Excerpt from Model Railroader
From the December 1997 issue of Model Railroader, page 170:
Can you tell me what colors were used on later Pennsylvania RR diesels? I know the bodies were Brunswick Green, but what color was the lettering? Also, I've noticed the roofs on some Conrail engines are painted mineral red. Did Pennsy paint its diesel roofs a similar color? Finally, what were the last models delivered in Pennsy colors? -- James A. Brauer, Keyser, W.Va.
The final paint scheme for Pennsylvania RR disels was "Dark Green Locomotive Color" (a dark green that looks black, at least to me) with red keystones on the nose and just behind the cab on both sides. The frame and everything below was painted black. Lettering was a pale yellow/gold color officially called "Buff".
Pennsy was a big railroad with a huge roster, so it's asking for trouble to say it "never" did something, but I can't find any photographic evidence that red cab roofs were ever used on diesels.
After studying color photos of Conrail engines I spotted the red cab roofs, but I think you're seeing red primer that was showing after the body color had peeled or flaked away from the cab roof. Remember, the top of the carbody, especially the cab roof, is exposed to the elements more than any other part of the locomotive so it's bound to show early signs of weathering.
The last diesel delivered painted for the Pennsylvania RR was SD45 no. 6207. Pennsy ordered Alco U33Cs and C636s after the SD45s were on the property, but these engines were among the first delivered in Penn Central paint. -- Marty McGuirk, associate editor
Copyright 1996 - 2008
Last modified: November 23 2007.
Keystone Crossings has served 4991370 pages since June 1, 1997.