Model Railroad Paint Scheme Applied to a Prototype Locomotive

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

A couple years ago, driving in my old home state of NJ, I came across this
engine, Pook Valley RS1.

http://freericks.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=838792

In trying to find what the Pook Valley was, I discovered it is actually a model
railroad, and this RS1 was painted to match the engines on the layout.

I’m curious, does anyone know of any other cases like this, where a real piece
of railroad equipment was painted in the colors/scheme of a model railroad?

2

If you consider the first Paducah & Louisville scheme that was “borrowed” from a modeler of a free lance railroad of roughly the same route, that may be a candidate. Otherwise none that I can think of.

3

Wow!!!

That sure must have taken a lot of Floquil, Polly Scale paint [:o)]

Apart of what has already been mentioned this is all I can think of, and it’s pretty weak.

While authentic, I noticed that several D&RGW narrow gauge steam locomotives started sporting green boilers after this scheme was almost forgotten (on the real things) soon after Accucraft released a few models in this scheme. I said it was weak [8)]

4

[(-D]

5

The Jersey Central’s “Red Baron” paint scheme was developed by modellers. The railroad bought a case of Lionel GP9s and a case of cabooses and gave them to the O scale model railroad club in Westfield, NJ. (Or was it Plainfield?) and had the modellers go to town.

6

Don’t know if this qualifies as a paint scheme, but -

Back when the CB&Q (I think) was operating their last steam loco in excursion service, they painted it brass color all over, in ‘honor’ of the many brass model locos showing up in the same scheme in photos appearing in the model press. Brass collectors were delighted[8D]. Purists were vocally displeased[|(].

And then there was a small tank steamer, original plan published in an early MR. Linn Westcott was the draftsman, and he drew up the side elevation with the herald of his (at that time) model railroad. When it was manufacured, years later, the manufacturer offered a painted version with the “authentic” herald[(-D].

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

7

Who made the decals, “Macroscale”?

8

Is this the one you were talking about?

George

9

I can think of two more. There’s a GP9 on a shortline out in the midwest somewhere (IIRC) whose owner is a railfan, and he had the GP painted in “Lionel Lines” paint. I just did a little websearch, and here’s a picture of it:

http://www.applefritter.com/images/mrr_lionel_lines-19527_640x480.jpg

The other isn’t so much of a model turned real, but it is a situation of where real life imitates art. In the book, “Diesels to Park Avenue: The FL9 Story”, by Joe Snopek and Bob LaMay…

http://www.nhrhta.org/images/book_covers/diesels_to_park_avenue.gif

…the very last page of the book showed an artist’s “what if” conception commissioned by the authors of a what a new GE Genesis loco painted in New Haven RR’s McGinnis scheme would look like. A few years later, ConnDOT actually bought new GE Genesis locos, and was trying to decide what to paint them (they already had a few FL9’s and a pair of F’s from PATrain in NH colors). Someone (I forget who; perhaps the authors) approached them with the artwork from the book, and ConnDOT liked it so much that they went ahead and did it.

http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?2004090600301813295.jpg

Paul A. Cutler III

Weather Or No Go New Haven