Howard since you seem to know people at SCMB I wonder if you can ask them about plans to repaint the engine.
I understand that a paint job is very expensive and priority would go to keeping the engine in good working order and properly maintaining the right away to avoid derailments.
However a company's public image is priceless.
A lot of people see an engine covered in graffiti as a blight or public nusiance and they might assume that the company is poorly run or doesn't care about it's property.
Iowa Pacific/SCMB badly needs to restore its image in the community.
The problems with not paying employees and other negative issues won't go away with a coat of new paint.
Having a nicely painted engine also won't make all the oposition to use of the line go away but it is somnething that needs to be done soon.