Concering Seaboard's "Heart" herald, when did it first come into use?

-- John V. Pasquariello (GRIZZLETOAD@AOL.COM), January 10, 2001

Answers

John -

Actually, a veriation of the "heart" logo goes back almost to the beginning of the SAL in 1900, though this was in paper advertising only. This logo was just the heart, without surrounding circles, lettered "Through The Heart of the South". The earliest I've seen is a 1909 train promotion folder.

By the way, the SAL used a herald on a series of plug door boxcars in the pre-World War I era. #13040 has a large double circle herald(about 4ft across) with Seaboard Air Line in black roman lettering within the two circles. In the center is S.A.L. in red box serif letters.

The earliest use I've found of the final style of logo, once again in paper advertising, is the 1925 Orange Blossom Special folder. This logo very possably was derived from a combination of that early boxcar herald and the early version of the "heart".

Ted is correct about steam locos. I can find nothing earlier. The first diesel to arrive on SAL in 1939 had the steam loco herald.

The earliest freight car I was able to find with the logo is a Orange Blossom Special lettered box car with a reweigh date 5-38 (#17291). I'd suggest that use of the logo on boxcars may have started in 1937 or 1938, and on gons and cabooses several years later.

Hope this will answer your enquiry.

-- Tom Underwood (tlunder@attglobal.net), January 12, 2001.

John,

Good question...as far as the SAL Ry...logo (or monogram, as referred by the RR), I don't have that diagram...

Obviously the SAL RR logo originated after the reoganization in 1946. I have diagram # C8-3942 (freight cars) which shows a date of 7-27-46. I also have L3-8403 (std. monogram decal for diesel locomotives- 21 inch dia.)...dated 6/27/60, Richmond, VA.

Looking in Prince, the earliest photo of the logo is seen on p. 157 M2, 1937. (also Q-3, p. 175 1937) Al the photos dated 1936 and earlier are only lettered S.A.L. Ry. Co.

If anyone knows different, or has a SAL Steam loco monogram sheet, I'd love to hear from you.....

Ted Strickland (727) 866-1023

-- Ted Strickland (tstrickland@pol.net), January 11, 2001.