Amtrak marks a new partnership with Coca-Cola by wrapping ACS-64 locomotive No. 606. Here, it hustles the northbound ‘Silver Meteor,’ train No. 98, through Newark, Del., on Nov. 14.
Gary Pancavage
NEWARK, Del. – Amtrak has debuted a new look for Siemens ACS-64 No. 606: the colors of Coca-Cola. The locomotive has pulled the northbound Silver Meteor, train No. 98, up the Northeast Corridor on Thursday morning.
The locomotive marks a new partnership with Coca-Cola, signalling the end of a long-running agreement for Pepsi to supply Amtrak’s trains. Amtrak noted the change on its Facebook page Wednesday, but as of Thursday morning has not issued a press release with additional information.
Trains News Wire is awaiting additional information from Amtrak.
o no trains will be looking like nascar cars soon
have no problem with it, whatever it takes to help Amtrak financially. Our local buses and light rail have did this advertising too with signs or wrap. I like Coke ads with the polar bears and I see one on the engine.
I hope they paid millions for the naming rights to this locomotive because they are getting huge publicity out of this stunt.
First one to come out with the Coke-branded ACS64 model? Try Kato or Bachmann…in HO, of course.
There are NO O gauge ACS64’s existing or planned and there may not be any for a LONG time. It’s been alleged that Siemens was demanding licensing conditions that the O Gauge manufacturers couldn’t or didn’t want to shoulder (what with their shrinking market share). Supposedly, one of MTH’s large dealers offered to buy an entire first production run, but as far as I know, nothing has come of it.
And despite Bachmann owning the Williams line of O Gauge product, and having a license to produce ACS64s in HO scale, tooling costs are intimidating them as well.
Got a corporate sponsor. I can but imagine these units looking like NASCAR racing vehicles someday.
As usual, Ms. Harding and her comments lighten my day. Thank you.
Be safe out there, enjoy the scenery, and be mindful of your surroundings.
I forgot to mention that Jack’s daytime job is that he worked for Coke.
I’m sure that the late head of NARP Jack Martin must be smiling down from heaven about this turn of events. I remember the first time that I rode Amtrak after they switched from coke to Pepsi. I went back to my seat and looked up to the sky and said, “Forgive them Jack, for they do not know what they’re doing”.
Coke is much better at customer service than Pepsi.
Keep in mind where Anderson was previous CEO, Delta. You get one guess at Coke’s headquarters City??. I don’t drink pop any more, but always liked Coke better, not as sweet as Pepsi.
Wayne, if I remember correctly when the Tropicana Train started it operated over 3 different railroads, SCL, RF&P, and PC.
Actually a handsome scheme…even the red shades toward the Tuscan.
It’s “The real thing”.
The car behind the locomotive is one of the new Baggage Dormitory cars. Look close and you will notice a baggage car door.
The car is backwards since the baggage area is next to the passenger cars and the dorm is next to the locomotive. That’s how the railroads and Amtrak positioned such cars were retired. That’s the least that Anderson’s Amtrak could do.
Mike Lustig
Finally, Amtrak understands a semblance of marketing how Coke significantly outweighs market tastes v Pepsi. Why did this simple fact take so long?
However, when will AMTRAK work with Coke to co-promote on cocktail napkins, as American and Delta airlines have done for years?
When I mentioned this obvious marketing opportunity in the past in published articles, foamers on their blogs could not even understand how such co-marketing opportunities work to the benefit of Amtrak. Instead, they could only assume Amtrak was correct to stick with the cheaper product, despite the market’s preference for Coke.
What’s important is for Amtrak to learn and appreciate the benefits of marketing and stop operating in a vacuum.
I don’t think anything can beat some of the billboard I saw in the early 1980’s on the 101 in Silicon Valley. Advertisements for the latest vacuum pumps, ads for phototool techologies, “our wafers have 95 percent die yield” (considered quite good at the time).
Then there was the radio advertising. The back story is that TTL (transistor-transistor logic), fast, established, but power hungry, was being supplanted by CMOS (complementary metal oxide semiconductor). Billboards with an 8 pin (DIP) package with a hole in it, and a couple of spent cartridges, and the words “WHO SHOT SCHOTTKY?” And on the radio, a funeral with organ music and the grieving widow, wailing away … “Bye-bye, bipolar.”.
It was a strange place and a strange time.
The above comments are genetic in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. One of God’s own prototypes. A high-powered mutant of some kind never even considered for mass production. Too weird to live and too rare to die.
Would a Diet Coke lead a short haul train?
Hope Amtrak got a good price for the ad. As for MTH or Lionel coming first to the market I would guess MTH they seem to be a little quicker with this kind of thing.
Have a Coke and a smile.
Walter – Amtrak hasn’t placed baggage cars at the front of eastern long distance trains for years.
This ad, and the product it espouses using, is nothing to snort at …
The above comments are genetic in nature and do not form the basis for an attorney/client relationship. They do not constitute legal advice. I am not your attorney. Vote for Fat Freddie’s cat.
Where’s the baggage car that’s usually right behind the locomotive?
Warren Buffet gets his footprint everywhere and yet you can’t buy a Coke on their long distance trains.
Correction: Amtrak does NOT own the NEC; US DOT does, along with MBTA, CDOT, PennDOT, and NYMTA. Check it out.
Billboard cars WERE outlawed in the 30’s, but an exception was made if the cars didn’t leave the home rails of the railroad hauling them. It’s what made the Tropicana Train possible, the “TT” never left the home rails of the host ‘road.
I don’t think the rule applies to locomotives, but since that Amtrak locomotive won’t be leaving the Northeast Corridor, and Amtrak owns the NEC, they’re on safe ground anyway.
The real question is, who’s going to put out a model of the same first, Lionel or MTH?
Considering the upcoming season I’m surprised they didn’t do the famous Coca-Cola Santa. No matter, it’s cool anyway!
Bring on the wraps for Pabst and Falstaff beer, and Roi-Tan cigars! Trojan condoms? The possibilities are limitless …. Sin sells!