I am building the Walthers Cornerstone double track swing bridge. It resembles the Raritan River swing bridge on the old PRR North Jersey Coast line. I would like to know the color combination PRR painted the gatehouses on its bridges.
Thanks Doc.
Well this one took some time. We had our Chicago chapter meeting of the PRRT&HS today and the subject came up. There probably is a specification for them and if like other buildings of the PRR most of it is the equivalent of Floqiuil Depot Buff but the lift bridge pictures over the little Calumet river we viewed showed a corrugated bare metal structure. The answer from the superintendent of track and structures in the CHicago area was, “rust!”. I suspect they were painted as frequently as the bridges and whatever was on hand. You might need to make a field trip for a particular bridge.
Thanks Norm for your answer. I have been a member of PRRT&HS for many years and own quite a lot of PRR books, videos and color drift cards. When ever I ask a “PRR paint question” the silence is deafening. I think sometimes that the PRR only existed in a black and white world. The “Standard Railroad of the World” stopped short when it came to paint colors for its buildings.
Thanks again
Doc
A couple of the bridges on the New Jersey branches that were electrified are in Volkmers book on the PRR electrics. It has a silver dust jacket with the silver G on the cover. I’ll check it as soon as I unpack from a move I just made after being in the same house for 26 years. Needless to say there is more than one box!
Well I found the book this evening and it isn’t a New Jersey branch it is the Shellpot branch but the surprise to me was the control house replicated the one over the little Calumet River in Chicago which was a vertical lift bridge of massive proportions. They are both corrugated metal, square with a sloping shed type roof from the front or view side to the back. Pure speculation here but perhaps the standard was galvanized corrugated siding because of the moisture aspect. In any event the one in the book is every bit as grungy as the one we saw in pictures on Saturday. Best I can do for you on dimensions is the roof is just about halfway between the wide portion of a GG1 nose and the number board and I am guessing about 10’ on the track side and 8’ front to back with a 12-18" slope. There does not appear to be any paint of any kind and dark splotchy gray like an old galvanized bucket.
Unless I develop additional information I will probably paint the two bridge gate houses two-tone PRR Gray (old style PRR MOW) or a Marine Red. I am still exploring the web for color bridge pictures and remain open for suggestions.
Doc