Michigan Central Railroad Paint Information

Reference / Historic Railroad Paint Color Index / Michigan Central Railroad TOC

Freight Cars

1875

Freight cars “to be painted” yellow.

The Jackson Citizen Patriot (Jackson, MI), 20 January 1875

1882

Cattle car bodies, roofs, and trucks coated with mineral paint; ironwork painted gloss black. These specifications are identical between the NYC&HRRR, Michigan Central, LS&MS, and Canada Southern, given that all four are Vanderbilt lines.

The National Car Builder, February 1882, pg. 19

Passenger Cars

1870

Postal cars painted buff.

The National Car Builder, November 1870, pg. 5

1880

Sleeping cars painted maroon.

Boston Daily Advertiser (Boston, MA), 10 September 1880

Postal cars painted white with “decorations in the Eastlake style, with corner and door-posts of deep lake color.”

The National Car Builder, October 1880, pg. 164

1883

Passenger cars painted the “regulation ochre shade of the road.”

The National Car Builder, June 1883, pg. 61

New 70-foot dining cars are painted “old gold color” on the outside and finished in white oak with French Walnut panels on the inside. Furniture is upholstered in red morocco.

Railway Passenger Agent 8 May 1883

1884

Passenger car “standard color” is yellow.

The National Car Builder, August 1884, pg. 104

? to 1890

MC passenger coaches painted bright yellow.

1890

MC passenger coaches begin to be painted a “very dark brown with trimmings of gold.” Brown was already in use for MC sleepers.

The National Car and Locomotive Builder, April 1890, pg. 51

MC passenger and baggage cars painted a “dark olive green.”

The Buffalo Morning Express (Buffalo, NY), 6 August 1890

1895