Why is the door silver?

Model Railroader Prototype information for the modeler
1

I noticed on the 48-Seat Union Pacific diner that there is one door near the end of the car that is painted silver while all the other doors are yellow. Why? Was this where food and supplies were loaded into the kitchen? Just curious.

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I don’t believe it is painted silver. I would say it is bare stainless steel. “Service doors” see a lot of crates and racks handled through them and the Armour Yellow paint would get scraped up pretty quickly thus the ‘scuff-proof’ stainless.

This Santa Fe car shows commissary stock being loaded:

ATSF_diner_72 by Edmund, on Flickr

And a UP diner with the stainless doors you mention:

Union Pacific training car – former diner – at Council Bluffs in 1983 by Tangled Bank, on Flickr

Some baggage cars and Railway Post Office cars had scuff plates on or near the doorways for the same reason. RPOs having extra protection where the mail catcher would snag the mail pouch.

Good Luck, Ed

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3

On the Walther’s model of the diner only one door on one side is silver, all silver, not half silver, the rest are yellow.

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4

The car is painted steel the door has had the paint worn off in that area and more than likely a scuff plate added.

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Pretty ugly, if you ask me. :nauseated_face:

Rich

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On my Walter’s city of Los Angeles two doors are silver or simulated stainless and I like it and only half way up like pic posted

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Interesting, on my Walthers model of the diner, only one door is silver and it is the whole door.

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Walter’s 920-18600 proto 85acf city of Los Angeles 48seat diner

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9

I’m wondering if you have a factory mess up

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Seems about right…

UPP 5011 “City of Denver” Diner by CaliforniaRailfan101 Photography, on Flickr

Cheers, Ed

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Ok I see different diner ,the more I get into this hobby the more I appreciate the details and I love history

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That woman in the blue be like “Where’s my beer?!” The guy in the apron is telling her “No beer `til we’re underway ma’am.”

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And the guy in the white hat has his foot stuck in the woman’s blue’s pocketbook.

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You’re close: it’s Clara Peller, and she was asking about beef, not beer.

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