The orange and white 1970's era Illinois Central color scheme. Introduced by the Illinois Central in 1967, to help modernize their image.

Being a member of a local model railroad club such as the Oak Park Society Of Model Engineers,H.O Scale Model Railroad Club, has given me the opportunity to see and photograph the trains I witnessed as a young boy growing up in Chicago, before I became a camera carrying railfan that I am today. One of my favorite color schemes I remember seeing on the near southwest side of Chicago, was the orange and white color scheme introduced by the former Illinois Central Railroad in 1967, to help modernize their image.This color scheme was to replace a basic black and white color scheme,that featured the Illinois Central's green diamond corporate logo on the side of the locomotive cabs. This new orange and white color scheme was used from 1967, and lasted until the end of the 1980's. Unfortunately...this attractive "Dreamsickle" like color scheme, did not weather very well, and was prone to grime and fading paint. The 1972 succesor company Illinois Central Gulf, began experimenting with an ugly and utilitarian dark gray and orange color scheme in 1980. This is the Illinois Central Gulf as I remember it before I began taking railfan photos. (I wished that I had started sooner.)