Large Scale Central

Colors for coaches/combines?

Modeling Rolling stock
#1

I’m wondering just how much leeway there is when it comes to color for passenger equipment.

I’d like to paint my passenger equipment something other than the usual brown, green, or yellow. I’m not modeling a specific prototype so I’m not limited to a specific color. I’m also not overly concerned about extreme historical accuracy. But at the same time, I’d like to avoid doing something that would make a purist gouge out his eyes or foam at the mouth. :slight_smile: I don’t want anything garish or “theme parkish” either.

I’d also like to be able to use inexpensive, readily available hardware store spray paints rather than fancy “railroad” paints. And I’d like something that would contrast nicely with the rocks of my layout.

I’m leaning towards a sort of deep burgandy.

Comments?

#2

A common color on many passenger cars was Tuscan Red. It is more redish than plain Tuscan but not quite as purplish as burgandy. Some cars were also painted a deep shade of red with black roofs too. In the days of narrow gauge passenger cars not many colors were used…at least in the US. If you don’t mind a somewhat European look, a cream and red or cream and dark blue would look nice. Also a few standard gauge RRs had dark blue heavyweights. They looked quite nice.

#3

Ray Dunakin said:
I’m wondering just how much leeway there is when it comes to color for passenger equipment. I’d like to paint my passenger equipment something other than the usual brown, green, or yellow. I’m not modeling a specific prototype so I’m not limited to a specific color. I’m also not overly concerned about extreme historical accuracy. But at the same time, I’d like to avoid doing something that would make a purist gouge out his eyes or foam at the mouth. :slight_smile: I don’t want anything garish or “theme parkish” either. I’d also like to be able to use inexpensive, readily available hardware store spray paints rather than fancy “railroad” paints. And I’d like something that would contrast nicely with the rocks of my layout. I’m leaning towards a sort of deep burgandy. Comments?

Ray, I have two schemes on the POC, very conventional pullman green and a lighter mint green as in the photo.

The D&RG used a deep red in its earlier days. One train early in the 1900’s had an all white train. I think either the Lackawanna or the Lehigh Valley. B&O used a royal blue. Yellow wasn’t widely used until the tourist era of about the 1950’s although the V&T used yellow before that and someone can probably come up with a few others as well. Besides pullman green there was also coach green which was lighter and greener than pullman green. Pennsylvania RR used a conservative dark green on some smooth side cars and maybe others. Milwaukee Road had cars painted orange from about the late 1930’s as on their Hiawatha. UP had mostly pullman green but their streamliner from the 1930’s was initially yellow and brown and then yellow and grey. Both SP and UP used two-tone grey on many cars from about 1940 or so, maybe sooner. The point is that almost any color can be logically used. Note though that in most of the cases above these colors were used mostly on name trains and the majority of other equipment, at least from the 1910’s through 1950 or so were mostly pullman green except for the shiny new streamliners. In the steam era it was not uncommon to see a train of colorful cars mixed with a couple of pullman green head end cars. For a freelance railroad just convene a “board meeting” with your self and select a color scheme you like. After all on a freelance railroad you are the prototype! Just remember that except for the fancier trains that railroads after the turn of the twentieth century were rather conservative in their tastes otherwise.

#4

Ray

The Napa Wine Train has a nice Burgandy color, for that matter, I have often thought about painting my '58 MGA a deep Burgandy.

You are the CEO, pick your scheme and color, then post the pics here. :smiley:

#5

The early EBT passenger equipment was maroon, and changed to dark green around 1910. They also experimented with a cream w/ maroon lettering briefly. Light passenger cars on a coal-hauling railroad don’t necessarily go hand in hand, though. They’re a pain to keep clean. Still, there was no rule or even general practice.

Later,

K

#6

I decided to go with a 2 tone scheme for the Redmond Creek RR

#7

Check out some of the finished cars from a coach building master class on MLS.

The first one is apparently very accurate to the prototype 1880’s Carter Bros. coach.

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42826

I haven’t painted the one I built yet… still pondering…

#8
Geoff Ringle said:
Check out some of the finished cars from a coach building master class on MLS.

The first one is apparently very accurate to the prototype 1880’s Carter Bros. coach.

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42826

I haven’t painted the one I built yet… still pondering…


Wow! Those look terrific. Are these kits? And if so, where does one order one?

#9

I went with cream and green for my RR colors. Actually, they’re both Krylon colors…but it seems to work.

#10
timmyd said:
Geoff Ringle said:
Check out some of the finished cars from a coach building master class on MLS.

The first one is apparently very accurate to the prototype 1880’s Carter Bros. coach.

http://www.mylargescale.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=42826

I haven’t painted the one I built yet… still pondering…


Wow! Those look terrific. Are these kits? And if so, where does one order one?

I think the wood version is available… try here:

http://bronson-tate.com/kits/carter/pass-cars.shtml

#11

It’s your railroad. Pick a color scheme you like.

Wow, that two-tone green is pretty.