PULLMAN GREEN

I did some research a while back on Pullman Green in the late 40s because there were so many different "green" colors on the various models out there listed as Pullman Green.  There were some really heated discussions on the web about what shade of green it is, even on Pullman cars.

The colors used by non-Pullman railroads can be all over the place.  They may have tried to copy the color, but many were not correct.  So I would not worry to much about a railroad's so called Pullman Green matching anything.

Pullman Company is a different issue.  I found a couple of references on the web, so take this with a grain of salt.  There may have been up to seven different shades Pullman used, but Pullman archives only list one paint formula (per two sources).  This may be due to different suppliers, different years, paint ingredients available (WW1), errors, or whatever.  This paint did fade so that would also impact the shade of green.

So, after my research I just decided to go with whatever comes on a Pullman car as long as it is dark green.  I do try to keep my few Pullman cars that are coupled together close to the same shade.

@CAPPilot posted:

I did some research a while back on Pullman Green in the late 40s because there were so many different "green" colors on the various models out there listed as Pullman Green.  There were some really heated discussions on the web about what shade of green it is, even on Pullman cars.

The colors used by non-Pullman railroads can be all over the place.  They may have tried to copy the color, but many were not correct.  So I would not worry to much about a railroad's so called Pullman Green matching anything.

Pullman Company is a different issue.  I found a couple of references on the web, so take this with a grain of salt.  There may have been up to seven different shades Pullman used, but Pullman archives only list one paint formula (per two sources).  This may be due to different suppliers, different years, paint ingredients available (WW1), errors, or whatever.  This paint did fade so that would also impact the shade of green.

So, after my research I just decided to go with whatever comes on a Pullman car as long as it is dark green.  I do try to keep my few Pullman cars that are coupled together close to the same shade.

Ron, your reply should be put at the top of every Pullman green thread that’s on this forum!…with a caption as “ please read” ……I’ve got nothing to add, you’ve covered everything, and quite well,…

Pat

Just take black and white photos

One item your thread points out nicely is that ATSF green is different from Pullman green.  For me based on the real life conditions in the life span of paint on a car, I am good with the variations.  Nicely stated and nicely illustrated.

I have found Great Northern (Scalecoat) green to be most pleasing.  Being an SP type, I may try “coach olive” some day.  Pullman green is a lot like Brunswick - might as well be black.

Did you know that UPS uses “dining car brown?”

Then there's this:

I have tried 5 paints, Floquil, Poly Scale, Badger, Scalecoat, and Tru Color Pullman Green and none match each other nor whatever MTH paints their cars with.

Pete

Who was it, told me, maybe Chip Rovetta at one time .. "black with a whisper of green.."

I think this is pretty good assessment. ATSF coach green is not the same.

Is TruColor Pullman Green spray can readily available? I'd be interested in a quick user review.

@Erik C Lindgren posted:

Who was it, told me, maybe Chip Rovetta at one time .. "black with a whisper of green.."

That sounds close to the often repeated formula for Pennsy's DGLE (Dark Green Locomotive Enamel or Brunswick Green).  Except that DGLE is stated as a gallon of black with one drop of green.  Per a PRRH&TS article a while back, copper was added to the paint to fight corrosion.  The copper is where the green comes from.  This might also be why other company's have green equipment.

Way back when at the old Kansas City Railroad Museum, we repainted a car (for a movie) to match the Pullman Green Frisco Business car we had.  The paint company came up with one pint of yellow to five gallons of black.  Matched perfectly.

Rusty

I just bought some TruColor Pullman Green spray cans and was planning to try it tomorrow.  It was readily available.  I'll post a picture.

I've tried several paints called "Pullman Green" and the Scalecoat matched the color in a book I have that has some color shots of Pullman cars.  I know that is a lot of variables though so I have no idea how accurate that is.   I'd stay with Scalecoat, but presently there seems to be a really long lead time, so I decided to try the TruColor.

Colors of passenger cars and locomotives varied slightly from car to car and between classes of cars and locomotives due to differences in the original paint formulation, fading, age, and weathering. Years ago, paint-mixing was not as accurate as it is now. If you think back to the 1960s, color-matching on an automotive fender repair was not perfect and differences were sometimes apparent right after paint was applied. Therefore, on my model railroad, a train with passenger cars or locomotives of slightly different color looks more realistic to me and I don't insist on all cars having identical color.

MELGAR

Melgar,

We run three passenger/express/Fast Mail trains.  Many of the cars in those trains are pictured in my original post.  The closest we come to adjacent cars being the same color are the 17 inch MTH and Williams baggage cars.  Other than that, all adjacent cars have noticeably different shades.
John

One more compounding element...  Are you viewing through cataracts?  Or no?  HUGE difference.

My opthamologist said that folks in professions such as interior decorating, painters, artists, etc., are profoundly affected by cataracts...and their correction.  To underscore his comment he showed me a cataract lens in a small vial of liquid.  it was bright YELLOW !  After I had the first eye corrected, and while resting in the recovery room, I compared the vision between the corrected and un-corrected eyes.  Holy Moly, what a difference.  The room colors literally jumped out...brilliant, true, ...amazing.  The uncorrected eye?...profoundly 'yellowed' in the same view.  A couple weeks later I was scheduled for the second eye and nearly ran into the prep room I was so eager to finish the correction!  And it's been a JOY ever since.

I highly encourage/recommend getting the correction when so advised by your opthamologist.  And take time to chose him/her very carefully...including an exam/interview with the best recommendation before committing.  They have 'track records', you know.

Meanwhile, as re Pullman Green selection/preference/accuracy?....not a hill to die on for me.  I agree with all the prior responses.  OTOH, when building some of the old All-Nation, Athearn, Reynolds, etc., metal/wood kits with pre-painted/lettered sides using a brand/color no longer on the market, I wish achieving a color match on the unpainted parts (e.g., doors!) were easier! 

Ah, well, we do the best we can with what we have...eh what?

KD