Dictionary

rainbow era en · NOUN

Etymology

From the varied, colorful appearance of multiple liveries in one consist.

Meanings

1. (US, informal) A period in the early 1970s when Amtrak operated a fleet of used equipment that still carried the paint schemes of their previous owners.
   • We have come a long way since that “rainbow era” of using hand-me-down equipment. 2021, “A Brief History of Amtrak Paint Schemes and Liveries”, in Amtrak:
   • Amtrak's Rainbow Era was the first few years where consists were multi-colored because many legacy carriers' former rolling stock was mixed together and not yet painted for Amtrak. 2012 February 15, Tadman, “Ocean View in Rainbow Era”, in Railroad.net:
   • That was the rainbow era when much of Amtrak was still running in the original roads’ paint until 1974. 2022 May 30, markm, “Amtrak in a movie”, in AZL Forum:

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