Wagner Palace Car Company Paint Information

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index / Wagner

1873

Six Wagner Palace cars, two each built for the Shore Line, Boston & Albany, and a New York to Chicago service, are painted scarlet lake and striped in gold leaf.

The Troy Daily Times (Troy, NY), 2 April 1873

1877

Wagner sleeping car "Plattsburg" is painted "dark olive color" with scroll work and striping in gold leaf, accented with green, carmine lake and vermillion. Panel mouldings are drop black with bronze green edges. Lettering is gold leaf with carmine lake, vermillion and black shading. Trucks are painted Indian Red with pale green striping.

Burlington Free Press 23 May 1877.

1883

Eight Wagner sleeping cars built by Barney & Smith are painted rich dark brown with gold leaf scrollwork. They are lettered "Wagner Shore Line Sleeping Car." Two are named Boston and New London. The upholstery is in green plush.

Boston Evening Transcript 13 January 1883

1893

Wagner Palace cars sent to the Chicago Columbian Exposition are painted royal blue with gold scrollwork and brass railings, steps, guards, and vestibule bindings. Trucks are painted in gold lacquer.

The Buffalo Courier (Buffalo, NY), 20 May 1893

1889

Four stateroom cars built for the New York Central & Hudson River Railroad are painted dark olive green with Wagner standard gold leaf ornamentation.

"Wagner State-Room Cars," New York World March 1889

1899

The Wagner Palace Car Company is purchased by the Pullman company on October 20.

The Aspen Tribune (Aspen Colorado) 21 October 1899.

1900

A Detroit White Lead Company catalog distributed to the Master Car Painter's Meeting in Detroit includes paint samples for Rogers' Coach Body Enamels showing "Wagner Body Color" to be a deep brown, slightly lighter than Pullman color.

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index