PRR locomotive color

[jscarmozza]

Were Pennsylvania Railroad steam locomotives painted Brunswick Green or black? I know it's diesel and electric locomotives were painted Brunswick Green for the most part, but I was always curious about the steam locomotives. John

[Glenn Brooks]

The ones I saw at the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Lancaster, PA were all black with red/maroon trim. the diesels were kind of a reddish maroon.

[GregE]

My understanding is that the boiler, cab, and tender sides were Brunswick Green. Generally below the running boards everything was black.
Here is an older post discussing PRR paint:
http://www.chaski.org/homemachinist/vie ... wick+green

I used the Scalecoat PRR green very successfully on my 3/4" scale A3a.

[LVRR2095]

Actually the locomotives at the Pennsylvania State Railroad Museum as well as all PRR locomotives were not painted black or "Brunswick Green." They were painted with what the PRR called DGLE or Dark Green Locomotive Enamel. To make DGLE they added a small quantity of chrome yellow to a LOT of black paint. The locomotives looks rather black....but in sunlight you can definitely see the green tint. True Brunswick Green is a much lighter shade.
I know this from personal experience as I used to run these locomotives. When they are dirty....they just look dirty.
Keith

[Glenn Brooks]

Keith, any idea why the Penn RR adopted this DGLE color scheme? -Glenn

[LVRR2095]

Keith, any idea why the Penn RR adopted this DGLE color scheme? -Glenn

I don't have any idea why they did this....but I will say that when clean and out in the sun it is a very rich vibrant color.
The gold stripes really looked great on the background of DGLR.
Keith

[jscarmozza]

Kieth, were the steamers DGLE and the diesels and electrics Brunswick green, or were they all DGLE? John

[PRR5406]

PRR steamers were DGLE, as were GG1's and some freight hauling Diesels. Passenger Diesels were generally Tuscan red, to match the passenger car fleet. Gold striping was generally in the teens and twenties, but was eschewed in favor of simple lettering as the thirties came on. Freight steam had black number plates with either gold or yellow trim. Keystone number plates were a rich, cherry red with either gold leaf trim or yellow paint. Some PRR steam had red primer cab roofs, but not all. I suggest you pick up a copy of Don Ball's PRR book, with color photos to help you make your decision. On Pennsy, there were about as many variations as there were locomotives at any single time.
While many Pennsy modelers paint their steamers black, I can assure you, they were DGLE, an "almost black" shade of green. Dave Sclavi's K4s is as close to perfect in color as I've seen on a model.

[LVRR2095]

Kieth, were the steamers DGLE and the diesels and electrics Brunswick green, or were they all DGLE? John

The PRR NEVER used Brunswick Green on anything. I don't know where that rumor started, but the locomotives were DGLE. Now the Penn Central painted their locomotives black. As Dick said......some of the GG-1's were Tuscan Red to match the passenger cars. But the PRR diesels and freight GG-1's were DGLE. The G's were a blast to run.
Keith

[Glenn Brooks]

Now Iam wondering if the steam locomotives at the Penn State Rr Museum were Penn Central or Penn RR? Glenn

[Trainman4602]

It Is easy to confuse black with DGLE AKA Brunswick Green.

Keith Taylor is correct about the formula or DGLE. I use to here is ridiculous theory that the color was made by putting one gallon of green into a 55 gal drum of black. That is so wrong its pathetic.

The proper color is everything above the running boards is painted DGLE and black below. The top of the tender is painted Freight Car color NOT oxide red. The roof were painted freight car color before 1940 and then painted DGLE for the remainder of service (1957).

The DGLE color when view from the ground looks black but viewed from above it look more green. There is were the confusion begins.

I have viewed many PRR live steam models. Most are painted incorrectly.

I think I hit the nail on the head on the 1361. Here are some examples.

The first shot of the tender tank is without a flash and the last is with a flash.

[LVRR2095]

Now Iam wondering if the steam locomotives at the Penn State Rr Museum were Penn Central or Penn RR? Glenn

The locomotives at the PA State Museum are painted DGLE and NOT black.
The museum is very careful about authenticity. All of the PRR steam locomotives at the PA State Railroad museum were Pennsylvania RR locomotives. Locomotives of other railroads such as the Heisler and Shay and NKP Berkshire are painted black.
Keith