This iconic logo is simple but striking with an interesting history. Although introduced in 1980, it was originally created in 1961 by Toronto graphic designer Allan Robb Fleming. At the time it was introduced the logo was startling in its modernity and simplicity. It was part of a massive overhaul of CN's stodgy corporate image, coming just one year after the railroad retired its last steam locomotives. Often affectionately called the 'wet noodle', the 'CN worm' and other such nicknames, it replaced an older logo based on a traditional maple leaf design with English-language text ('Serves All Canada') and the initials CNR. By dropping the R and the ancillary text, the new logo served equally well in both English and French. It was adapted for use on CN's major American subsidiaries, the Grand Trunk (GT) and Central Vermont (CV) railways. |