NYC 'Jade' green freight cars.. when?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

Hi

Can anyone tell me the years that NYC used the ‘jade’ green color scheme for their freight cars? I appreciate that ‘jade’ is not the named color but everyone seems to know the scheme by that name.

Thanks

Barry

2

I read in the New York Central Freight Roster (canadasouthern.com) that

“cars started to be repainted in the Century Green scheme June 1959.”

3

Thank you Guy!

(Great name btw)

4

I can also assure you that 1959 is indeed the year. I model NYC 1950-55, so no jade green for me. -Alex Warshal

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What I read Penn Central called it Jade Green, but on the New York Central it was called Century Green.

6

For added confusion a few test cars were painted in Century Green with Cigar Band Heralds in November of 1958, though the band was below the center of the oval.

And two cars were painted in this scheme in Sept of 1958, which I prefer.

Rick J

7

Century or jade…all too late for my railroad sadly (1954). But thanks everyone!

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bsteel4065 what size is your layout? I run NYC early 1950s (like you) in HO Scale in 4x8. -Alex Warshal

9

And, to further confuse… While rail fanning just last month (July 28th) there was a manifest freight that rolled through on CSX old NYC Chicago mainline, former Buffalo Division, there was nothing short of 4 (yes, 4!) Jade green, old boxcars, in said freight… Very faded, very dirty, but definitely Jade green, former NYC/PC/CR cars.

10

Please say you shot pics of them!

11

This thread caught my eye even though I already knew the answer. I operate a fictional subsidary of the NYC set in 1956 and I do have a few jade green boxcars even though I know they didn’t appear until three years later. I figure if I can run a fictional subsidary through towns that never existed, how much more of a stretch is it to throw in a few jade green boxcars. One of my F7 diesel sets has the cigar band logo which I think is also wrong for my year. I just started another thread in which I mentioned I am still running some streamlined Hudsons. I also have a few 1959 Fords on the layout because their styling is definitely 1950s and they don’t stand out like a sore thumb. It is the artistic license that comes with being a freelancer.

12

I don’t believe the NYC green and the Penn Central green were the same color.

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You are correct. Penn Central called their color “Deep Sea Green” it was more of an olive shade, although there were variations. NYC refered to their green as Safety green or sometimes “Century” green.

Ed

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I did get two of the four, the first one caught me by surprise, the last one there was a conflicting movement I was focused on, only seen it in the peripheral part, totally shocked there were two others!