JR Freight Blue vs Red livery - does it have a meaning?

[David]

With the exception of a few experimental/one off paint schemes JR freight seems to be based around two livery themes - a red one and a blue one (I'm not sure if blue is divided into the deep all blue, and the lighter blue with lots of white). A pattern I've noticed is that blue electrics seem to be DC, while red electrics seem to be AC or dual AC/DC.

 

Is this pattern actually carried through for all JR Freight locomotives? Or is there another meaning behind the different livery themes JR Freight uses? Are they related to service areas? (North of Tokyo, which is mostly AC = red, South of Tokyo = DC?)

[KenS]

I've noticed that also.  But note that the DE10 (at least) has worn both Red-based and Blue-based liveries, seemingly everywhere.  And don't forget the DF200 "Red Bear" diesel.

 

i'm pretty sure EF210 (Blue) locos work north of Tokyo on DC track, although I could be wrong. It's only the Joban line that has an AC section, if I recall correctly. 

 

But there does seem to be a correlation of red electrics and newer big diesels with northern JR East and Hokkaido trackage.

[CaptOblivious]

As far as electrics go, there is a general pattern, and you've picked up on it. Red = AC, Blue = DC, and deep crimson (think EF81, EF500) = AC/DC. This is of course not universal: Consider the EF65 in "Rainbow" livery (=bright red).

[Guest ___]

note most of the DE10 and DD51 tend to be orange not really red. Also the DE10 came in white too ^_^

[bikkuri bahn]

With regards to diesel locomotives, the orange/white scheme I believe was the standard for JNR diesel locomotives (both main Line and switchers).  Of course with the breakup of JNR, more variety ensued, and now JRF has many variations.

[CaptOblivious]

Am I right in thinking that the blue DD51s and DE10s are mostly operated in Hokkaido?

[bikkuri bahn]

Am I right in thinking that the blue DD51s and DE10s are mostly operated in Hokkaido?

 

The blue DD51s are mainly in Hokkaido (the ones in the freight livery are rare now, maybe gone?), while it seems the blue DE10s are more widely distributed around the nation.

[Guest ___]

Am I right in thinking that the blue DD51s and DE10s are mostly operated in Hokkaido?

 

The blue DD51s are mainly in Hokkaido (the ones in the freight livery are rare now, maybe gone?), while it seems the blue DE10s are more widely distributed around the nation.

 

that seems to make sense.

[westfalen]

Am I right in thinking that the blue DD51s and DE10s are mostly operated in Hokkaido?

 

The blue DD51s are mainly in Hokkaido (the ones in the freight livery are rare now, maybe gone?), while it seems the blue DE10s are more widely distributed around the nation.

I still saw a few freight DD51's in Hokkaido last September though there was a long line of them at Muroran loco depot being cut up.

[yakumo381]

"note most of the DE10 and DD51 tend to be orange not really red" see attached for a comparison - freshly photographed at Inazawa today.