Central Pacific Railroad: Paint Information
Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index
Locomotives
Freight Cars
1868
Platform cars painted brown.
Sacramento Bee XXXX 1868
1883
Cabooses painted bright red.
The Kern County Californian (Bakersfield, CA), 10 November 1883
1891
Southern Pacific adopts the “setting sun” monogram, with some freight cars having the monogram painted upon them.
The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, CA), 4 June 1891
The "sunset" herald went through several revisions until it was discontinued in 1909.
Passenger Equipment
1872
The new director's car was painted yellow with paintings of Yosemite Valley and Lake Tahoe on each side.
The Daily Bee (Sacramento, CA), 27 April 1872
1883
Passenger cars repainted from yellow to pale green.
The Kern County Californian (Bakersfield, CA), 10 November 1888
1884
Crystal Palace sleeping cars painted "Pullman color, a dark plum" and striped and finished in gold leaf.
The National Car Builder, July 1884 p81.
1884
Silver Palace sleeping cars repainted from yellow to Pullman's dark olive color during rebuilds.
Oakland Tribune (Oakland, CA), 9 November 1886