RE: (erielack) True Colors (big response to all)

["Paul R. Tupaczewski" <paultup_@_optonline.net>]

Al Reibel asked:

> I need the expertise of the modelers on this list!
> I think it's been discussed briefly since I've been on 
> this list, but can anyone recommend the proper G-M-Y
> paints that are most accurate? Accupaint, Floquil, etc.??
> or which "mix" will give the best match?
> And while we're on colors, what is the best red for the 
> EL (ex Erie) wood cabooses?  Is plain ole "Caboose Red"
> close?


Good luck! You'll never get a consenus on  the GMY colors, and the fact
that the railroad changed paint formulations around 1970 or so serves to
complicate matters even more.

I model 1974, and for the later polyurethane colors, I find these to be
excellent matches:

Maroon: Polly Scale Rock Island Maroon
Yellow: Polly Scale EL Yellow
Gray: Polly Scale EL gray (1 part), Reefer White (7-8 parts), D&H blue
(a drop or two for tint)

The Polly Scale colors might be good for older EL paints (though I do
know the older EL yellow had a "duller" component to it)

As for the red, I've found that the Caboose Red is actually too dark,
and that Polly Scale ATSF Red is just right in to my eye.





Followed by Alan Samostie:

>Dear Group,
>
>The "proper" G-M-Y colours have been a topic of considerable debate on
this group.  Memory (for those fortunate enough to remember!) and colour
photographs are the
>best guides, although one has to take weather and lighting into account
when trying to match model paint colours to photographs.

>It would seem that the original DL&W colours changed gradually after
the merger, and not just due to fading.  The grey applied after the
mid-1960s seemed several shades >darker, with a more bluish (or even
>greenish) tint than the original DL&W grey.

YES! In photo comparisons, all paints I've seen are missing that slight
"blue" component to the gray.


>The yellow became "more yellow," as opposed to the warm goldenrod tone
of the original DL&W yellow.  (Over time, the EL
>yellow faded to a pale cream yellow, which I don't ever recall seeing
in colour photos of the original DL&W units, even after fading).  The
maroon applied to the E8s, F units
>and PAs seemed a bit more red, and less "rich" than the DL&W maroon,
while the maroon used on the second-generation GEs and EMDs appeared
more brownish.

The "more red" maroon is probably the new paint formulation. I'm not
sure I'd say "less rich,"  just "more red."  I always thought that the
later units appeared redder than brownish - but they tended to weather
to a brown color. Just IMHO.

>That being said, the Floquil/Polly S "EL maroon" is just *too* brown
for my liking, as is the maroon colour on most Athearn locomotives.  For
this reason, I agree with Paul
>Tupaczewski's idea of using a blended "Rock Island maroon" rather than
"EL maroon."  The LifeLike P2K colours seem about right, though. 

Agreed re: P-S EL Maroon, too brbown. The P2K colors on their DL&W E8's
seemed a bit off, though.


And then Schuyler Larrabee:


> Now, IMHO, I would use Scalecoat EL gray, EL maroon, and EL 
> yellow.  I found them to match pretty well with the Accu-cal 
> inks, but beware, the decal setting solution for Accu-cals, 
> Accu-set, does NOT get along with Scalecoat. At least not on 
> brass models.  You have to apply an overcoat of clear lacquer 
> on top of the Scalecoat, and then use the Accu-set sparingly. 
>  And no, you can't use Decal-Set, either, because it won't 
> really do anything worthwhile to the Accu-cals.  Now, since 
> Micro-Scale has printed some of the Accu-cal sets in recent 
> years, their Micro-Set MAY work on them, but I don't know for sure.


You also assume the Accu-Cal inks are correct :), which IMHO they are
not.

 
> I also think that the Polly-Scale colors aren't bad, but I 
> don't have much experience with them.

Polly-Scale stuff is wonderful; the only drawback is that they don't
have a glassy finish like Scalecoat... :(

 


And finally Randy Brown:

> Only you can see colors the way you see them; I see them the 
> way I see them.  If looking at slides: new paint or faded? 
> Bright sun or overcast?  Winter, with snow reflecting 
> sideways, or summer, with green absorbing everything else?  
> Kodachrome, Ektachrome, Fujichrome, Ansco-ickk!?

EXCELLENT point!

	- Paul

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