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I got my long awaited S4 in the Erie Lackawanna livery  Its a nice engine but the color is way off  The Gray is so light it looks almost white  It looks like it was left out in the sun and faded  Showing pics next to an Atlas SW and an MTH S2 to show the difference

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The EL grey has been a topic of discussion for many years. The color is so reflective that picks up surrounding light and colors and appears differently in many photographs. Check out some of the many color publications about the EL and you will see the variations.  Add to that, I've heard discussions about Lackawanna grey versus EL grey and about which shop did the priming and painting.  I have quite a few EL and DLW models and I  tend to agree that most are too dark. It sure looks rich and makes for an attractive model, but growing up along the Pocono main, I don't recall seeing the darker shade. This hasn't stopped me from buying and enjoying these models that remind me of those days.

Many model produces have played around with the other two colors as well. K-Line DLW/EL maroon is a bit too purple but tolerable and early Weaver yellow was way to bright (I have toyed with the idea of weathering  my old U-25's to calm down the yellow).       

So lightly weather-up that baby (it is an ALCO after all) and you will have a beautiful rendition of what was very close to the way it appeared in its hey day!  Enjoy! Enjoy!      

So, the odd thing also is the EL only had (2) S-4’s, 526 & 529. I believe the stacks were positioned different.                        If Lionel is calling your 513 an S-4, it is incorrect for that number.  

513 falls in the S-2 line – up between 500 and 525. 

Erie Lackawanna Memories, The Final Years by Preston Cook, page 126. 

Some units had the red band while the later units went toward the maroon. Seems there is a mixed fleet depending on when and where the unit was painted. The Lionel red band is correct for S units. The yellow sills can be yellow or golden from age. I make all bright yellow items golden by applying orange and brown powders coated with clear flat.

Last edited by SIRT

I’m inclined to agree with Earl and SIRT on this. I’ve modeled the DL&W, and E-L since I was young, having grown up in Hoboken in the ‘50’s, and modeling and photographing most of their equipment, not to mention a good library of books. For the most part, Atlas and Lionel’s grays are slightly dark, whereas the K-Line trainmaster looks quite right. None of this really bothers me, as photos depend on the time of day they were taken, and weathering has to be factored in. To my mind, a good match is the HO Life-Like E-8’s, and Rivarossi passenger cars. My Lionel version of the Phoebe Snow looks just fine on my layout!

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