Pennsylvania Railroad: Paint Information

Freight Cars

1852

Blake's Patent Ohio Fire-Proof Paint used by the railroad since 1848.

The American Railroad Journal, 11 February 1854, p96.

1875

Thirty PRR boxcars and sixty coal cars are repainted for the Hoosac Tunnel through line. They are painted “coffee brown” with white lettering.

American Railroad Journal 17 April 1875 p508.

1888

Third draft of official paint specifications gives the freight car color recipe as paint pigment 50% sesquioxide of iron (Fe2O3, red iron oxide), 45% hydrated gypsum (as a binder), and 5% carbonate of lime (calcium carbonate; to facilitate drying).

The Railroad and Engineering Journal, May 1891, p224.

1890

Coal cars painted jet black.

The Southern Herald, 14 March 1890

1891

Boxcars painted "regulation dark red," with some new boxcars painted yellow.

Harrisburg Telegraph, 8 December 1891

Cabin cars (cabooses) are painted scarlet lead chromate (Chrome Red or American Vermilion)

The Railroad and Engineering Journal, May 1891, p222.

1896

Union Line cars have a logo with a white background and red star (see lettering diagram below).

Anchor Line cars have an anchor logo painted white and outlined on the sides.

The Daily Morning Journal and Courier, 15 December 1896

1903

Cabin cars (cabooses) are painted an experimental red that is "richer and deeper" than the scarlet lead chromate.

The Evening Journal (Wilmington, DE), 9 June 1903

Union Line

Union Line lettering diagram detail showing the herald. Source Unknown.

Passenger Cars

1858

PRR emigrant cars are painted green.

The Daily Pennsylvanian (Philadelphia, PA), 20 May 1858

1866

Passenger cars painted "a beautiful red color."

The Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, PA), 20 April 1866

The director's car is painted lake red with the coat of arms of Pennsylvania on the sides rendered with "bright colors of gold, red and blue."

The Daily Patriot and Union (Harrisburg, PA), 24 January 1866

1872

PRR begins painting its passenger cars dark red to counter the effects of bituminous coal smoke turning lighter colored cars black.

The Trenton State Gazette (Trenton, NJ), 29 May 1872

1876

Postal cars are painted white.

The Harrisburg Daily Patriot (Harrisburg, PA), 8 February 1876

1880

Passenger cars painted Tuscan Red, described as a "rich maroon color." Ornamentation and lettering was done in gold with black outlines.

The National Car Builder, May 1880, p73. The National Car Builder, August 1880, p142.

1881

New summer observation cars were painted "light stone color."

The Latrobe Advance (Latrobe, PA), 15 June 1881

1883

Postal cars are painted white.

The Indianapolis Journal (Indianapolis, IN), 25 April 1883

1885

Postal cars painted yellow with a large American eagle emblem on the sides.

The Crawford County Forum (Bucyrus, OH), 6 August 1886

1886

Postal cars painted the standard passenger car color, Tuscan red. A monogram replaced the eagle herald.

The Crawford County Forum (Bucyrus, OH), 6 August 1886

1888

Parlor cars painted brown.

The New York Tribune (New York, NY), 26 August 1888

Postal cars are painted yellow with a large American eagle emblem on the sides.

The Crawford County Forum (Bucyrys, OH), 6 August 1886

1889

Postal cars are repainted Tuscan red with a monogram in place of the eagle emblem.

The Crawford County Forum (Bucyrys, OH), 6 August 1889

1890

Passenger car paint specification adopted as Tuscan red paint pigment: 80% sesquioxide of iron (Fe2O3, red iron oxide), 15% “organic coloring matter,” and 5% carbonate of lime (calcium carbonate; to facilitate drying).

The Railroad and Engineering Journal, May 1891, p251.

1891

Tuscan Red paint recipe given as Indian Red pigment brightened with "organic coloring matter" (chatemuc or wood lake).

The Railroad and Engineering Journal, May 1891, p252.

Pullman cars on the PRR are painted Tuscan Red.

The Richmond Item (Richmond, IN), 4 September 1891

1893

All passenger cars on the PRR and its leased lines are painted red.

The Pittsburgh Daily Post (Pittsburgh, PA), 24 February 1893

1897

Passenger cars used on President William McKinley's inauguration train were painted Venetian Red. The locomotive was also painted red for the occasion.

The Evening Star (Washington, D.C.), 25 February 1897

1898

A new limited train between New York and Chicago is instituted. Cars painted dark green ornamented with a Greek border in gold leaf below the belt rail. Above the belt rail, including the letter boards and corner posts, is painted cream, with mahogany windowframes.

Locomotive Engineering, February 1898. New York Daily Tribune (New York, NY), 14 January 1898

Cars for the Congressional Limited train between Washington, D.C. and New York City were painted the "national colors" (red, white and blue).

The Akron Beacon (Akron, OH), 10 May 1898

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index