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GSC/GSI Flat Car Deck Colors

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  • Member since
    March 2002
  • From: Milwaukee WI (Fox Point)
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Posted by dknelson on Saturday, December 26, 2015 3:57 PM

I have seen wood deck flatcars where the wood has taken on the silvery gray of driftwood.  It is not uncommon to see decks where several boards have been replaced, and as one of the photos above shows, there can also be significant rust staining on the wood.

Two MR articles do a nice job of suggesting weathered colors for flatcar decks - Lou Sassi's "Weather a flatcar in one evening" in the June 2009 MR and Matt Snell's "Enhance the deck of a ready-to-run flatcar" in November 2014 MR.  Snell goes more into replicating the physical abuse the wood takes as well as the colors.  

Dave Nelson

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Posted by wp8thsub on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 11:19 PM

FRRYKid
Slightly off-topic, but when did U-1 dots start being used? They are an item I hadn't figured into my lettering.

1978.  The inspection program was supposed to be complete within the year, but some new cars continued receiving the stencils until 1981, and I've seen repaints (cars with obvious shop dates corresponding to new paint) getting them in the same time span.

I am wondering if it would be proper to paint the decks with some PS Oily Black to give the deck a creosote look, which would give the dark look to the "wood."

That depends on the individual car, but yes.  I also sometimes start by painting the deck just plain black.

x

Rob Spangler

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  • From: Miles City, Montana
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Posted by FRRYKid on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 10:47 PM

wp8thsub

I also added decals for the consolidated stencils and U1 inspection symbols, plus etched ACI label plates from BLMA.

Slightly off-topic, but when did U-1 dots start being used? They are an item I hadn't figured into my lettering.

wp8thsub

There are numerous photos of NP GSI flats on RailcarPhotos, including this one with a good view of the deck http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=47410.

7j43k

I just had a quick look through Todd Sullivan's "NP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment".  To my eye, it looks like NP flats tended to start life with a darkly colored deck.  As opposed to the freshly-cut-wood look.  

Ed

Based on the info from the "NP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment" and the railcarphotos link, I am wondering if it would be proper to paint the decks with some PS Oily Black to give the deck a creosote look, which would give the dark look to the "wood."

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.
  • Member since
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  • From: US
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Posted by wp8thsub on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 4:31 PM

Coloring on cars in service wouldn't be NP, or GSC specific.  Find photos of typical flat car decks and weather from there.

I weathered this ExactRail car using photos of numerous flats found online and in books.  I sprayed the deck with gray primer and added chalk and watercolor pencil weathering.  All of the deck coloration was added before installing the deck on the car.

I also added decals for the consolidated stencils and U1 inspection symbols, plus etched ACI label plates from BLMA.

There are numerous photos of NP GSI flats on RailcarPhotos, including this one with a good view of the deck http://www.railcarphotos.com/PhotoDetails.php?PhotoID=47410 .  Note when searching on that site how the builder of these cars is listed under General Steel Industries (GSI).  Searching for GSC gets you Greenville cars.

Rob Spangler

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Posted by doctorwayne on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 10:47 AM

The decks of real flatcars take a beating, as many loads are nailed or bolted to the car and forklift and crane operators aren't always too careful, either.  I have seen some which were in such poor shape that they would be difficult to even walk upon.
This one is in pretty good shape, although definitely not new:

This one, I think, is steel:


My flatcar roster is mostly Walther's version of the 53'6" GSC car, despite the fact that I'm modelling the late '30s. Whistling   As such the cars are modelled as relatively new, so the decks are weathered with various colours of paint but not much damage:

I also have a few Athearn 50' flatcars.  These have had their frames and floors removed, replaced with a new subfloor of .060" sheet styrene, then re-decked with stripwood (material which was on-hand when I quit scratchbuilding with wood).  This allows the cars to ride low like the GSC cars.  I added the bulkhead ends from the Walthers cars, too.  These floors are a little more heavily distressed using various blades and tools, but still in good condition, and I tried to make them look as if random boards had been replaced at various times:

Wayne

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Posted by 7j43k on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 10:42 AM

I think that a "gray" deck on a fresh NP flatcar is unlikely.  Flatcar decks were rarely painted for delivery.  If these cars had had their decks painted, I think it would have been "car color".  In this case, black.

Flat car decks were rarely painted for delivery.  The wood elements, that is.  The wood was either unfinished or treated.  Unfinished would start life wood colored (something like yellowish tan) and weather.  Different woods start out with different colors and weather to other different colors.  But generally it would seem that they'd go towards a bleached sort-of-grey.  Not start with it.

Treated wood shows up as darker, on fresh delivery, than untreated wood.  Usually darker towards brown or black.  Depending on the type and level of treatment.  There are different kinds of treatment, and they would likely look different, too.

I just had a quick look through Todd Sullivan's "NP Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment".  To my eye, it looks like NP flats tended to start life with a darkly colored deck.  As opposed to the freshly-cut-wood look.  

Each piece of wood weathers differently.  They even START looking a bit different.  Flatcar decking should reflect this.  An even spray coat won't look right.

 

For your particular cars, I recommend finding photos taken at the appropriate time frame showing the deck.  If those can't be found, I'd start looking for NP flats built around the same time.  Then I'd start expanding to the Northwest roads.  And so on.

Note that sites generally list a photo date.  And you can often find build dates.  Precision is not necessary, of course.

After awhile, you should turn up enough photos to show you what colors you'll need.  

 

 

 

Ed

 

  • Member since
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  • From: A Comfy Cave, New Zealand
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Posted by "JaBear" on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 3:21 AM
Of no great help to you but in this photo the deck looks in good shape whereas the body has weathered.
Cheers, the Bear.Smile

"One difference between pessimists and optimists is that while pessimists are more often right, optimists have far more fun."

  • Member since
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  • From: Miles City, Montana
  • 2,289 posts
GSC/GSI Flat Car Deck Colors
Posted by FRRYKid on Wednesday, December 23, 2015 1:43 AM

 I am looking at purchasing a pair of ExactRail's GSC 53'-6 Flat Cars : 42' Truck Centers : NP : 1967 'As Delivered' probably late January/early Febuary (as I get the funds).  My question for ny forum friends is this: What color/colors would the floor decks on the above referenced cars properly be once they weathered? According to ExactRail, they were gray as delivered. Given I model the mid-70s to early 80s, I know the floors would have weathered. Any help would be welcomed.

"The only stupid question is the unasked question."
Brain waves can power an electric train. RealFact #832 from Snapple.

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