Is it caboose red (brown?) That was widely used rather than the much more red on cabooses for many railroads. If so, is it available in a spray can?
You can use any color that looks good to you. Railroads always used different shades of red or brown.
Mostly they fad and gather grime and dust so whatever color you use will lok just purr-fect
ROAR
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Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
mreagantIs it caboose red (brown?) That was widely used rather than the much more red on cabooses for many railroads. If so, is it available in a spray can?
If you are modelling a specific railroad, let us know which one, and someone who knows will help out.
For my cabooses, I chose "Dark Red", from Testors in the good old 1/4 ounce bottles. They do not offer this color in a spray can.
The boxcar in the picture is painted Scalecoat 2 #2014 "Caboose Red", which is closer to a brown color. This is available in a spray can from Minuteman Models.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
mreagant That was widely used rather than the much more red on cabooses for many railroads.
There is a "rule" that says cabooses are to be painted red. However, since these rules only apply to cars that are interchanged between railroads, it had very little effect on what color cabooses were actually painted.
Someone once explained to me that this rule effected the NEW YORK CENTRAL, because the NYC was actually a group of railroads under common management, so their cabooses had to be red.
I am interested to hear how much of this is true.
I'm modeling the Texas & Pacific. I have most of the T&P pictorial reference books, but I don't think I've seen any of the color photos that reference a particular color by name. It looks much more brown than red.
Northern Pacific used to paint their cabooses the same color as their boxcars:
Then they opted for a change in the late sixties:
GN went to vermilion in the mid-fifties, though it could have been earlier:
but went to blue, also in the late sixites:
And don't get me started on the Burlington: red, green, orange, silver.......
I do believe purple wasn't used, but don't bet on it.
But, getting back to the calmer colors, caboose "red" did seem to meander around a lot. But then, so did boxcar "red".
Ed
Boxcar red was a really common color on freight cars and caboose. Yes the color will fade turning it into brown.
By 1946 the caboose color became a more bright red. Some railroads kept the brown; and majority did different colors to their own liking.
Amtrak America, 1971-Present.
Hi,
I would google your railroad's caboose images and then search out a comparable brown/red or mix your own. There are dozens of shades out there to choose from. IMO, just find one similar, paint the caboose, and follow up with a Dul-Cote spray. Trust me.........it will look just great!
ENJOY !
Mobilman44
Living in southeast Texas, formerly modeling the "postwar" Santa Fe and Illinois Central
Ahhh, a caboose thread
I really like the really red ones
Sometimes the brown ones too.
Green ain't too shabby
But I have seen what your saying when they're neither red or brown but somewhere in-between
I wouldn't have the foggiest notion what color the reddy brown ones are from Railroad to Railroad. I would think one could just keep adding a bit of red into a medium brown until it looks right.
But when all's said and done I like the red ones the best
TF
Per the 11-12/81 issue of Mainline Modeler magazine T&P cabooses were painted in Boxcar Red with Black under frames until the early 60's when under the influence of the MP they were painted in bright red very close to Floquil's Caboose red.
Rick Jesionowski
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Sometimes they're even yellow.
dmir-c227ags.jpg (900×392) (rr-fallenflags.org)
How about Union Pacific Yellow?
York1 John
Interesting, I didn't know Union Pacific had a caboose Park. Where is that located John?
Besides Great Northern other railroads also had blue cabooses (cabeese)
Track fiddlerInteresting, I didn't know Union Pacific had a caboose Park. Where is that located John?
It's at Two Rivers State Park outside of Omaha. You can rent the cabooses for overnight stays:
http://outdoornebraska.gov/tworivers/
At Two Rivers State Recreation Area, 10 Union Pacific cabooses have been remodeled and restored for park lodging. The cabooses are air-conditioned and sleep six people, with two bunk beds in the rear and two mattresses in the cupola. Each is equipped with a modern bathroom, which includes a shower. The kitchen includes stove, microwave, refrigerator, sink and a few cabinets. A table, with four chairs and couch for two, serve as the dining area. For those who enjoy outdoor dining and ambiance, there is a deck with picnic table, grill and fire ring. To enjoy your caboose to the fullest, please plan ahead to bring the following items: Bedding or sleeping bags (mattresses provided), pillows, towels and soap, eating utensils, charcoal and lighter fluid for grill cooking and cooking utensils. The cabooses are available April 15 through the end of September. No pets are allowed in the cabooses. Reservations may be made one year in advance.
At Two Rivers State Recreation Area, 10 Union Pacific cabooses have been remodeled and restored for park lodging. The cabooses are air-conditioned and sleep six people, with two bunk beds in the rear and two mattresses in the cupola. Each is equipped with a modern bathroom, which includes a shower. The kitchen includes stove, microwave, refrigerator, sink and a few cabinets. A table, with four chairs and couch for two, serve as the dining area. For those who enjoy outdoor dining and ambiance, there is a deck with picnic table, grill and fire ring.
To enjoy your caboose to the fullest, please plan ahead to bring the following items: Bedding or sleeping bags (mattresses provided), pillows, towels and soap, eating utensils, charcoal and lighter fluid for grill cooking and cooking utensils. The cabooses are available April 15 through the end of September. No pets are allowed in the cabooses. Reservations may be made one year in advance.
Then in the 50's or early 60's. Pennsy had to use focal orange. PC was a jade green
shane
A pessimist sees a dark tunnel
An optimist sees the light at the end of the tunnel
A realist sees a frieght train
An engineer sees three idiots standing on the tracks stairing blankly in space
That is really neat John! Thanks for the video tour and the info. What a fun weekend get-a-way
I've never been to Omaha but I'll have to keep that one in mind a year in advance. If I show that video to Judy she will be all over that
You got my curiosity up Shane. Here's the PRR focal orange.
mreagant I'm modeling the Texas & Pacific. I have most of the T&P pictorial reference books, but I don't think I've seen any of the color photos that reference a particular color by name. It looks much more brown than red.
Last picture shown in article -- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_and_Pacific_Railway
shows a T&P caboose in color.
David
To the world you are someone. To someone you are the world
I cannot afford the luxury of a negative thought
I've never heard of a regulation saying cabooses had to be some shade of red? As noted, it wouldn't affect a lot of railroads since it would only affect interchange cars. New York Central cabooses used their freight car red color until they started painting them "Century Green" around 1960 or so; I don't think they ever had bright red ones. The Missabe Road had yellow cabooses I think going back to the original railroads (DM&N and D&IR) that merged in the 1930's to form DM&IR.
BTW before IIRC 1859 all paint was colored with natural materials - plants, animal products, minerals, etc. - so the cost was based on the scarcity of what was used to make the color. Purple or 'Royal Blue' were expensive because the color came from a sea creature. The cheapest / most durable paint was a tuscan red made from dirt or clay with iron ore in it. Barns, boxcars, and many other wooden structures were painted this cheap durable color. If you went to the hardware store and bought a can of "red" paint, that's what you got most likely. Later, when artificial paint came along (with all colors now the same cost) "red" paint was a brighter red, so people just bought a couple cans of "red" paint and used to paint the barn or whatever.
G&W Family cabeese (aka "shoving platforms") are G&W Orange, like their locomotives. But at least one was Blue & White.
A local shortlione in my area, the WNY&P, is much closer to a Red-Orange, like NH Red-Orange, than a Red, or Red-Brown color on one "shoving platform" bay window caboose, with the other "shoving platform" caboose, transfer style, is a faded Red.
Conrail used CR Blue, Caboose (Bright) Red, and even other heritage colors at one time, and CSX has used Gray and Blue, Gray and Yellow, to various other colors based on heritage.
Norfolk Southern has used Caboose (Bright) Red on their newest repaints, but have had various colors on heritage "shoving platform" cabeese.
Chessie used Yellow, Blue, Green, and Red, depending on the caboose scheme.
So each line, and even era on certain lines, have used different colors.
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
Check out the Red Caboose Motel in Strasburg PA. They have just about every color caboose imaginable. All different road names. And you can sleep in them :D
wjstix The Missabe Road had yellow cabooses I think going back to the original railroads (DM&N and D&IR) that merged in the 1930's to form DM&IR.
The Missabe Road had yellow cabooses I think going back to the original railroads (DM&N and D&IR) that merged in the 1930's to form DM&IR.
I've seen a few of those Stix. We stumbled upon this faded one in this little railroad town in Owatonna Minnesota. From what I gathered all the buildings with the exception of the large one in back were transported there as they created this tourist town.
Those yellow DMIR caboose models are rare and really high in demand. I was in an eBay bidding war and butted out after it got close to a hundred. It went for 170 something.
P.S. Haven't been over to visit the lift bridge for quite a while.
Thanks to all of you guys. Very good information. I will need to find something in a spray can because I've never been able to get my air brush to do a good job. Blame it on the tool not the user. Looks like the Scalecoat #2014 is likely the only good option unless they or some other manufacturer has the boxcar brown in a spray can. Anybody know?
Again, thanks.
Mike
Before we terminate this thread, I would like to add that I have never seen or heard of any sort of directive that cabooses must be a certain color. Prior to World War Two, most railroads painted their cabooses the same color they used on their boxcars and, it was cheap and they had plenty of it. After the war paint formulas changed and different and brighter colors were used in the interest of safety and the desire to shed their, dowdy, old fashioned image. Cabooses took on a look as if the shops had access to large boxes of Crayola's 64 crayons. Brighter colors were chosen for visibilty as the tell-tale "smoke orders" associated with steam were fast disappearing. The whole world was embracing the brightness of color as everyone celebrated the victory and peace, in all aspects of life.
As much as most roads opted for brilliance by painting some of their cabooses bright aluminum (Southern Pacific), others took the opposite extreme by painting some cabooses black! What was the New Haven thinking? True, some had white ends on the body and cupola but, working with an all black caboose, on a stormy night, on a busy piece of railroad, must have churned a few stomachs.
If it were my railroad and set before the war, I would opt for a faded boxcar red, which would be a pinkish, light brown. After the war, in the 1950s, I would opt for a stronger, more vibrant color, at least on the ends, something that stood out from the surrounding colors, making the car more visible. If you are a freelancer, the choice is yours. The only colors I can't recall ever seeing are pink, purple, and pastels. Everything else seems to have appeared somewhere, at sometime.
wjstix I've never heard of a regulation saying cabooses had to be some shade of red? As noted, it wouldn't affect a lot of railroads since it would only affect interchange cars. .
I've never heard of a regulation saying cabooses had to be some shade of red? As noted, it wouldn't affect a lot of railroads since it would only affect interchange cars. .
well the dot told Pennsy to paint theirs focal orange. Not sure why, or why it did not carry through the merger. Buried in history are probably other such rules, long forgotten
NVSRRwell the dot told Pennsy to paint theirs focal orange.
The PRR changed their cabin car paint specification to Focal Orange in June of 1965.
The Federal Department of Transportation began operations on April 1, 1967.
Just sayin'
The PRR did consult with the Pennsylvania State Highway Department but that was just for suggestions. No demands were made.
CnNW_12432-Proviso_4-43 by Edmund, on Flickr
Sure glad Jack Delano had some color film way back when! This is in the thick of WWII, April, '43, by the way.
Cheers, Ed
SeeYou190There is a "rule" that says cabooses are to be painted red. However, since these rules only apply to cars that are interchanged between railroads, it had very little effect on what color cabooses were actually painted.
There is no such rule. Cabooses have been painted a wide variety of colors right from the beginning. Many early cabooses were painted yellow. Bright red cabooses have been used very early. It is compeletly up to the railroads and how much they want to spend on painting cabooses.
Dave H. Painted side goes up. My website : wnbranch.com
Maine Central and CN cabooses were boxcar red (brown) on the sides and red on the ends of the body and coupla up to around 1960. MEC changed to yelow body and green roof in the '60s
George In Midcoast Maine, 'bout halfway up the Rockland branch
gmpullmanThe PRR did consult with the Pennsylvania State Highway Department but that was just for suggestions. No demands were made.
Ya, I was wondering if this might have been a requirement of a state regulatory agency, rather than federal.
If it this rule was made in the 1960s it apparently didn't affect Minnesota, because c.1969 we had these caboose colors:
Great Northern: Big Sky Blue
Northern Pacific: Light Green
Burlington Route: Silver
MN&S: Red, Blue and Silver
DM&IR: Yellow
C&NW: Yellow
How could a state impose a regulation governing a vehicle used in interstate commerce, on private property? I remember reading about a man who boarded a Chicago & North Western steam locomotive and ran it across the Illinois/Wisconsin state line. He was arrested and tried for transporting stolen property across state lines. The judge threw the case out because, although the use of the locomotive was unauthorized, it never left C&NW property so, it was never stolen.
NHTXHow could a state impose a regulation governing a vehicle used in interstate commerce, on private property?
Vehicle. Sure. Every state has regulations on motor vehicles registered in its state.
HOWEVER, legally a train is not a "motor vehicle" and so is not subject to state motor vehicle laws.