Just received a copy of the fantastic publication pertaining to the history of the Pacific Fruit Express. Sure glad I didn’t get excited and do those couple dozen craftsman reefer kits as during my chosen era colors were changing from yellow to the familar orange. Having this information will go a long ways to making my models as accurate as possible. Note to the wise gather as much information as possible and proceed as required to achieve your goals.
Dave
Modeling the mighty SP 3/16 to the foot
Ya I recall a picture in one of the train magazines of an apparently very talented modeller who had kitbashed a very realistic GP-7 for his c.1955 layout. This was in O gauge back when there wasn’t much available. He also did a beautiful job of decorating it…for Burlington Northern.
[#oops]
I OUGHTA LEAVE THIS ONE ALONE SINCE IT USUALLY GETS ME IN A BROUHAHA WITH MEMBERS OF THE FORUM!!!
I get an inference from your posting that you wish to use (color) photographs as a color determining tool and to a point this is fine. What you need to remember is that those (color) photographs were taken in bright sunlight and you might just find that your hue is going to have to be modified just a little bit to get it to look right under the different lighting conditions you will find on your layout. Do one car and keep tweeking the color until it looks right on your layout. I once had an acquaintance who wore a set of photogray glasses and he thought he had everything right but almost every one who viewed his layout commented that he needed to darken up the coloring on his locomotives.
AND DON’T RELY ON THE FACT THAT PAINT MANUFACTURES LABEL A PRODUCT AS "SP OR PFE ORANGE OR WHAT EVER; THEY TRY BUT IT MAY BE LITTLE MORE THAN A “CLOSE-ENOUGH-FOR-GOVERMENT-WORK” RENDERING.
That, I found is quite important. In art conservatation, you have to do a lot more research—sometimes even down to lab work–if one is going to get the job done right. Unless you are going to allow some sort of ‘fudge factor’ it will always, to an extent, look off.
The speculation was that UP Armour yellow is as close as it gets, my formula worked out over the weekend in actual layout lighting required some roof brown and reefer orange to be added to the Armour yellow, I presume this attempts to replicate the color after multiple coats of varnish . PFE repainted cars every five years during my chosen era and washed cars after every three trips. Now I have to duplicate the unique reddish brown of the roof and ends. For the 1929 color revision, Daylight orange is spot on if one adds a touch of brown.
Dave