C & O caboose color schemes?

[Atlantic Central]

Who can tell me what color scheme or schemes would have been seen on C&O cabooses in 1953/54?

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

C&O cabooses then were red with a black roof.  Some still had "CHEASAPEAKE & OHIO"  in one line, while others had the C&O donut between the windows.  All off set cupolas were wood and came from either the Hocking Valley or the PM. Grabs and what not were yellow.
The C&O yellow caboose came out in 1957 - lucky for me.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

Thanks, that's what I thought. I knew the yellow was newer and at least covered all the sixties, but I did not know when it was introduced.

I just picked up the new Athearn (retooled MDC) steel center cupola in the red scheme. They did a great job improving it. New more correct and better detailed underframe and real nice end railing details. I hope they release it undecorated.

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

The MDC four window caboose is very close to the C&O center cupola.  I've painted a couple for C&O.  IIRC the yellow came out in August or September of '57, which was the same year the cameo 50' box cars arrived.
Gene

[jon grant 4472]

I couldn't find a still photo, but there's a C&O caboose at the end of the train in this video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dx-N4z3acJw


Hope it helps

Jon

[SteamGene]

That's the pre 1948 scheme.  There would be quite a few of them still around in Sheldon's time period.  Heck, they were still around in 1957.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

OK, one more question. How where they numbered? There seems to have been two number systems that may have been in use at the same time. Some are numbered "A9XX" and some are numbered "90XXX". Where both systems in use in '53, or was there a renumbering program later on?

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

Sheldon, I have never seen a A9XX C&O caboose.  All of mine and all I've seen are in the 90XXX series.  What did you see with an A9XX number?  You can't go wrong with 90XXX on an MDC four windown steel caboose.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

The Athearn car I just purchased is numbered A918 and is almost identical to this picture at:

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/co/co-a915alr.jpg

So, it would seem both the Atlas model and the Athearn model are correct. atlas has a similar car with the 90XXX numbers.

Sheldon

[SteamGene]

More than my philosphy knows, Sheldon!    The box car in front still has full ladders and the paint isn't very faded.
Gene

[Atlantic Central]

Gene,

The photo credit at rr-fallenflags.org says 1956, nice color shot for that era!

OK, as long as the 90XXX numbers date back that far great, I will get at least one of the Atlas models as well, since I do have two C&O freight locos.

Sheldon