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.
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
Cabooses are painted scarlet lead chromate (Chrome Red or American Vermilion)
The Railroad and Engineering Journal, May 1891, p222.
Union Line
Passenger Cars
1866
Passenger cars painted "a beautiful red color."
The Intelligencer Journal (Lancaster, PA), 20 April 1866
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
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
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.
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.
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