Union Pacific Passenger Livery help request

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I am in the planning stages of a layout generally following Cheyenne, Wyo in the later 1940’s when I lived there as a child.

I find several vendors sell UP passenger cars painted in a two tone gray, which I think I remember, but I may be hallucinating. I would appreciate any help concerning the UP’s use of a gray color scheme in place of the usual armor yellow.

Thanks

2

The only CITY streamliner to operate in two tone grey was the CITY OF St. Louis for about three years. Trains such as the Idahoan, Los Angeles Limited , and Overland limited operated in the two-tone grey. By about 1955 only the Oveland Limited was still in two tone grey. Eventually all UP trains wore the yellow scheme, but it was not unusual to see some UP cars wearing the grey as late as 1960.

3

I appreciate the help.

As a follow-up, would it be accurate to represent rolling stock in secondary passenger trains in the armor yellow as early as 1949? In particular, the run between Cheyenne and LaSalle seems to cry out for a heavyweight coach or two.

Thanks.

4

I am not a UP expert or anything, but another option could be the UP’s
early BROWN and Armour Yellow as it appeared on the M-10000 and
some of the streamlined steam locomotives. I am not certain of the
time frame that these schemes were in, though. It’s just a suggestion.