PRR HH1 build

PRR did put keystone number plates on these as they did with the more modern freighters susch as the the J1 and M1/M1A.

@prrjim posted:

PRR did put keystone number plates on these as they did with the more modern freighters susch as the the J1 and M1/M1A.

Ok, I have the boiler keystone plate and number inserts for the headlight comming from lionel. So that should be covered.

Pennsy bought the ex-N&W Y3's in 1943 so I doubt they would have added red window sash decoration.  They came from N&W with black roofs and kept them.  PRR added a red keystone-shaped number plate on the boiler front (very important detail), painted the road name on the tender and road number on the cab (numbers were 373 to 378).

I assume that PRR shopped these when they got them, and the shop forces would have done a normal shop inspection/repair and  PRR paint job.    The cab roof and tender deck would have been a freight car red color when outshopped.    this is not decorative; the paint was to seal the cab to keep water out.    under steam conditions it would get very dirty and maybe appear black eventually.

The smokebox and firebox beneath the running boards were coated with a mix of paint and graphite because they got so hot.    This kept the paint on.   If you look at B&W photos (what else do we have?) you will notice the smokebox seems very dull compared to the rest of the boiler reflecting the effects of the heat and the special paint.    I have heard depending on which shops and how much graphite was used, the color got lighter and more silver/grey.

The cab window frames on Pennsy stuff were painted red.

Without colored photos or the written shop orders, we don't really know, so any assumption works.     We do have the painting instructions issued in 1929 which I think were still in effect.

Depending on which number you choose, and time frame, standard PRR Clawfoot Lamps replaced the N&W Lamps on the smoke box face. #374 was one that had the PRR Lamps installed. I know #373 retained the N&W Lamps.