(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/openhouse08/open12.jpg)
If the models are of East Broad Top or Tuscarora Valley prototypes, I try to stick as close as possible to what is known about the colors of the prototypes. That’s not always easy, as little is known about some of the early colors and lettering schemes. In many cases, I make educated guesses and hope someday someone can produce a photo to prove me wrong.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/TRROps/TRROps33.jpg)
For the depots, I’m using the oxide red with white trim known to be used at various periods in the EBT’s history. They used (nominally) two schemes–the red with white trim and buff with brown trim as can be seen on the Orbisonia depot today. The Colorado railroads also favored the buff/brown, so naturally I went with the other. 
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/EBT1/EdRob09.jpg)
On the EBT locomotives, I do vary from “prototype” to a degree. I’ve decided that all of my EBT locos will wear the dark green with orange lettering and plannished iron boiler jacket that the railroad began to use c. 1908, as shown on EBT #1 above. (It’s believed that #1 was the first to use the orange “E.B.T.” on the tender. Whether it was actually dark green or black is unknown.) EBT #11, delivered in 1908, was the first loco to come from Baldwin with that scheme. The other locos running on the railroad at that time would have had varying colors, ranging from black with aluminum (silver) lettering to olive green with aluminum, to the olive green with orange; most with different variations of the railroad’s initials on the tender (or none at all in one instance.) I’ve settled on the green/orange because I want them to be visually different from the non-EBT locos on the roster.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/TVRR5/tvrr531.jpg)
The Tuscarora Valley RR locos are painted as close to what is known about the TVRR locomotive paint schemes. They seldom bought new locos, so it’s difficult to know exactly what colors they used. This scheme is based on photographs and colors known to have been used on other TVRR locos.
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/TRROps/TRROps30.jpg)
The Tuscarora RR’s paint schemes are a bit more carefree. The most notable feature of the “early years” is the stained wood cabs. This draws from some live steam locos I did with mahogany cabs, and I just liked the looks. While it was probably quite rare to have natural stained wood cabs after the 1880s, it’s certainly plausible. The lettering on the tenders of the TRR locos varies from loco to loco. The EBT’s early lettering varied from loco to loco, so I figured I’d do the same thing. TRR #3’s lettering borrows from the EBT’s three-letter scheme, though done in gold instead of orange. The boiler jackets are all plannished iron, as that’s what was being used at the time. (Painted boiler jackets wouldn’t come into vogue until a bit later, when paint technology improved to where it could withstand the heat.)
(http://1stclass.mylargescale.com/eastbroadtop/TRR2/TRR248.jpg)
The “later” paint scheme on the TRR locos draws from a few different sources. First, they’ve got green boiler jackets. While not “common,” colored boiler jackets adorned locomotives from a number of railroads. I first played around with a green jacket on a locomotive I did for my dad’s railroad, and I liked the look. (I subsequently painted two more of his locos with green jackets.) The silver lettering and striping borrows from the Oahu Railway locos. They used the same font that the EBT and TVRR used for their passenger car lettering, so it made perfect sense that the TRR would use it for their locos. By the early 30s, all TRR locos would be painted in this scheme. Later, K
Now I was even more determined to use red and black. And mindful of Ken’s comments. Since I was using red/black for the engines and coaches, I wanted a different color for the freight. I settled on gray.
