I have read on the net of common colors and color schemes for prototype locomotive painting, but I’m wondering about frames. What were typical colors for loco frames? What were some of the colors prototype rr’s used for their diesel loco frames?
Thanks
Usually the same as the engine body or the lower portion of the engine body.
What I suspect you read was something talking about the major diesel builders (particularly EMD) had their own design staff that created some patterns of striping and such that came to be used by many railroads. The colors were different from railroad to railroad, it was the design of the striping and color separation points that were similar.
For example, these Northern Pacific freight FT’s:
http://donsdepot.donrossgroup.net/dr0001/np5405a.jpg
and this Soo Line FP-7:
http://www.hostthenpost.org/uploads/32fba6c9917ce32a1191536cfa9d0251.jpg
both use EMD’s “pine tree” design as the basis for their paint schemes, even though the colors used are different.
Actually the railroad had the say in the color of the frames but,in the early diesel years EMD would suggest color schemes…