South Oakland County
Model Railroad Club
Graphic Designer – 70th Anniversary
Brief
The South Oakland County Model Railroad Club (SOCMRRC or SOC) is a Detroit-based club dedicated to recreating the Grand Trunk Western (GTW) railroad in the late 60s to early 80s. While the SOC boasts a well-established logo, it lacks a comprehensive brand identity. We seek a design that harmoniously integrates the existing logo, creating a cohesive visual language across various club materials. Incorporating elements of the iconic Grand Trunk band is encouraged.
To commemorate its 70th anniversary in 2024, the club required celebratory branding that complements the overall identity while standing out independently. The new logo should be versatile, suitable for merchandise and prominently featured at the fall anniversary event.
Designers Statement
The project commenced with digitizing the club’s existing logo, as a high-quality digital version was unavailable.
Grand Trunk has historically employed two visual identities: a classic green and gold scheme and a more contemporary style aligned with the GTW and CN brands. For the club’s 70th anniversary, I explored the latter, utilizing the distinctive “wet noodle” logo. Due to the logo’s limitations, a simplified “70” was developed as the central element. To differentiate this anniversary identity, black and orange were chosen as the primary colors, with a subtle accent of the traditional GTW green.
In addition to the logo, a commemorative boxcar would be commissioned, as well as various pieces of merchandise.
