The Rio Grande lettering on the caboose slants forward while that on the locomotive slants rearward. Never noticed that before. Why is this? So there are two versions of the "speed" lettering. Showing these two styles in the same photo makes for a great and fascinating shot.

But also notice the backslash on the "d" seems to represent smoke coming from the stack. The capital "G" seems to represent the dome on the boiler. The backslash on the "G" provides continuity to the shape of the locomotive. The backslash on the the "R" seems to represent the rear overhang of the cab over the front of the tender.

So the actual letters themselves seem to be used to make a picture of a train as well as describing the name of one. Just my interpretation.

But to me it invalidates the authenticity of hybrids created by backslashing the "G" and placing the word "Rio" above the backslash, or backslashing the "P" and putting the word "Southern" on it. Using these letters in this style to spell out the name of the railroad is uniquely Rio Grande.

If anyone knows why the caboose and locomotive letters are slanted differently please post.