Erie Railroad Mahoning division HCD

[Chris333]

@C855B does this font work for 1948?
http://www.constructionscalemodels.com/content/images/thumbs/0001432_mack-b-mid-states-semi-first-gear-FGC1239_415.jpg

If so would you happen to know the name of it?

Thinking about a sign for the big warehouse behind the freight station.

[C855B]

I'll have to do some research when I get back to the house. Has that '20s/'30s art nouveau thing going.

[Chris333]

I was thinking something like this, that I assume is Jersey City

[sirenwerks]

@C855B does this font work for 1948?
http://www.constructionscalemodels.com/content/images/thumbs/0001432_mack-b-mid-states-semi-first-gear-FGC1239_415.jpg

If so would you happen to know the name of it?

Thinking about a sign for the big warehouse behind the freight station.

I think Mid-States actually started in 1948, and ran mostly between central Illinois to NY and NJ.  The family shut its ops down in the earl 2000s, and got sued into the dirt by DOL and some states for union issues.  It had Mack Bs back then, but I haven't found any pics of a prototype trailer of that early vintage.  Mostly, I see found more modern than CMW trailer in the pic; exterior post jobs with round nose corner plates, not rounded roof lines.   The company had open-top, tarp covered boxes though, which the CMW trailer would be a very cool mod for your layout.  There are a few pics on this page - [size=78%]http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/gruin_m.htm[/size]

[Chris333]

Thanks for the link!  Do you think their font matches the sign above?

[sirenwerks]

Thanks for the link!  Do you think their font matches the sign above?

At first glance, the font looks like something out of the Futura family, with a slightly left extended characteristic on the crossbars (the A and E).  I can do some more research when I'm home and off of a gov't computer, and not eating my late late lunch.

[R L Smith]

Excellent.  I'm going to have to try to get some kickback for some of the sales I've gotten them    I've been asked, I think somewhat jokingly, to work weekends once or twice.  I can just "work" by watching message boards for things that people are looking for and direct them to Mainline 

Wait, what?? They aren't giving you a kickback?     They've been taking care of me for years...oh,ummm, never mind.... 

Seriously, you'd be a great asset there and it would help fund your addiction...

[C855B]

@C855B does this font work for 1948?
http://www.constructionscalemodels.com/content/images/thumbs/0001432_mack-b-mid-states-semi-first-gear-FGC1239_415.jpg

If so would you happen to know the name of it?

Thinking about a sign for the big warehouse behind the freight station.

I had no luck, Chris. I checked my reference books and online font catalogs and came up empty. It has elements of several faces... sort of... but the proportions are off. That wild 'S' really blows any consistency that would relate it to a real font.

My best guess, considering I've done it myself, is it is logo artwork, and the characters are fanciful renditions the artist chose almost at random that "looked good". Also, allow for the possibility that the business owner commissioned a favorite niece or nephew in art school to "do something". I've had to clean-up a few of these in conversion to digital.

[sirenwerks]

Chris,


If all you need is the logo, find a clean side shot of the trailer, and it can be finessed from that.  If you want a similar font for another use, I have a couple freebies that are similar I can send you, if you PM me your email address.


For reference though, Mid-States didn't use an exact replica of the font on its signs either.  Here's a link of a truck parked in front of the company's Chicago HQ.  Compare the trailer's font and the sign.


http://www.hankstruckpictures.com/pix/trucks/fgruin/m/fg_mid_states_freight_lines_1e.jpg


Bryan

[C855B]

^^^^^  Ah. That makes a lot more sense. It's a real face, but a "designer" display face not in my reference books. There were 1000's of these even before computer fonts. Adobe "Modula" is similar, but "Operator Nine" from myfonts.com is really close.

Those are not free faces, so whatever Bryan can come-up with will be good, too.

[Chris333]

All, I'm more interested in the font of the warehouse sign. I just thought it looked similar to the Mid-States font. I will check out what you guys suggested when I get home.

Also the red outline around the letters, would that be part of the font? If not what is the term to add it?

Thanks.

[C855B]

Check out Linotype "Serpentine", Chris.  https://www.linotype.com/1195857/serpentine-medium-product.html

Not an exact match, but it has the flavor, especially the squared-off 'O' and 'S' with moderate contrast ("contrast" is variation in thick and thin). The original in the picture was a "sign painter's font", usually a style or combination of styles they kept in their head with a loose resemblance to regular foundry typefaces.

The font page has the ability to enter your sample text, so maybe you can do a screen capture for enough resolution to make your signage.

The red is a simple outline. Not part of the font, just a stripe the painter applied.

[Chris333]

Thanks again, that may just work.

Any ideas what the sign says on the right?
STORAGE  *  MID-HUDSON WAREHOUSE INC.  * __________ ?


While searching I found this cool image:
http://www.grayflannelsuit.net/blog/wp-content/uploads/2013/05/life-magazine_los-angeles-development-boom-1953_moving.jpg

[Chris333]

Some more searching the building is (was) in Jersey City right next to the Erie terminal. I found some photos of it from the water. End of the building just says "mid-hudson warehouse inc." nothing else.  Tried this:

Think I'll make it a little shorter, but I still think it needs a red outline because of all my other B&W signs.

[Lemosteam]

Most corporate logos are not assembled from fonts.  They are designed, like a bracket or a fender.  An executive approves a graphic artists rendering and the signs are made to specification.  i think this is why it is so difficult to recreate such things without a good picture.

As such I think anything is believable, meaning that because a news font was popular during certain periods, that does not necessarily translate to corporate logos, because in logos differentiation is everything.