What color of green for steam loco cab interiors?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
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While in the throes of working on a project, I often do some “armchair railroading” on other projects, even going so far as to collect parts and materials for them. The other night I was thinking again of my O scale Thomas (1940’s-'50s-early ‘60s) Consol project only about 2/3 complete due to resolving to finish earlier half-done projects first. For some unknown reason, the real roads usually painted steam loco cab interiors a shade of light green! I seem to recall the late Mel Thornburgh mentioning that he did the same on his O scale models and (as far as I can remember!) every steam loco cab I’ve ever been in was also a pale green of some sort. Has anyone ever noticed and maybe researched a little to see what color of model paint might match? I’m a comolete mutt when it comes to color matching. Thanks–and happy railroadin’!

Deano

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I always thought they were ‘light machinery gray’ … dunno ??

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For most steam-era railroads, seems like the default interior paint for anything - cabooses, roundhouses, passenger cars, engine cabs, etc. was ‘light industrial green’. I think Tamiya’s “Cockpit Green” seems about right. Same color was often used in airplanes, airplane hangars and such.

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Even into the diesel era, light green was used for interiors for the aforementioned things by some railroads. Light gray by others.

I always figured the color interacted with limited artificial lighting fixtures at night to make the room or interior seem ‘brighter’.

Jeff

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Hello,

I have a copy of a Pennsylvania Railroad 10/8/1929 Painting instruction for Locomotives and Tenders booklet. In it is mentioned a color the PRR calls Interior Cab Green, later described as “Medium Green”.

This panoramic view of the cab interior of a PRR H6 No. 2846 will confirm what I recall seeing in several other steam locomotive cabs:

http://rrmuseumpa.org/QR/h6/

You can pan and zoom this view. Here’s a look at UP 844 showing a similar medium green:

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1599024

Here is CNR Hudson 5702:

Cab Interior, CNR No. 5702 by Jonathan Crowe, on Flickr

I’ve seen some diesel cabs painted in this shade of green as well.

Other diesels used a “suede gray” or a variation of “Sea Foam Green” I have used some older Floquil “Reading Green” for cab interiors. B-N green might be a good stand-in.

Regards, Ed

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[tup][tup][tup]

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Here’s CNR’s Mountain 6060, when it was used in place of one of the usual RDC trains between Toronto and Niagara Falls, Ontario, on Wednesdays and Saturdays in the mid-'70s…

The pale green is visible inside the cab door, where the jump-seat for the head-end brakeman is located.

I mixed a similar green for the inside of the cab of this Bowser PRR A5 switcher, built for a friend…

…and I believe it was used for these large castings, too…

Wayne