Trains.com

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Alco 251 engine factory paint color ?

8231 views
10 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    February 2009
  • 2 posts
Posted by mancosbob on Thursday, February 7, 2019 2:57 AM

I'm probably a little late to this dance, but I seem to remember both gray and seafoam green on prime movers on the SP. Tamiya makes a reasonable sort of seafoam green spray paint called TS60. 

 https://peteratkins.com.au/cms/w/reference-form---tamiya-colour-chart-project---web.jpg

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Friday, November 2, 2018 5:15 AM

dragonriversteel
Edmund,   Is that the old Alco NASA Marion crawler engines ? Love that machine.

Yep, sure is. I seem to recall watching the crawler-transporter in operation in the movie Apollo 13 and it sure sounded like they dubbed in EMD turbo diesel sounds Confused

dragonriversteel
Gonna go with a darker shade of mint green for these 251's .

I found a Valspar* color called Flat La Fonda Mirage that makes a pretty good institutional "sea-foam" green color. Great for passenger car interiors, too.

*Rattle-can

 EMD_567 by Edmund, on Flickr

Here's some on an EMD 567.

Good Luck, Ed

Cheers, Ed

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Thursday, November 1, 2018 7:42 PM

Here is a startup video.  Looks like a sickly hospital green to me.

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    February 2004
  • From: Central Ohio
  • 570 posts
Posted by basementdweller on Thursday, November 1, 2018 11:21 AM

A few weeks ago I rode the CVSR, in their yard were some engine blocks and the ones I saw were painted green. 

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • 1,037 posts
Posted by dragonriversteel on Thursday, November 1, 2018 10:15 AM

Edmund, 

 Is that the old Alco NASA Marion crawler engines ? Love that machine.

Gonna go with a darker shade of mint green for these 251's . Thank you for the information Edmund.

Patrick

Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb

Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.

Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • 1,037 posts
Posted by dragonriversteel on Thursday, November 1, 2018 10:10 AM

BigDaddy

I don't know squat, but weren't engines just the color of the underlying metal?

 

 Hello Henry,

    I just learned that at least with Alco. The customer could have a choice of paint colors. Orange,gray or a mint green color. Gonna go with a darker mint green for my power units.

Patrick

Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb

Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.

Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • 1,037 posts
Posted by dragonriversteel on Thursday, November 1, 2018 10:04 AM

Dunno Ed. Marine engines maybe ?

Phantom hobbies 3D prints other different cylinder Alco & EMD engines. Shoot,they even print N scale GE FDL engines. 

I plan on making a back up power generator set with these Alco 251 for my scrap yard. Should they lose power to the EAF. Gonna be a neat scene.

Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb

Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.

Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • 7,500 posts
Posted by 7j43k on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 10:29 PM

dragonriversteel

Once again, I humbly call on those with knowledge. Thank you.

What color paint would Alco engine paint be ? The kind they spray down the engine block,covers and pipes etc. 

Just picked up two Phanton Hobbies 3D PROTON printed  Alco 251 18 cylinder engines . This will be a totally new material to work with. Kinda excited about these new engines.

Either flat car loads or emergency power or stuck inside a shell or whatever. The ebay seller also has HO EMD 567 18 cylinders engines. He did have other Alco & EMD engines available but they sold.

  Just passing info on.

 

What are 18 cylinder EMD's and Alco's used for?

 

Grey looks like the promising color.

 

Ed 

  • Member since
    August 2003
  • From: Collinwood, Ohio, USA
  • 16,367 posts
Posted by gmpullman on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:30 PM

This one isn't in a locomotive but it is nice to look at:

 Alco_Nasa by Edmund, on Flickr

 American Locomotive Co. had some pretty mechanics back then.

 ALCO_251 by Edmund, on Flickr

 Unfortunately this is under High Pressure Sodium lighting so it has an orange tint to it.

 ALCO_251cc by Edmund, on Flickr

 ALCO_251cc_crop by Edmund, on Flickr

IF I were shooting a prime mover I would probably look for D&H Gray or Erie-Lackawanna gray.

My New York Central painting diagrams list the engine room color as "Dupont Duluxe Suede Gray" so that might get you in the right direction.

Good Luck, Ed

  • Member since
    December 2015
  • From: Shenandoah Valley
  • 9,094 posts
Posted by BigDaddy on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:25 PM

I don't know squat, but weren't engines just the color of the underlying metal?

Henry

COB Potomac & Northern

Shenandoah Valley

  • Member since
    May 2005
  • 1,037 posts
Alco 251 engine factory paint color ?
Posted by dragonriversteel on Wednesday, October 31, 2018 9:13 PM

Once again, I humbly call on those with knowledge. Thank you.

What color paint would Alco engine paint be ? The kind they spray down the engine block,covers and pipes etc. 

Just picked up two Phanton Hobbies 3D PROTON printed  Alco 251 18 cylinder engines . This will be a totally new material to work with. Kinda excited about these new engines.

Either flat car loads or emergency power or stuck inside a shell or whatever. The ebay seller also has HO EMD 567 18 cylinders engines. He did have other Alco & EMD engines available but they sold.

  Just passing info on.

Fear an Ignorant Man more than a Lion- Turkish proverb

Modeling an ficticious HO scale intergrated Scrap Yard & Steel Mill Melt Shop.

Southland Industrial Railway or S.I.R for short. Enterchanging with Norfolk Southern.

Subscriber & Member Login

Login, or register today to interact in our online community, comment on articles, receive our newsletter, manage your account online and more!

Users Online

There are no community member online

Search the Community

ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Model Railroader Newsletter See all
Sign up for our FREE e-newsletter and get model railroad news in your inbox!