I'm trying to correct the paint scheme on a DRG&W F7A model (orange, single stripe). Should the grills be black or stainless? Prototype pictures seem to indicate both (although the black could be very dirty stainless ones).
fisker4jcPrototype pictures seem to indicate both (although the black could be very dirty stainless ones).
I'd agree that the stainless grilles weren't painted, just grimy black.
Fs climbing Tennessee Pass by Mike Danneman, on Flickr
DRG_5771-F9_Salt-Lake by Edmund, on Flickr
I've got an A-B set of the patched ones sold to Penn-Central:
P-C-754_F7a by Edmund, on Flickr
The Spring 2021 issue of Cleasic Trains has an article about Utah in the '70s which features several clear shots of Rio Grande Fs with stainless grilles.
Good Luck, Ed
It's true, the D&RGW F7's and F9's had stainless steel air grills. In the first photo above, they appeared black but it is partly the shadow of the photo too. Generally they were kept clean and didn't even appear grimey black. There are tons of photo's of the RGZ F9's and they were usually kept clean.
D&RGW F3's air grills were painted black.
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Wo kool Rio Grande engines,Be nice to have those on my Ho Layout.