Screaming Eagle/buzzsaw logo

[madonnasuffolk30]

I’ve been doing research on when the screaming eagle/buzzsaw logo first appeard on freight cars in the system.

I went through the Mopac equipment roster and focused on the time frame from 1976-1979 for all types of cars to include box cars, gondolas, and covered hoppers. I found that all new cars built in/after August 1978 had the screaming eagle/buzzsaw paint scheme. I looked at cars with build dates of March, May, and June 1977 and all were built with the old buzzsaw scheme.

The earliest repaint I found was an ACF 3960 cuft covered hopper repainted with the new screaming eagle/buzzsaw in February 1978. Also found several photos with repaints of box cars from April 1978. All the photos I looked at I focused on the date listed on the side of the car and not the date of the photo.

However what I found interesting was a Company Annual Report from 1969 that on the cover had the screaming eagle/buzzsaw logo so the logo appeared long before cars were actually repainted.

Nate

[clemmie_doris12]

Nate, thanks for the fact finding mission. Your information is greatly appreciated.

I came across the same annual report as you about two years ago. Like you, I found it surprising that this image was in use at this time. It would be interesting to learn the actual history of this image.

[Dennis Faircloth]

I found a tidbit of info while perusing an excellent piece on railroad logos entitled “On The Mark: The History and Symbolism of Railroad Emblems” by James A. Ward, in Issue 153 of R&LHS Railroad History, Autumn 1985.

Page 69
“When the Missouri Pacific decided to update its buzzsaw in 1969, its designer, D’Arcy Advertising Company, melded tradition with novelty…”
He goes on to describe the screaming eagle/buzzsaw logo, then ends with this:
“Though the new emblem first appeared on the MoP’s 1969 annual report, not until five years later was it stenciled on a locomotive.”

The footnote for this paragraph: “W.A. Fussner, Director of Special Projects and Public Relations, Union Pacific System, to author, 1 February 1985; de Vries, Dictionary, pp. 152-54.”

[madonnasuffolk30]

Ted,

I appreciate the addition information that you provided. It is interesting to learn the history of the logo.

Nate

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