T.Albers posted:Also, last week the Union Pacific just ran an 25 car excursion passenger train through the Cajon Pass with the Big Boy in the lead. After studying the photos I noticed the Harbor Mist gray on the roof of the 4808 (City of Los Angeles diner car) in the front is much lighter than the following dome car 8008 (Colorado Eagle). Even the blanked off window section in the middle of the 8008 side are a slightly darker shade Armour Yellow than the rest of the car in this photo.
That same color difference is evident in various photos of the actual Overland dining car that is part of Lionel's current Excursion Car offerings. Here is one example of it in an Excursion consist:
I put the difference down to either wear and tear or a different paint used on the roof because of the presence of diner kitchen exhaust vents. Notably, in fine scale brass HO Excursion Cars, the paint difference is not replicated. Frankly, the HO researchers' approach is good enough for me and on the Lionel 21" Overland StationSounds diner I am working on I don't propose to change the stock roof color, which bis the same as all the other cars in the set.
