IC gondola color - 1960

[nkalanaga]

A couple weeks ago I asked about the floor in IC 97000-97199 gondolas.

A new question:  What color were these?  So far I haven't found a single color photo of a relatively new 52 or 65 ft gondola in the "Main Line of Mid-America" scheme.  All I've found are black and white, or the car is so old that the paint has been replaced by rust.

[eja]

Sounds like you're in luck .... paint it any colour you want and no one can prove it's wrong.

[nkalanaga]

Possibly true, but since it looks like I will have to do at least some of the lettering as custom decals, I'd just as soon get it right the first time.  Stripping and repainting isn't easy.

Do we have any early 1960s Illinois Central modelers here? 

[Mark5]

I would speculate IC's freight car red. https://www.trainmastermodels.com/Railroad-Color-Acrylic-Paints-1oz-29-6mL-Illinois-p/tru205.htm

Based on:
https://www.walthers.com/railroad-decal-set-illinois-central-41-steel-gondola-boxcar-red-mainline-mid-of-america-logo-3

And:
https://rapidotrains.com/ho-40-drop-bottom-gondola-illinois-cenral-single-car.html

[wcfn100]

I wouldn't use the drop bottom gondolas as a guide for a few reason, the main one being that they we also painted black.

I've looked through what I have on my computer and didn't find much.  I've got a couple books I can check but they are packed away at the moment.  I can try and get to them this weekend maybe.


Jason

[Mark5]

Someone out there must have the Illinois Central in Color book.

https://www.ronsbooks.com/ILLINOIS-CENTRAL-IN-COLOR_p_17694.html

[nkalanaga]

Mark5:  Thank you.  I saw the GS gons, in both colors, so, as Jason says, I'm not going to take them as proof.

I model the early BN, with emphasis on GN, and they did the opposite with their 2-bay open hoppers.  Those came in freight car red/brown (at least three lettering styles), Vermillion Red (2 styles), and black (1 style that I know of) BEFORE they switched to Big Sky Blue style lettering on black cars.

52'6" gons were Vermillion or black.  Older 65' gons seem to have been freight car red/brown or black.  Their newest ones were Vermillion.  Some of the 52'6" cars eventually received BSB lettering on black.

No consistency at all, and looking at one type of car wouldn't be much help.

[Mark5]

I wasn't offering proof. 

I would speculate IC's freight car red.

[Missaberoad]

Someone out there must have the Illinois Central in Color book.

https://www.ronsbooks.com/ILLINOIS-CENTRAL-IN-COLOR_p_17694.html

Hey, I'm that someone! bad news tho that number series is not present.

There are two series shown 99800-99894 and 99900-99949 both built 1964, are in black with Illinois central lettering (No logo tho)

[nkalanaga]

If they're the same lettering style as the earlier "Main Line" cars, then, lacking any other evidence, I will assume that the earlier cars were also black.  Thank you!

And Mark, I didn't mean to imply that you were offering proof.  In fact, I agree with you, one class of cars, on many railroads, can't be used as evidence for paint or lettering on another class.  As with the GN examples, consistency is rare on many roads.