19th century cab colors?

[Dusten Barefoot]

Did the engines back in the 19th century have cab color green or, was it just stained wood or something. I've seen on the V&T Inyo, and Reno, they had cab green, but it looked rather blueish in tent. Thanks for any help.

Rock On!
Dusten

[Doneldon]

DB-

I'm not sure why but many, many steam engine cabs were painted in a slightly
turquoise-ish green. Some early diesels used the same color but there is quite a
bit more variety today.
                                                           -- D

[Jim Banner]

I believe the bluish green colour is Malachite green.  Early on, it was probably made with Malachite ore, ground up and added to boiled linseed oil along with turpentine and white lead.  Later, the natural ore was replaced with pure copper carbonate which makes up the bulk of Malachite.  Not only was this paint relatively cheap, it also discouraged bugs and mould from attacking the wooden cabs, greatly extending their life.  What it did to the engine crew is open to debate but its effect was probably lost in a background of tobacco smoke, wood smoke and coal smoke, not to mention lead based paints, asbestos, and large, daily breakfasts of bacon and eggs.

Even cheaper paint was made with red oxide of iron plus boiled linseed oil and turpentine.  This was the original barn red and boxcar red.  Fortunately, the human body can deal with iron, unlike copper and lead, and so this paint was relatively harmless as long as you did not drink it.  Those that did drink it usually died with a nice finish.

Jim

[Doneldon]

this paint was relatively harmless as long as you did not drink it.  Those that did drink it usually died with a nice finish.

Jim-

Painters have always known that it's not necessary to drink paint; all you have to do is breath while applying it (which is kind of hard not to). I know one family which is so classically alcoholic that I was completely unable to understand why I never saw anyone drink beyond just reasonable amounts. Then I learned the dad had been a painter during the pre-latex days and he was blotto every day when he got home. A beer or two kept him buzzed all evening. In retirement, and after smelling the extremely damaging fumes for year, he still needed only a little booze to overwhelm the last two liver cells he had to rub together.
                                                                                                                                                                                                                  -- D

[CNE Runner]

Dusten - The color of 19th century locomotive cabs depends on when in the 19th century and which railroad. From the 1840s through the 1870s cab colors, locomotive brasswork, and decorations (such as headlamp and tender paintings) were largely the province of the runner. Locomotives (and usually cabooses) were assigned to one crew and was considered their 'pride and joy'.

The New York Central began the practice of assigning locomotives to a pool of runners. They also were among the first to paint all their locomotives black (i.e. standardized the color). This was done because one color for all locomotives was cheaper, and easier to maintain, than multiple (or bright) colors. Gold leaf, brass fittings and paintings were difficult to maintain after railroads went from burning wood to coal (coal ash is highly acidic - requiring frequent touch-up or repainting).

Please keep in mind the practice of painting all road locomotives a single color was not necessarily widespread. Many branchlines continued the practice of individualizing locomotives into the early 20th century. It is interesting to note that originally all locomotives were named...a practice that ended about the same time as individual paint colors and decoration.

Ray

[BillD53A]

You might try joining the 'Early Rail' group at Yahoo.com if you are interested in this sort of info

[mabloodhound]

Jim Banner's explanation is really good.

[Dusten Barefoot]

Thanks ya'll.

I'm modeling from 1875-1888, where the 8-18c, 8-18d where in service along with the c-16s.

Just as confirmation, cab color green was used in this era? I am aware of the early brass work, and paint schemes, which can be really really hard to model haha.
From what I've seen in the Eureka, she has no colors inside, but a stained wood, which I like, but I'm wanting to model as close as possible. I am a rivet counter lol.

I do 3d modeling as well as On30. I'd really like to have an 8-18c 4-4-0 in On30 or an 8-18d 2-6-0.

Thanks ya'll
Rock On!
Dusten

[Jim Banner]

Doneldon,
The only time I was ever drunk at work was the day I spilled a beaker of 99% ethyl alcohol on a bench top.  I started cleaning it up, and the more I wiped, the drunker I got.  It seems you can absorb it much faster by inhaling it than by drinking it.  But the total amount you absorb is quite small, so you sober up relatively quickly.  I have not repeated this with turpentine so I don't know if it works the same way. 

I wonder if the fellow of whom you wrote was working with lacquers.  Lacquer thinner is typically about equal parts of naphtha, acetone and methyl alcohol with some toluene thrown in for good measure.  All of these are bad for the brain, the lungs, and particularly the liver.



mabloodhound,
Thank you for the kind words!

Jim

[Doneldon]

Jim-

No, he was a painter; however, I gorked myself out with lacquer once.

I was applying Deft to some bedroom furniture for my older son late one evening and by the time the second coat was on I was so whoozy I had to stop and go to bed. Someone apparently crept into my bedroom during the rest of the night to pound my head with a jackhammer, or at least that's how it felt the next day. That's also how I learned to respect product warnings about things like materials which should only be used with good ventilation.
                                                                                                                                                                                                     -- D

[ebtnut]

Dusten:  Check out this site for some color info:
http://www.pacificng.com/template.php?page=/ref/blw/style/introduction.htm

[CNE Runner]

Don - Since you have experience...try recovering an Aeronca Champ 7AC (airplane) in a garage with only one exhaust fan running. By the time we finished applying dope to the first wing section (I was in high school at the time and this was my first airplane - to be rebuilt with very limited funds), I (and my dad) staggered outside and sat down...before we fell down first. At that point my dad said; "Maybe we should leave the garage doors open."

'Had that ship for years and we would always laugh when we recalled our 'refinishing job'. Yep, remember the 'plane AND those 3 million PK screws that held on the wing/empennage fabric.

Ray