Denver & Rio Grande: Paint Information

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index

See Rio Grande Western Railway: Paint Information

Locomotives

1903

Standard gauge steam locomotives lettered in aluminum leaf on the cab, domes and tender sides. Rear of switch engine tenders and road engine tenders with rear-mounted air tanks and toolboxes lettered in white lead. All small lettering such as "KEEP OFF," tender capacity, and repair/maintenance dates is in white lead.

D.&R.G. Standard Painting and Lettering - Standard Gauge Locomotives, 1903

1912

Standard gauge steam locomotives number 1200 through 1213 are lettered in "Sherwin-Williams Co. D&RG Standard Loco. Lettering Color." Headlight number plates in black glass with clear numbers. "KEEP OFF" stencils are in white lead.

Lettering Freight Locomotives Class, D&RG. July 1912. Denver Public Library Collection.

1926

A letter addressed to shop foremen at Alamosa Colorado lists the following paints for narrow gauge locomotives:

"Alamosa, Colorado - January 23 1926 - Following is a list of paints and what they are used for furnished by my painter foreman and I want you to specify from this list the paints that you order in the future: 1. Stay-Brite for front ends. 2. Long's Black Paint for headlights, hand rails, domes, and exterior of cabs and tenders. 3. Russian Black Jacket Enamel for jackets. 4. Cab Green for interior of cabs. 5. Aluminum leaf for lettering cabs and tender. 6. Underpining Black Paint for pilots and all running gear of engines, underneath running board, tender frames, and trucks. 7. White Lead for all stenciling. 8. TOCO Finishing Varnish for varnishing exterior of cabs and tenders... If your requisitions do not show the paint or enamel as described in this list, same will be held up or returned to you for proper description."

Freight Cars

1871

Cabooses painted "Brilliant Red" with black ironwork. Floors, platforms and steps painted Prince's Mineral Brown. Window sashes painted Tuscan Red. Lettering was done in imitation gold (yellow).

Colorado Railroad Museum restoration report for D&RG caboose 49

1895

A side-door standard gauge caboose painted yellow with dark lettering is depicted in the Car-Builder's Dictionary.

1896

Ironwork painted Hanion Bros. & Co. "Anti-Rust" or "Antoxide" paint (black).

Railroad Car Journal, August 1896

1904

AC&F built 5500 series narrow gauge stock cars painted Princes Mineral Brown with Asphaltum hardware and trucks.

1907

Standard gauge boxcars painted Prince's Metallic Brown on roof and body. Roofwalks are unpainted. Trucks and ironwork in black metallic. Lettering in white lead.

Lettering Box D&RG. 20 April 1907. Denver Public Library Collection.

1916

Cabooses repainted from "Brilliant Red" to Prince's Mineral Brown.

"Denver & Rio Grande Railway Burnham, May 24, 1916 - Gentleman: Effective on receipt of these instructions, we will discontinue the use of brilliant red on caboose cars and paint such cars the same as other freight equipment. Acknowledge receipt and advise if understood. Respectfully, J. F. Enright"

1920

Freight Car Red introduced.

Passenger Equipment

1871

Narrow-gauge passenger cars painted a “brown or cinnamon color,” relieved with gilt.

The St. Joseph Weekly Gazette (St. Joseph, MO), 17 August 1871

1878

Parlor cars painted “chocolate color,” striped and ornamented in gold.

The Harrisburg Daily Patriot (Harrisburg, PA), 21 June 1878

1904

Standard gauge passenger cars painted with Sherwin Williams Pullman Color (New) (Pullman olive green). Narrow gauge cars continue to be painted Tuscan Red.

1908

Standard gauge passenger cars painted in Pullman color. Chamfers, crown mouldings, window nosings, door sills and ironwork all painted black. Lettered in gold leaf. Roof painted Prince's Metallic Brown. Window sashes finished mahogany. Trucks painted "Pullman Shade" and striped with yellow. Signal hose and gas valve painted Vermilion.

Baggage compartment interiors painted light green on the walls, Prince's Mineral Brown on the floors, and white on the ceiling.

Denver & Rio Grande painting instructions, 1908, Denver Public Library Collection

1912

Gold striping on narrow gauge passenger cars is discontinued. Imitation gold lettering is replaced with real gold leaf, since leaf lasted longer than paint.

Letter from J.F. Enright, 22 October 1912, quoted in Chappell, Gordon, Narrow Gauge over Cumbres, New Mexico Geological Society: 1971.

1918

Narrow gauge passenger cars painted standard Pullman Green instead of tuscan red as a cost saving measure.

"September 6 1918 - We have in the past, painted our narrow gauge equipment a Tuscan red, but as economy will result from the use of the Pullman color, as we figure about 3 months longer service and $1.25 per car less cost for material, wish you would arrange hereafter as narrow gauge equipment passes through the shop, to adopt the Pullman color as our standard. -W.W. Leman."

Buildings

1881

Lineside buildings were painted oxide brown (Prince's Metallic).

1915

Lineside structures repainted to buff siding with brown trim.

1945

Lineside structures repainted to cream siding with light green trim.

Historical Overview of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad: Osier, Colorado, Friends of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad June 2010.

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index