View source for Pittsburgh & Lake Erie Paint Information

[[Reference]] / [[Historic Railroad Paint Color Index]]
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==Freight Cars==

'''1901'''

Steel coal cars are painted two coats heavy-bodied carbon black. After four years' service, this paint showed minimal rust or breakdown.

''[https://books.google.com/books?id=VCg2AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA370#v=snippet&q=painted&f=false| "Mr. Quest's Paper: The Preservation of Steel Cars from Decay," The Railway Master Mechanic October 1905 pp370-370.]''

'''1904'''

The P&LE performs experiments to determine the best paint for steel cars beginning on June 1st.

Hopper coal car 13715 is painted two coats of coal tar. After one year, paint surface was badly checked (crackled).

Hopper coal car 10509 is painted with a home mixed red "quick-drying paint." After 14 months this paint had degraded badly.

Hopper coal car 10435 is given two coats of Dark Metallic Brown "quick-drying paint." After 14 months this paint had degraded badly.

Hopper coal car 13706 is painted in two coats of slow-hardening asphalt with white lead lettering. Asphalt tars caused extreme scaling in the steel under the paint surface.

Hopper coal car 10551 is painted two coats of high grade slow drying carbon black. An inspection at nine months showed this paint to be "wearing and looking first class."

Hopper coal car 13526 is painted two coats natural carbon black paint.

Hopper coal cars 10686 and 10671 are painted two coats ready mixed "Iron-Clad" iron oxide paint.

''[https://books.google.com/books?id=VCg2AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA370#v=snippet&q=painted&f=false| "Mr. Quest's Paper: The Preservation of Steel Cars from Decay," The Railway Master Mechanic October 1905 pp370-370.]''

'''1905'''

Paint experiments continue.

Hopper coal car 13686 is painted two coats "Sun-Proof" iron oxide ready mixed paint.

Hopper coal car 10552 is painted two coats "Guaranteed Fire Resisting Paint for Steel Cars." P&LE representative remarked on the irony of a fireproof paint for an all-metal car: "[We] would like to own a block of stock in [this] Concern in event paint on this car goes through the fiery ordeal of a hot carload of mill slag or other hot stuff usually loaded on a steel car...and come out intact, as claimed it will do."

Hopper coal cars 10192, 10670 and 13740 are painted two coats "Special Iron Oxide Combination."

Hopper coal car 13552 is painted one coat Carbon Enamel Paint Specialty with white lead lettering. This paint turned the white lettering yellowish brown color after only a few weeks.

Hopper coal cars 10695 and 10686 are painted with Flexite New Standard Steel Car Painting System, a product originally marketed for painting iron buildings. 10695 was painted red iron oxide and 10686 was painted black.

Flexite Metal Preservative Paint was a product line offered by the Standard Paint Company of New York City. The Flexite primer was a transparent fibrous material ground and mixed with pure linseed oil; the paint itself consisted of pigment, refined linseed oil, and refractory compounds, and was available in "black and colors."

''[https://books.google.com/books?id=AqE4AQAAMAAJ&lpg=PA68&ots=UQzn31EuPL&dq=flexite%20paint&pg=PA68#v=onepage&q=flexite%20paint&f=false| Sweet's Architectural Catalog File, 1911 p68.]''

Hopper cars 13689 and 13619 are painted with Special Steel Car Painting System, which consisted of two coats of carbon black-based paint over a primer of red lead.

''[https://books.google.com/books?id=VCg2AAAAIAAJ&pg=PA370#v=snippet&q=painted&f=false| "Mr. Quest's Paper: The Preservation of Steel Cars from Decay," The Railway Master Mechanic October 1905 pp370-370.]''



[[Reference]] / [[Historic Railroad Paint Color Index]]