Hello Everybody!
I believe it has been pretty close to about a month since I took on the endeavor of doing a full blown restoration of a Frontenac train set. So far I have been able to find a wealth of information and resources to restore the train. I would like to thank all for your help in this mission. I am now revisiting a couple aspects of the restoration that I still have some questions about. I have attached a link of what I want the engine and cars to look like. The engine has a two tone green???? Now I know we talked about this when I first started, but I now understand that there are some hobby places that sell "official" A.F. colors. I need help in determining what these colors are in the picture, in relation to what is available out there. I have found that Mike's Train and Hobbies has an extensive list of A.F. colors, but I have yet again ran into a predicament, as there is several colors of green:
1771 Streamliner Green
4000 Dark Green
4000 Green
4340 Shasta Buff
4637 Shasta Green
And the list goes on. I know at the very least, I will need to get 4021 Truck Gray, but I am at lost with the rest. I have been told that the original boxes that the train cars cam n would have a color and number stamped on the box to indicate train color. I have tries contacting mike directly to get color chips, but have had no success. I don't suppose anyone would have a box for one of these types of trains???? I hate to be a nag about this but I like what I see in the picture and I would like my train to look like that when completed. The other thing I am still on the hunt for rubber stamping for the letters. Has no one ever tried to restore the lettering on this set before. I have been in contact with Joe Mania and he said that he would see what he could do when he returns. I think I am still struggling to learn all of the lingo when it comes to train colors and appropriate stamp lettering. I hope someone can help.
Thank you,
Brian
http://img264.imagevenue.com/img.php?image=350472819_543_l_122_23lo.jpg
Hello Everyone,
Does anyone have any idea? I know someone must know the answers to my quesitions. I recently saw one on ebay sell for $130, and I have a suspicion that they will probably be asking the same questions
Hi,
A couple of things about the paint colors. The link you posted is what I would refer to as an aqua green and blue roof version. Therefore, the colors that you listed from Mikes hobby, would not match the color that you want to end up with. I do not have individual boxes for that set, so I cannot tell you what Flyer called the colors. I have a boxed frontenac set, which features a two tone green and the boxes simply say "green" with the car number on them.
I also believe that the colors that you desire for your set, is for a set that may have been called something other than the Frontenac set. Flyer made several sets with this engine/cars and the Frontenac set was only one of them.
These are the colors that you desire
As for a color match to the colors listed by Mikes hobby, I don't think any of their greens would match the two colors on the engine above. I have items with the colors listed by Mikes Hobby and they simply are different colors.
Oh, and for clarification the Shasta Buff color that Mikes hobby lists is a tan color, not a green. So you definitely don't want that color.
You also asked about rubber stamping for the cars. Sadly, the originals appear to be more of a heat stamping as the letters actually are pressed into the paint. Therefore, you will never be able to truly match the original lettering. I would guess that most people who restore these trains put American Flyer decals on the cars, which although not correct for the set you are restoring, would be correct for later period cars. Here is an example of a later period car with decals.
To help you better with the colors listed by Mikes Hobbies, here are some examples
Streamliner Green
Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.
Get the Classic Toy Trains newsletter delivered to your inbox twice a month