What grey paint to use for NYC cigar scheme E7 passenger diesel

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I want to paint an E7A & B unit in the cigar band scheme for New York Central. What grey is the best match to use in any of the following paint brands that are easily obtained in Australia; humbrol, Model Master or Tamiya. Someone advised me to use the floquil SP dark lark grey but it doesn’t look right.

2

Any brand of black

3

Thanks for the response however grey was used on the passenger diesel E7 & E8 cigar scheme, I think the black was used on freight diesels such as FA’s, C Liners etc.

4

Black was used on the NYC’s freight units–F3s, F7s, GPs, etc. Some GP7s and GP9s were painted grey though. IIRC these had boilers for passenger service. NYC’s E units were all grey, until the 1968 Penn Central merger. By then, they were in battered grey paint until retired or repainted.

BTW, Jim Six did an awesome NYC GP7 clinic last year. Unfortunately, I can’t remember what color he used on his grey GP7s.

5

You have two options for NYC gray.

Scalecoat 20652 NYC light gray & 20662 NYC dark gray

ModelFlex 1627 NYC dark gray & 1628 NYC light gray

Scalecoat is a plastic-safe lacquer-based enamel; ModelFlex is an acrylic. I have no idea whether either is available in Australia, but you can always mail-order from the States if necessary.

Also, remember the NYC’s passenger units started out with a light gray body with dark gray lightning stripes, but that was reversed sometime around 1950, I think (though a real NYC expert could tell you the exact date).

I hope that helps.