D&RGW HO Overton Style Passenger Cars - Color Schemes?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I came across a D&RGW Overton style car in a very dark green with silver roof livery. Have not been able to find other examples.

Unsure of brand, perhaps an old Model Power/Mantua?

Appears to have been Made in Brazil.

Anyone know what brand it might be & if it is available anywhere??

Also, is it a valid color scheme?, as I have also seen Roundhouse Overton D&RGW in a silver/gray & burgundyish stripe scheme.

Different colors from different eras?

Thanks

Tanked

2

I’m not sure what you are actually asking about.

The prototype Overton passenger cars were 2 specific cars used only on one branch of the Sierra Railway. They were about 34ft long to fit in the switch backs of one branch line. Only a combine and coach were ever made.

Because of their short length, cuteness factor, and frequent use of the Sierra and its roster for TV and movie scenes, the Overton cars have been popular with modelers fay beyond their numbers. Selly, Ulrich, and perhaps others made models in diecast metal. MDC/Roundhouse made them infamous as a 4 car set in plastic, including a fanciful observation and business car. They painted them in almost road name imaginable, and sold a lot of them. They are still being produced by Roundhouse as RTR 4 car sets.

Model Power imported a set of models of wooden passenger cars that were made by Frateschi of Brazil (http://www.frateschi.com.br/produtos/carros_antigos_eng.php). These are still available direct from Frateschi through selected dealers. If you are referring to these, I do not know their prototype, and suspect they are generic. The Model Power wooden passenger cars are longer models than the Roundhouse Overton models, but are st

3

This is a Gotcha. MDC/Roundhouse coined the term Overton I believe. One railroad that was mentioned had two short cars like the Overton. No other railroad ever had them. Many, many model railroaders have been fooled also. You are not the first and will not be the last.

Model railroad companies take a lot of liberties, ok modelers licence.

Rich

4

Yes, that fits - are any of the selected Dealers in the USA??

Thanks

Tanked

5

As far as the color scheme you were asking about: The Rio Grande “Bumblebee” scheme of yellow, silver and black was applied to passenger equipment on their Silverton narrow-guage branch when it started becoming popular with tourists in the 'fifties.

I have heard, though I do not know whether or not this is true, that the particular paint scheme was first applied to several Rio Grande narrow-gauge 2-8-0’s and several passenger cars by Paramount Pictures in 1952 when they were filming their railroad epic DENVER AND RIO GRANDE along the Silverton branch.

Prior to that, Rio Grande standard passenger cars were painted Pullman green on both their narrow and standard gauge lines.

And as the two previous posters mentioned, the fanciful ‘Overton’ passenger cars are based on prototypes that were only used by the Sierra Railway in California and were originally meant for use on their very windy and steeply graded Angels Branch. The Rio Grande never had them.

Tom [:)]

6

If you look at the link I gave you, on the left side is a link to “Where to Buy” which will lead you to a global map. Click on the United States and a list of dealers comes up.

7

ok

Thanks

Tanked

8

Paint colors for passenger cars can be difficult. It’s correct as noted that the Rio Grande painted it’s passenger cars Pullman green, both narrow gauge and standard gauge, before starting to use the yellow in the fifties. However, before 1900 other colors were common on passenger cars, perhaps the most common being a straw yellow. So, it’s possible the Rio Grande yellow may have been a throwback to a 19th century paint scheme…or at least a “Hollywood” rendition of it.