What date did ACL begin using the "Thanks" slogan, which equip. were painted and lettered, and were any M-3 cabs painted orange and lettered ? Thank you.

-- Hugh Butler (hbutler@mindspring.com), August 16, 1998

Answers

ACL began using the "Thanks for Using Coast Line" slogan on equipment in 1960. Possibly it could have appeared in ads prior to that date. The O-31 boxcars, series 31000-31799, were the first cars to get the slogan. A number of other boxcars series between then and the merger also got the slogan, usually non-cushioned cars and always in boxcar red with white lettering. Most of the cushioned cars got the "Another Cushioned Load" slogan, painted black with yellow lettering. Other cars having the slogan included the coiled tin covers on the P-18 flatcars; the whiite M-3 caboose 0268 painted in 1962; and the orange M-5 cabooses beginning in 1964. No M-3s received the orange paint.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), September 01, 1998.