The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, based in Moosic, Pennsylvania. The team adopted the RailRiders name and visual identity in November 2012, replacing the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees moniker that had been in use since 2007. The rebrand was unveiled at a fan event called “The Big Reveal” and took effect for the 2013 season.[1]
Design and History
The RailRiders identity was created by Brandiose, a San Diego-based design firm known for minor-league baseball branding work including the Richmond Flying Squirrels, Lehigh Valley IronPigs and Omaha Storm Chasers.[2] The development process began in June 2012 when Brandiose partners Jason Klein and Casey White met with fans, staff and community members in Scranton to learn about the region’s history and personality.[3]
The name was selected through an online contest that drew over 2,700 fan suggestions. RailRiders beat out five other finalists: Blast, Black Diamond Bears, Fireflies, Porcupines and Trolley Frogs. While RailRiders received the most first-place votes, Porcupines appeared on the most ballots overall. That result explains the primary logo’s central figure: a porcupine straddling trolley tracks above the word “RailRiders” in a stylized cardinal red and gold font.[1]
The RailRiders moniker pays homage to Northeastern Pennsylvania’s claim as the birthplace of the electric streetcar. Team president Rob Crain noted that a trolley barn sits on the ballpark property in left field, and fans can take a trolley to games.[1]
The identity includes several marks beyond the primary logo. The navy home cap features a gold “R” over trolley tracks, while the road cap uses a Rich Maroon interlocking “SWB” logo that gives a modern look to a mark from the franchise’s Red Barons era.[3] The home uniforms feature navy pinstripes as a nod to the Yankees affiliation.[1]
In January 2022, the club brought back the “SWB” mark from the Lackawanna County Stadium days as an alternate logo, adapting the color scheme to the current palette. The updated mark appears on navy road caps and alternate jerseys with a white “SWB” crest.[4]
Meaning and Symbolism
The official team colors are Electric Gold, Rich Maroon and Yankee Navy. The maroon pays tribute to the old Red Barons uniforms, while the navy and home pinstripes nod to the parent New York Yankees. The RailRiders were the first professional sports team to use this color combination.[2][3]
The porcupine conductor serves as the centerpiece of the identity. Brandiose partner Casey White described the porcupine as “the first professional sports team to honor the American porcupine” and called it “a grittier mascot to represent the region’s fighting spirit.”[3] The identity combines porcupine, conductor and electric marks with classic lettering and trolley tracks.[3]
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