Illinois Central's iball paint scheme??

Question

In what period did the illinois central (gulf) paint freight cars orange with the huge black ball with a white "i" in the middle? Is this technically also the "deathstar" paint scheme. I see them often here in Canada (due to the CN byout) but many look old enough to be in a museum!

Answer 1

Well, the "split rail" IC emblem came about during the mid-1960s and continued on through its buyout by CN.  I am not sure when the cars began to receive the scheme as well but my guess would be that if not after 1966 when the split rail logo was debuted, than certainly during the 1970s.

The "death star" livery debuted in 1987 after the IC dropped the "Gulf" and became just the Illinois Central again.  It is much different from the previous schemes of orange and white and orange and brown although, again, the logo is mostly the same and was just slightly modified.