NYC K-11 Pacific colors?

[Darth Santa Fe]

I'm working on building a Bowser NYC K-11 4-6-2, and would like to know before I paint it; what color should the smokebox and firebox be? I can only find black and white photos, which makes it pretty much impossible to tell if they should be silver, graphite, or black.

[orsonroy]

I'm working on building a Bowser NYC K-11 4-6-2, and would like to know before I paint it; what color should the smokebox and firebox be? I can only find black and white photos, which makes it pretty much impossible to tell if they should be silver, graphite, or black.

The NYC painted their fireboxes and smokeboxes black, the same black as the rest of the engine. The sides of the smokebox usually turned a gritty, sooty black quickly, but the FRONT of the smokeboxes stayed shiny longer (they didn't get as much weathering either). It's an odd look, but it's correct.

[Darth Santa Fe]

orsonroy, thank you for your response. Now I can paint my K-11 the proper color, instead of the black and graphite I was going to do.