We are trying to model a GE P42DC in Via Canada Colors. We got the Microscale Decals (87-1153)and they suggest the body color is a GREEN Accupaint AP-75. All the pictures i have seen on RailPics show a Blue body color that looks the same as all the other Via F and FA units which is Accupaint AP-61. Which is correct for the “present era”? And the VIA engines pictured on RailPics site are listed as GE P42DC and some are called AMD-103 and they look the same to me. Are they made under license by different manufacturers? Or are they totally different? Any information would be greately appreciated.
I believe that P42DC is what the General called it; AMD-103 is what Amtrak called it. See http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locoList.aspx?mid=37
As maxman stated, Amtrak called its P40DC AMD-103 (AMtrak Diesel - 103MPH). VIA engines are P42DC introduced in 1997. P40DC and P42DC looks almost the same but P40DC units have a rear control stand.
Well I see now that they are one and the same, just named differently. Now I have to figure out the paint job. They look blue on most of the later pictures and sort of a green on the earlier ones when pulling the first Renaissance passenger cars. In later pics they are definately blue but what blue I would like to find out.
No they’re not the same blue as the old VIA blue. They are a dark teal colour. Compare the colour of the engine to the blue on the bottom of the LRC coaches in this photo:
Maybe that “TEAL” is the color Accupaint calls green AP-68. Although to my old eyes it looks blue in that pic of the engine you sent me to on the site. The blue on the bottom of the LRC coaches look like a mauve or purple to me, not blue. I will check at the LHC tomorrow and see if he has the AP-68 Green and compare. I got the AP-61 blue and compared it to the pictures in the new “VIA RAIL by Christopher C.N. Greenlaw” and it looks pretty close. I have poured over dozens of pictures of these engines posted and the colors sure vary.
I’ve stood next to, photographed and ridden on many LRC coaches, and that bottom portion is most definately a solid, primary blue. VIA does not use any purples shades on the outside of any of their equipment.
They are most certianly a teal shade of green. I personaly made up all the reflective decals for all 25 units, one of my first tasks while working for the subcontractor in Erie PA that makes all the decals for GE. I have a couple of spares that were not “production” quality and were headed to the trash, they now adorne my train room. Athearn did a very small batch of P42’s for a Canadian hobby shop. I have a pair of the Kato P42’s in Via Rail in our display case. If you want a scan of my official builders photo, PM me your email and I will hunt up the photo. Cheers MIke
The AMD-103 is the GE P40DC, which is externally (as in construction, not necessarily paint) identical to the P42DC except it has a very small window on the rear of the unit to the left of the door.
I read recently that they all started out new with the green but many quickly faded/chanded to the blue color. The auther even showed two units coupled back to back, one green and one in blue. I believe he stated that they had problems with colorfastness of the paint. It could also just be how the sun/lighting hits them. Maybe the paint has that opalessence stuff to make it change color!
Well that explains it. I would love to see the literature and pics of the two back to back units if you can point me to where you read it. I stripped the two Athearn AMD-103’s with Easy-Off oven cleaner, and soaked them in soapy water after the paint peeled off, and let them air dry for a day or so, then painted them Accu-paint VIA blue AP-61 and they look exactly like the cover pic of Greenlaw’s VIA RAIL book of 2007. I am applying the Microscale decals 87-1153 and using Microset to settle the decals over the irregularities. Hopefully they will turn out ok.
Having seen pictures of these online, yes they do look blue in certain lighting, but living within a km of the CN Kingston Sub for the past 10 years & having a few pics of them stopped at the Oshawa VIA station, I can a-test that they are in fact green.
Gordon
You know what, I looked at an older photo of my AMD-103 (I don’t have it anymore) and it didn’t have the rear window. Huh.
This is the builders photo of the P40. (I didn’t take the photo nor is that my site where I found it) http://www.hebners.net/amtrak/amtGEN40_800_809/amt802rear.jpg
This is a photo of a P42, without the rear window. Both have the window in the door, but the P40 has a window to the left of the door for the engine hostler (the guy who hooks the engine up to the coaches) to see out when backing up.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1434746
(I did take that photo though![;)])
Hope this helps!