic to learn about from the ground up, and your channel has helped with very digestible professionally made content. Thank you for these videos.

@caddyjoint96 3 жыл бұрын

I'm a CG artist and I've been a graphic artist since grade school -- fascinated with company logos and the fonts used in them along with vehicle design including trains. This channel is enthralling for me because it has so many of my interests rolled into one. The most minute details of a design capture my attention and are meaningful to me because it keeps me reminded that the smallest nuance of a design can convey it's own thought or feeling.

@Gdayhomie 3 жыл бұрын

I'm so glad you posted. Tonight I've been having a very bad day as my little brother and WOTB made things hard and exhausting

@trainboi777yall6 3 жыл бұрын

as a World of Tanks Blitz player I feel you man I assume that's what you meant by wotb?

@Gdayhomie 3 жыл бұрын

@@trainboi777yall6 yes that is

@buccaneerrailfanning1776 3 жыл бұрын

Ah yes a fellow blitz player *flexes in 16 tier 10s*

@trainboi777yall6 3 жыл бұрын

@@buccaneerrailfanning1776 I'm not even on tier 8 I'm on TR7 which is impressive considering I got the game in like June

@NERJ607 3 жыл бұрын

@@trainboi777yall6 woah i have a similar name on other social media its train_boy642 and 642 is the veterans unit on the ACS64's

@ATSF669 3 жыл бұрын

Splendid video as always, Jared! Really liked how this turned out!

@Kaithelegoguy 3 жыл бұрын

Why am I reading this like a gentleman in a movie

@Boypogikami132 3 жыл бұрын

@@Kaithelegoguy same

@Toast0808 3 жыл бұрын

Amtrak Phase IV for the win! (especially the Superliner and Viewliner cars look great!)

@alexdittrich7389 3 жыл бұрын

Grand Forks Station still has the old pointless arrow logo sign. I just wish they fixed the blue lights on it.

@wyattwilliams2457 3 жыл бұрын

So does my home station they stopped servicing it but they kept the sign

@adventuresofamtrakcascades301 2 жыл бұрын

Our Vancouver Washington Amtrak station building also had a pointless arrow too

@atomsmash100 3 жыл бұрын

Now that is one high class, well done, detailed, and eminently watchable video. Loved the walk through Amtrak's visual history from its inception up to the present. Outstanding job!

@hikari_no_yume 3 жыл бұрын

2:30 nooo you can't put “Helvetica” in Arial ;_;

@arifakyuz7673 3 жыл бұрын

Haha fonts go brrrrr

@YaoboyProd2K15 3 жыл бұрын

And also on 7:43, forgot to mention GP40TC and F69PHAC. They also were painted into phase 3.

@NScaleTrainBoy 3 жыл бұрын

I love this video man! The in depth nature , explanations, editing, etc is so awesome and easy to digest, and I’m so glad this video led me to your channel!!

@trainroomgary 3 жыл бұрын

Well done - teaching all of us about Amtrak's history. • Cheers from the Detroit & Mackinac Railway 🚂

@railwaycityrails8552 3 жыл бұрын

These are some of the most well produced railfan videos on KZfaq. Job well done once more!

@hbruins85 4 ай бұрын

Great analysis. I first rode an Amtrak train in 1985 and developed a natural affinity for Phase III’s simplicity, but Phase V and the travel mark strikes me as stylish and in tune with the times…much like this resilient company that has stood the test of time and politics.

@lukelennox8458 3 жыл бұрын

Always a great joy watching your content!

@consolidationproductions 3 жыл бұрын

8:52 you accidentally said 2408 yellow instead of 7408 or is it a typo?

@AmtrakGuy365 3 жыл бұрын

That's my mistake, oops! Thanks for pointing that out but yeah it should be 7408, not sure where I got 2408 from.

@Boypogikami132 3 жыл бұрын

@bfdi firey nice

@theamtrakfan568 3 жыл бұрын

@@AmtrakGuy365 you do awesome videos

@NishnaValleyRailVideos 3 жыл бұрын

Phase 2 is my favorite because of how long it lasted, short but sweet.

@trainsandtrams2020 3 жыл бұрын

A nice compilation of Amtrak's design history and stylish corporate identity. I really like the original logo and silver base for their rolling stock, both on locos and Amfleet coaches.

@CJSHM 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, your video quality has downright exploded. Excellent work!

@YaoboyProd2K15 3 жыл бұрын

What a great documentary showing the overall history of Amtrak.

@Pensyfan19 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Sorry if I wasn't able to email any footage. I was busy with work and after reviewing my clips taken from a cell phone camera a few years ago, they could have brought down the quality of the video. Keep up these projects! Interesting to see a video focusing on topics like this on the channel which gave us Engines of Amtrak.

@georgiatrainproductions5986 3 жыл бұрын

Superb pictures and history!

@PowerTrain611 3 жыл бұрын

Early amtrak: Star Trek Modern Amtrak: Star Wars

@pickeljarsforhillary102 3 жыл бұрын

Super Modern Amtrak: Babylon 5?

@himbourbanist Жыл бұрын

Amtrak certainly knows how to design their liveries. I absolutely love the bold colors on the new Avelia Liberty trainsets, I cannot wait to see them in action. Acela is begging for a modern refresh

@un0vus 3 жыл бұрын

Man this is my favorite video of yours so far

@mjefferson3223 3 жыл бұрын

This is very informative and a nice tribute to celebrate 50 years. Happy birthday Amtrak

@nigelrichardson4327 3 жыл бұрын

About the phase 4 P42s, the dark grey face was actually meant to deviate units specifically meant for use on the Northeast Corridor while the silver faced ones were meant for the rest of the Amtrak system. The NEC P42s also had “Northeast Corridor” applied below the reflective safety stripe on each fender of the nose. Amtrak gave a similar treatment to the heritage units applying the words “Beech Grove” on the units although it was put on the reflective stripes instead of the nose fenders. Also I never knew about that the Amtrak travel mark was designed to represent rails! Interesting fact.

@fredboiandfriends5486 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you for making this video, This will be a good reference for making custom painted shells for some of my model trains!

@Stanf954 3 жыл бұрын

Great video. I model Amtrak from its inception thru the late 70s Phase III.

@pramekschan3637 3 жыл бұрын

I kinda suprised i'm here after watching your first vid on KZfaq.

@bazteki8564 3 жыл бұрын

Dude what an awesome video, thank you.

@BenandMylesMom 3 жыл бұрын

I enjoyed this video alot, i took a trip on the Empire Builder last year and since then ive been studying Amtrak and its beginnings.

@galaxyrailfanning7860 3 жыл бұрын

Great video man!

@AngelBrock1TubbySupporter8888 3 жыл бұрын

I like the Phase V on the P42s

@TristXD 3 жыл бұрын

Just wanted you to know, I loved the video and I learnt a bunch of new info! :D

@glenpower1677 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for posting this. I am a huge fan of the Phase 3.

@ajmeipalu1051 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing video!

@Neoprene00 3 жыл бұрын

Great video!

@Acela2000 3 жыл бұрын

It made me cry great vid

@jessecruzu 3 жыл бұрын

Thank you very much for this wonderfull informative video! Much appreciated

@virginialoverproductions 3 жыл бұрын

Great video! Sure helped me learn more about Amtrak.

@johnhagan7742 Ай бұрын

My favorite Amtrak Paint Scheme is the original phase V because of the blue and red stripe along the bottom, as well as the new Amtrak logo being on the locomotive's cab sides.

@cccchrismetzzzz 3 жыл бұрын

excellent!

@russellmancillas4464 3 жыл бұрын

Thanks for the info, good video

@Contrabasstubone 3 жыл бұрын

Damn these videos are getting better.

@peters1127 3 жыл бұрын

Excellent informative and entertaing vide.

@ironcityrailfan8467 3 жыл бұрын

Amazing

@barbramitchell9938 3 жыл бұрын

So cool

@GG1man 3 жыл бұрын

Wow, so many logos ! The Pennsy had pretty much one logo up to it's demise in 1968. It solidified in the mid thirties with Raymond Lowey's iconic pinstriped GG1s. After that the only change was a solid stripe and larger keystone.

@chafanonash3418 3 жыл бұрын

That video was awesome. I wonder how much time you spend researching and editing. Looks Professional af

@BnuuyBoi2005 3 жыл бұрын

This is a very good information

@stevenzwillinger3169 3 жыл бұрын

The Coast Starlight used to have its own logo as well and I bought several mugs in the Parlor Car with the train logo. Crews on other trains told me that a long time ago, (I'm guessing 20 or more years ) the snack cars used to sell train-specific mugs.

@northtexastrainzfan3081 3 жыл бұрын

Awesome

@biker944 3 жыл бұрын

awesome

@cadenthecadburyengine8198 3 жыл бұрын

I still can’t get over the fact that one of the cascades colors is called “Nugget”

@West_Coast_Gang 3 жыл бұрын

Funni

@cadenthecadburyengine8198 3 жыл бұрын

@@West_Coast_Gang nugget

@ivangenov6782 2 жыл бұрын

@@cadenthecadburyengine8198 *continues eating chicken nuggets*

@cadenthecadburyengine8198 2 жыл бұрын

@@ivangenov6782 Dino nuggies

@FXE-zh2jf 3 жыл бұрын

Great vid

@Jacksvilledev 3 жыл бұрын

I love this video

@TheDiamondFish 3 жыл бұрын

Once you see the rails on the Amtrak logo you can’t unsee it

@the_autism_express 3 жыл бұрын

Phase 3 is my personal favourite Amtrak livery

@D.O.T.D. 3 жыл бұрын

This is cool

@AndrewTheRocketCityRailfan4014 2 жыл бұрын

When I was at Michigan Technical University’s Railcamp, one of the rail fans joked the Amtrak is indestructible. I too hope it has many more years of operation ahead

@LiberatorYourself 3 жыл бұрын

Growing up in Philly, me and my father used to sit and watch trains from the upper level SEPTA platform at 30th street station. Mind you this was before they built the Cira center and you could see the whole yard. Not sure if I'm being obtuse but honestly I'm a bit tired/bored of the Acela and Am fleet passenger cars and it would be a really nice change up if they swapped them for "horizon fleet" on the keystone service/NEC... Do you think that would ever happen?? Thanks, awesome video! Very informative!

@cows_cowsandcows 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve been a fan of Amtrak since I saw a video of a Surfliner racing against a Talgo, and I recently knew that Amtrak hasn’t changed it’s logo since 1971 before the year 2000. Pretty surprising for me.

@therealtroller 2 ай бұрын

*_"IS THAT THE EFFING OLD EMTRAK LOGO?!"_*

@THRESHOLD_LnYT 20 күн бұрын

“Furries be like ‘minors DNI 🔞‘ and this is their-“

@kathymorrison8341 3 жыл бұрын

wow i never knew so much went into a design.

@Emerald-764 8 ай бұрын

About a year ago I saw one of the Illinois High Speed rail Amfleets in Maine

@astromotive6047 3 жыл бұрын

11:07 Normies: Travelmark Legends: *"Three Sheets to the Wind"*

@michaelglass4701 3 жыл бұрын

i love Amtrak & your video 👍🛤️👍 , I'm a Model Railroder i have the Amtrak Big Game Locomotive & the Amtrak Vet's Locomotive 😊🇱🇷🇱🇷

@maxlopez7457 3 жыл бұрын

Cool man

@charlesb.2960 3 жыл бұрын

I like the arrow the best but my heart remains on the Rock Island Comet from Mpls, Mn to Kansas City & then the Santa Fe El Capitan from there to San Bernardino, Ca. ☺ ...That shows my age!😆

@q.h.s5051 3 жыл бұрын

I’ve always loved the pointless Arrow over the tracks. I miss the old designs and I wasn’t around for them

@themissourianguy963 2 жыл бұрын

our train station still has the phase one paint scheme sign (except for the time table) and the parking lot still sign still has phase one as well

@idragonauz5436 3 жыл бұрын

The pointless arrow is still used for the Amtrak America and the prototype paint scheme on the alc-42 is actually phase 6 the first 5 will use the CURRENT phase 5b paint scheme. Anyway good video lots of good info as always.

@TrainsofChicagoland 3 жыл бұрын

Will you do a face reveal?? Also great video! I liked the Pointless Arror

@amtrakp4242 Жыл бұрын

14:28 I have been in on this train and it was a good experience 👌

@seanbedson3534 3 жыл бұрын

I hope the acela doesn't get replaced

@MGIC21 3 жыл бұрын

I never noticed the new logo was supposed to be rails and now I can't unsee it

@boeingkp2 3 жыл бұрын

I like this video

@IGuessIDoThings Жыл бұрын

It’s seems crazy that this video is almost two years old

@Mnrr6131 3 жыл бұрын

Well it’s nice to know what font Amtrak used in the 70s

@paulw.woodring7304 3 жыл бұрын

I don't know if anyone else mentioned it in the comments below, but Amtrak is not the official corporate name. That would be the National Railroad Passenger Corporation, what was printed on my paychecks for the 14 years I worked there. If you look at any official company document or form, it's ID number starts with "NRPC".

@TonyLasagna 3 жыл бұрын

Interesting! Something I’d otherwise have never known about.

@BCrailguy45 3 жыл бұрын

The pointless arrow logo my favourite amtrak logo

@andrewdutton3831 3 жыл бұрын

Wow...amazing detail. Interesting video. Thx. By the way, you included a picture of NY Penn Station from the 70's. I'm trying really hard to find a photo of Washington's Union Station temporary terminal that existed from about 1981 until 1990 while the main station was being refurbished. I remember this crappy area really well since all my college travels started and ended there...but I can't find any photo of it. If anyone can find one, please let me know!

@BNSFTrains10 3 ай бұрын

UPDATE: Since then Amtrak now intoduced the Phase VI & Phase VII Livery. Phase 6 would be used for the ALC-42 for Units 300-308 (except for 301 as the unit is a HU) Phase 7 is the now current Paint Scheme for Amtrak for Amtrak's ALC-42 Chargers and as of 2024 some P42 Units will be given the Phase VII. Units 174, 82 138 and 167 now carry the new Colors.

@amtrakp4242 3 жыл бұрын

Amtrak is my favorite

@trainmaster1548 3 жыл бұрын

In my opinion Amtrak’s best paint scheme was the phase 3 paint. I wish they would bring it back more.

@regisbrooks8064 3 жыл бұрын

This is good 👍 video thanks I have lots of Amtrak passengers car's no locomotives just CN T4 red reflectors on my Amtrak passengers car's n white . I have Amtrak heritage Budd diner from the 70-80s ho scale no more diner car's on Amtrak Veiw liners only Cafe car's. I been liking Amtrak since 1970s before Southern railway Amtrak took over I Saw the F40s 1977 strobe lights atlanta ga brookwood station.

@nyrailfan202 3 жыл бұрын

WoW

@peterwarner358 Жыл бұрын

Kmart Footwear had a brand calls Trax which used the Pointless Arrow logo as well.

@av_oid 2 жыл бұрын

Great video. Maybe (though it’s not train related) do the iconography of Apple and NASA.

@DFWRailVideos 3 жыл бұрын

Ok an Amtrak Ph3 with a full blue lower section would be awesome! Imagine an F40 like that, :D

@ivanthevaluable2559 Жыл бұрын

It's a good thing that they changed the name because "All Aboard Railpax" sounds really off.

@TheMrPeteChannel 3 жыл бұрын

They really need to bring back the pointless arrow. Burger King just brought back it's old logo.

@theatomicmanman544 3 жыл бұрын

My coworkers call the new amtrak logo "the pushup bra" lol.

@paulw.woodring7304 3 жыл бұрын

I've also heard someone say it reminds them of a woman's breast. Kind of like a Rorschach inkblot, you can imagine your own meaning. The most common nickname I've heard is "clam shell". I still think the pointless arrow and Phase III striping were the best.

@krutherfurd Жыл бұрын

The original logo was often referred to as the "headless" arrow. "Pointless" arrow sounds like a bad Jay Leno joke. " Headless" is preferable and is not likely to be the liability that a term like "Pointless" can be turned into by detractors. Other than this pet peeve of mine, great video. I've been a rider and supporter of Amtrak since 1974 and appreciate this very informative and positive piece.