Just when I thought I got away from paint color debates by not modeling the PRR…….

This morning I had the pleasure of testing some greens from Scalecoat 2. The Scalecoat made for plastics.

I tested six new greens.

Scalecoat 2 samples

Top Row: Pullman Green, Great Northern Empire Builder Green, Northern Pacific Dark Green
Bottom Row: Erie Green, New Haven Hunter Green, Coach Olive

This time instead of trying to match scans on the computer I went back to a technique from art school to match color. I had my samples above and cut a square in the paint sample. Then I placed the samples over different photographs.

My results so far:

For a locomotive within the first couple of years from being delivered Tru-Color New Haven 401 Green or Scalecoat 2 Erie Green were the closest.

For a locomotive 5-10 years from being delivered Polyscale Pullman Green.

Next step put some paint on the models and see what they look like.

My brother sent the title as a title to an email a few days ago along with his interpretation of Reading Pullman Green.

Well I have calmed down from my frustration of last week. Now I just want to know what color first generation road switchers are to be painted for 1952? Simple answer, Pullman Green. But what is Pullman Green? It seems everybody has a different idea of just what that is.

After finding out that the Scalecoat 1 Pullman Green is some strange form of crappy brown, I realized I will have to test some paints.I first went out to the LHS and picked up some Polyscale greens. Then I used the testing as an excuse to try Tru-Color Paint. I ordered it online from P&D Hobby Shop and it arrived yesterday during a thunder storm. The box was soaked, glad the decals that I ordered did not ship in that box.

Top Row Tru-Color paint, Bottom row left two Polyscale, right Scalecoat 1

The Tru-Color paint is nice. Their Pullman Green is much better than Scalecoat’s Pullman Brown, but to my eye it still does not look like what is on the locomotives. The Great Northern Empire Builder Green next to it looks better.

Well I thought about it and decided to open the scans up in Photoshop and let something other than my eye look at it.

PhotoShop says that the Tru-Color Pullman Green is the closest to the two scans. My eyes still do not believe it.

I have to paint something now to prove it to myself.

Having modeled the PRR for a number of years, I have to say that I have heard all the modeling “Truths” about modeling the PRR. Belpairs being too short or having the wrong slope, the wrong pimple board being used on walkways or I1 airtanks being undersized.

I thought my shift in primary modeling focus to the Reading Company would free me of those types of truths. I was wrong. I fell into one of those yesterday.

Reading first generation road switchers are painted Pullman Green.

It says so in every article you read about first generation locomotives. It says so in every modeling article you read about Reading road switchers.

In this image you see a printed reproduction of a photograph of a Reading AS-16 less than a year old. This is what I needed my model to look like. The Scalecoat Pullman Brown crap that I sprayed on the model did not please me.

Now it’s time to buy some different GREEN paint and start testing to find MY Pullman Green.

So much for trusting the work and word of other modelers. The Reading Modeler website even goes so far as to say:

Pullman Green Scheme: Floquil, Polly-Scale, or Scalecoat Pullman Green.  Floquil seems to yield a lighter shade than the other two – this would be useful for painting first-generation diesels that have faded due to weathering and age.  For newer models, Polly-Scale or Scalecoat would work best.

I am modeling the Summer of 1952. The Baldwin AS-16 I’m modeling would have been less than one year old, so it should be clean, shinny and in close to new condition.  Scalecoat Pullman Green sounded like the right choice.

So much for trusting the work and word of other modelers.