Paint Colors for US Army and Navy Railroad Cars

Jan:  Weaver makes appropriate paint colors for military cars and loads.  Available in bottles or spray cans.  Their paint is branded "Scalecoat" and they blend it for most painting jobs plus specific plastic paint.

In addition, Weaver has offered a number of military cars, some flat cars with military vehicles on board, but also they had a great run of former "troop carrier" cars.  They were great models and might be offered again in the future.

Paul Fischer

Jan,

Some would call it, "inquisitive". May I ask, by chance did you Google "United States Military Paint Colors"? It would be a great place to start. There are times when a person must do their own digging. As only you know the questions you would like answered. 

I just use the camoflage green by Rustoleum or Krylon and it comes out nice.

The flatcars I saw at Fort Lewis in the sixties were olive drab. They were used by the Army to haul their armor to the Yakima firing range.

Here's an Army tankcar at Fort Eustis:

When I worked at NNSY, St. Juliens Creek Annex, and at Naval Base Norfolk, I recall seeing black tankcars and yellow diesels as well as silver tanks and boxcars.  St. Js still had a building with ENGINE SHOP painted over the main door, at least back until 1999.

Here's a photo of a NNSY "Battery Electric" I found on RYPN website:

No telling what color it was.

Weaver created most of my confusion.  They have offered military flat cars painted in a multiple range of colors.  I am trying to put dates to those colors.  They do not list particular paints or mixing instructions for military paint colors. The different services had their own color schemes which I expect were unified with the creation of the Department of Defense in 1949 with it monicker DODX. 

Web searches have not helped.  I can tell you  how to paint a WW II aircraft but not a flat car.  I have found rosters http://www.railgoat.railfan.ne.../dodx_cars/index.htm which confirm the switch to DODX.  The Army had mainly flat cars while the Navy had more of a mix.  Just can't find any info on paint colors.

Jan

Here's a picture of a 1941(2?) GE 45 tonner that worked in the US Naval Ammunition depot in Charleston, SC.  

The real one is in the background.  This was the only photo I have of it taken on my way out of work one day with my HO scale model posed in the foreground.

Whether or not that's the paint job it wore in service I'm not sure.  The Navy also upgraded it to a 50 tonner with added weights welded to the frame.

Jan

I'm basically a toy train guy and it sound like you are a lot more of a detail train runner. But just for information I played with several cheap cars with regular spray paint cans from home stores and tractor supply. The can on the left (tractor supply) is oil based and worked well over a latex base. But I have only used it for scratch built military buildings I have done. The other two are great for plastic. I have a lot of modern military stuff and I have yet to find a exact match to any of them. But, it,s still very military looking.

Good luck in you hunt.

Larry

I've seen Navy flat cars at Dahlgren, VA with coastal defense gun barrels.  All painted gray.  I don't remember the markings.  

Another example is the Pecos River Brass USNX Helium tank car which has an appropriate number.  But it is silver and not gray (that I think was done for a particular reason). 

Perhaps someone at Weaver would be knowledgeable. 

Jan

Look at gellertoytrains.com

Maybe they are painted 'Silver,' to reflect any sunlight, due to the possible combustable and explosive qualities of the contents, in the cylinders?

Ralph

Jan,

Best thing to do is Google "US Army Railroad", I got a number of hits when I did it.

There's also the FEMRR (Fort Eustis Military Railroad), but I think it covers the Korean "conflict" (or is that now war?) and up to present day.

Bob Delridge has a good idea.  I Googled Army train, Army railroad cars, Navy train, Navy railroad cars and hit "images" and you will find lots of photo's.

I believe anything Army would be either drab green (camo green flat) or black in color while Navy would be either light blue, gray or yellow in color.  Anyway good luck and post photo's when you get cars finished.  I always enjoy military stuff being a Veteran.

Steve, Lady and Tex

Just a side note (not to hijack the thread):  the Navy tank cars I saw at

a Navy facility in N.J. were specifically assigned to offload sanitary waste

from the ships.  The examples I saw were painted silver with very little

identification and were nicknamed "honey wagons".

     Hoppy

Hoppy,

You have a point with the, 'Honey Wagons,' tank cars being painted 'Silver'

The contents can be combustable and/or explosive!!!!!!

Ralph