During the early years of Conrail, we could see any manner of odd locomotive paint schemes. Here we see Conrail SD35 6000 (former Penn Central 6000, nee-Pennsylvania Railroad 6000) in CR stencils, but the original Pennsylvania Railroad keystone is still visible. During most of the Penn Central's short lifespan, time and money were in short on the railroad. When a locomotive went into a shop for service or inspection, paint crews rarely stripped the unit of its original paint. Instead, they sprayed black over the Pennsylvania Railroad or New York Central or New Haven paint and then applied the Penn Central heralds. The same happened during the early years of Conrail, regardless if the predecessor locomotives got fully repainted in Conrail blue or got splatted with CR stencils. Often the CR paint-outs didn't hold up well, since they usually were done everywhere but in a paint shop, revealing the former heralds as the hastily applied black paint easily wore off. Then again, some predecessor crews and railfans liked to play shenanigans, using a little lacquer thinner and a rag to rub the paint off the old heralds. Whatever the case, it was a treat to catch units such as this with those old keystones (or diamonds, flags, or statues of liberty) showing through.
Location: Norristown, PA (Abrams Yard)
Photo Date: 1-7-79
Photographer: Mike Szilagyi     Added: April 1, 2001

Mike was wise enough to shoot a close-up of the conductor's cab on Conrail 6000, showing the Pennsylvania Railroad keystone heralds.
Location: Norristown, PA (Abrams Yard)
Photo Date: 1-7-79
Photographer: Mike Szilagyi     Added: April 1, 2001

You can see the old Penn Central numbers coming through on this CR-stenciled unit.
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Greenbrier Yard)
Photo Date: 5-82
Photographer: John Bondura     Added: June 4, 2002

A battered former Penn Central locomotive with CR stencils. Like many Penn Central engines that retained their Penn Central numbering onto the Conrail roster, this unit still carries its cab number untouched. Note the white rectangle where the ACI tracking label used to be
Location: Norristown, PA (Abrams Yard)
Photo Date: 9-78
Photographer: Robert Palmer     Added: September 16, 1998

Penn Central SD35 6012 leads a merchandise freight shortly after the formation of Conrail. 6012 would retain the same road number under Conrail.
Location: Selkirk, NY
Photo Date: 9-28-76
Photographer: Don Oltmann     Added: February 3, 2000

Its Penn Central heralds painted over and replaced with CR initials, Conrail SD35 6017 is coupled with Conrail C30-7 6608, one of the newer Conrail-purchased locomotives at the time.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: 4-78
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: February 3, 2000

Conrail SD35 6023 is sitting under the servicing tower in Philadelphia's Greenbrier Yard. 6023 had been built in April 1965 for the Pennsylvania Railroad and then passed onto the Penn Central in 1968. It wore the same road number under all three railroads.
Location: Philadelphia, PA (Greenbrier Yard)
Photo Date: 6-21-82
Photographer: John Bondura     Added: June 4, 2002

Like most of Conrail's SD35 locomotives, Conrail 6024 had been built for the Pennsylvania Railroad and then passed down to Conriail. In October 1976, Conrail 6024 looks good in its new blue paint. Other locomotives in the background are still in their Penn Central attire, including an F unit.
Location: Detroit, MI
Photo Date: 10-17-76
Photographer: Earl Minnis     Added: March 19, 2016

Penn Central SD35 6028 trails a former Lehigh Valley C-628, which did not have it as good with its original LV heralds and numbers having been painted over with black paint and CR initials.
Location: Tyrone, PA
Photo Date: 1-77
Photographer: Tom Haag     Added: July 23, 2001

Location: Croxton, NJ
Photo Date: 10-21-78
Photographer: Bob Dobrowolski     Added: October 23, 1999

Even though the exact date of the photo was forgotten, it was taken shortly after the formation of Conrail. This Central Railroad of New Jersey SD35 2502 is still in its original paint scheme. It will become Conrail 6041. Notice the rear-mounted horn on the engineer's cab.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: Unknown
Photographer: Joe Testagrose     Added: March 1, 1998

Former Central Railroad of New Jersey SD35 2502 has been repainted into full Conrail blue. The unit's original foot boards on the pilot have been removed, but from this angle it's unsure whether the rear-facing airhorn remained or was removed. On Conrail 6044 shown below, the airhorn remained.
Location: Unknown
Photo Date: Unknown
Photographer: Steve Geisler     Added: February 18, 2000

Conrail 6044 (former Central Railroad of New Jersey 2505) has been repainted and renumbered in Conrail blue. It still retains its original rear-facing airhorn on the engineer's roof.
Location: Croxton, NJ
Photo Date: 6-78
Photographer: Bob Dobrowolski     Added: June 23, 1999