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Locomotive & Tender Colors...

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  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Locomotive & Tender Colors...
Posted by jjdamnit on Monday, July 6, 2020 5:22 PM

Hello All,

This is for all my steam brethren...

My freelance railroad; set in the 1970s-80s, just acquired a USRA 0-6-0 replacement from The Baldwin Locomotive Works for it's Olde Tyme excursion train.

It arrived with a sloped backed tender- -both painted in Baldwin green.

The Vanderbilt tender, from the scrapped USRA 0-6-0, will be used in place of the sloped back unit. This tender is painted black.

Management doesn't care about the colors of the excursion train.

My question: Should I paint the tender to match the locomotive or could I leave the tender a separate color?

This is a coal branch loop and the excursion trains only run on "special occasions."

Your thoughts...

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
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Posted by BigDaddy on Monday, July 6, 2020 8:54 PM

I'd paint it green in defernce to my OCD but I also wouldn't lose much sleep over it if it was black.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Monday, July 6, 2020 9:00 PM

I believe my choice would be to have a black tender with a "Baldwin" green insert panel such as this C-P example shows in maroon.

 CPR_4-6-4T by Edmund, on Flickr

Outline it in Dulux gold striping and you'd have a real looker!

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    February 2002
  • From: Mpls/St.Paul
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Posted by wjstix on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 10:39 AM

Generally, railroads that painted their steam engines something other than black - like Missabe's gray boilers, or Great Northern's green boilers and cylinders with red roof - still just painted their tenders black.

However, streamlined steam engines often would have tenders painted to match the paint scheme of the cars.

I'm assuming the engine in question is a Bachmann 0-6-0 with "THE BALDWIN LOCOMOTIVE WORKS" on the tender. If it were me, I would either leave it "as is" and just say it was a former Baldwin shop engine that your railroad bought from a scrapyard and restored to it's c. 1925 appearance, or use Solvaset to remove the Baldwin lettering and add my freelance railroad's name there with decals.

https://shop.bachmanntrains.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=258_276_286&products_id=6598&zenid=vmel18m6liu6dd7cqb3trfdr03

Stix
  • Member since
    September 2003
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Posted by Overmod on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 11:27 AM

Did he not say 'Vanderbilt tender' in the original post?  If so then put green on the bunker, leave the tank and running gear black. I haven't seen any indication of 'new' lettering color or style, and I have to wonder if that belongs in its own thread once the paint 'thing' is worked out.

  • Member since
    August 2014
  • From: CO
  • 265 posts
Posted by pt714 on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 11:44 AM

Another possibility would be to leave the tender as is, and paint the cab black, which I find a really classy look. GN did this-- green boiler/cylinders, black cab and tender (even their Vanderbilts).

 

Phil

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 1:32 PM

Hello All,

Thanks for all the great input!

Yes, it is the Bachmann USRA 0-6-0 in the Baldwin Locomotive Works livery.

Overmod
Did he not say 'Vanderbilt tender' in the original post?

I did.

When I sent the original one in for service, I only sent the loco and kept the Vanderbilt tender.

I sent this same unit in for "out of service warranty" less than a year ago. They replaced the side rods. The charge for out of service warranty was $45.00.

Bachmann was unable to repair this same unit so they sent me a replacement.

When I told the service technician that I only needed the locomotive; because I kept the old tender, he said that it was easier to just replace the entire set.

So that's what they did- -for free!

Overmod
If so then put green on the bunker, leave the tank and running gear black.

I like the suggestions of partially painting the tender.

Because it is a Vanderbilt tender I'm considering leaving the vertical walls and the walkway black and painting the round portion to match the color of the locomotive.

That would allow me to put the orange herald of the R.R. on the flat portions of the tender.

Because the background on that part of the tender is black I can make the decals with clear decal film and only have to print the orange part.

Again, thanks for all the great suggestions.

 

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 1:35 PM

jjdamnit
I like the suggestions of partially painting the tender.

I like this idea too. I think the finished model will look very sharp.

-Kevin

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • 305,205 posts
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 1:40 PM

Consider painting the locomotive cab black, similar to DRGW Ks that had green boilers.

  • Member since
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  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Tuesday, July 7, 2020 1:53 PM

Hello All,

BMMECNYC
Consider painting the locomotive cab black, similar to DRGW Ks that had green boilers.

Hmmm...

jjdamnit
Because it is a Vanderbilt tender I'm considering leaving the vertical walls and the walkway black and painting the round portion to match the color of the locomotive.
That would allow me to put the orange herald of the R.R. on the flat portions of the tender.
Because the background on that part of the tender is black I can make the decals with clear decal film and only have to print the orange part.

Now I'm considering painting the cab black and the tank portion of the tender green.

Again, thank you for all the great suggestions.

Keep 'em coming!

Post Script: This locomotive is equipped with smoke and was supplied with smoke fluid. I have no desire to use smoke on my pike so I cannot comment on this function.

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

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