The Ghostest with the Mostest

In the mid-summer of 1980, VIA experimented with a silver (grey, aluminum, platinum mist - take your pick. I'm no Martha Stewart) and yellow paint scheme. F-unit 6532 had a yellow nose, large yellow VIA logo on its flanks and yellow band at the B-end. The yellow quickly faded in the summer sun. Coaches 5558 and 5590 received this scheme, with a yellow band at each end, one incorpoating the vestibule with a small adjacent VIA logo. Numbers were painted in white and underframe black. There are various conspiracy theories out there that other equipment also received the scheme, though these are the only three pieces of equipment on VIA's roster that come with photographic proof  (top photo via Marty Cahill). The knowns:

• the silver & yellow scheme reflected the planned LRC scheme
• the scheme existed only for a short time, so though there is limited photographic proof
• mostly photos of VIA 6532, as this unit often passed through Bayview Junction
• was there a matching B-unit - sadly, no
• the coaches in this scheme were less-photographed, though I observed 5590 on August 29, 30 and 31 in this scheme, with a quick photo on the 30th
• it's is colloquially referred to as the Grey Ghost scheme

It could be that VIA had this scheme in mind when it recently launched the 'love the way/la voie qu'on aime' wrap scheme and advertising campaign. Deep, very deep in the VIArtual archive, these long-ago planned F-unit wraps have just emerged. View these with caution, because they're pretty stunning visually!

Apparently the graphic designers let things go a little haywire with these sample schemes! Too much caffeine - or perhaps something stronger!

You'd wonder how the designers knew that General Motors F-40's were six years away:

Much, like a VIA P42 locomotive, these cab units gave a large, slab surface on which to apply the lettering. Like a rolling billboard! Like a daffodil springing up on an early April morning! The LRC locomotives and cars would debut in a few short months, and one has to wonder whether more of these slogans would have appeared on their low-slung slides:

(Perhaps a tip of the hat to Rapido Trains Inc/PWRS artwork?) At this time, Rapido trains were just that - Rapido trains. The slogan of things to come:

So, we are left to wonder why these designs never saw the light of day...until now. What's forty years between friends?

Interesting posts sprouting in spring - past years:
April 2018: VIA's Canadian is returning to Montreal!
April 2017: Everything Ground to a Halt!
April 2016: Major Program Announcement for North American Railways!
April 2015: Trackside Treasure Being Translated!

We've got trains covered. So....effective 2359 hours, Trackside Treasure will be changing over to a political blog. There simply is not enough political chatter online. I want to add more. I have some traditional values but some progressive ideas. Therefore, I've decided to make my editorial slant smorgasbordic small-c conservative, small-l liberal and the new title will be Legislature Leisure. I hope you've enjoyed trains, because now we're going to railroad readers into the world of political controversy!

Running extra...

Thanks to the ever-creative Randy O'Brien for sharing this colourful view of switching operations on my HO scale Hanley Spur layout. Of particular note is the very visible framing of my photo with Robertson screws (and how can ya miss those X2F couplers about to make the joint?) These screws are surely the most convenient and repositionable of track-attachment fasteners out there. Especially if one wants to screw around with one's track arrangement. Thanks, Randy!