Fun with Foobies...defending the not quite right

[NSEGeorge]

While you are correct that Pantone got its start as an ink matching system (divided into coated and uncoated), it has become the dominant standard for most industrial color design projects, with separate 'books' for plastics, fabrics, coatings, internet colors, AND inks. When you are dealing with overseas producers, RAL and Pantone are equally used. We have submitted both RAL and Pantone and both have been successful.

Matching to existing rolling stock colors is indeed the challenge. Its going to have to be eyeballs or a colorimiter that do the matching and then translating that to a match in one of the standards.

Pantone has gotten nasty lately asking for licensing to use their color matching in some major software and upped the price of their books. So we need to be a little bit careful, but in the end its possible.

[rail_nut]

Thanks for the updated info.
Client had picked two Pantone greens for their printed material, then wanted actual vehicles to match
This was about 15 years ago

[mandealco]

I use an on-line program to help mix paint colours.  It gets me close to what I need within the limits of actual screen colour settings.  Great for mixing those hard to find paints.  It doesn't always work, but does help. 

https://trycolors.com/mixer

I just use the basic version, but there are likely more options availabale.

Cheers
Steve

[InterurbanModels]

I'm wondering what everyone thinks is a decent match to the MTL (PRR) varnish these days.

I don't have a MTL Pennsy car, but RAL 8012 (named "Red Brown") is matching perfectly the Kato PRR Tuscan. The protypical PRR Tuscan, in its late version, is closer to RAL 3005 (named "Wine Red"), but a visit to the Pennsylvania Railroad Museum in Strasburg proved me that there is much more than a single shade of PRR Tuscan...

[Pizzaparty]

Also dark colors are much harder to match due to absorbing more ultraviolet light and oxidizing as well. Don’t forget that if it sat facing south or west longer than its stable mates it would fade quicker.

When worked in the Lowe’s paint department many years ago I absolutely despised trying to get dark colors to match. Don’t even get me started on reds!

Also for any one wanting to paint a room red - paint it with a flat grey, it’ll make red paint pop perfectly

[peteski]

Also for any one wanting to paint a room red - paint it with a flat grey, it’ll make red paint pop perfectly

In the model car world we use pink primer to make red top coat really pop out.

[muktown128]

Also dark colors are much harder to match due to absorbing more ultraviolet light and oxidizing as well. Don’t forget that if it sat facing south or west longer than its stable mates it would fade quicker.

When worked in the Lowe’s paint department many years ago I absolutely despised trying to get dark colors to match. Don’t even get me started on reds!

Also for any one wanting to paint a room red - paint it with a flat grey, it’ll make red paint pop perfectly

Yes, south facing exposures tend to cause increased color fade in the northern hemisphere.  However, there is more to color fading than whether it is a light or dark color.  Based on my 35+ years as a chemist that formulated industrial coatings (paint chemist), the type of pigment can be more important than the color in determining color fade.  Bright (high chroma) colors based on organic pigments will probably show more color fade than similar, less bright / less chromatic colors based on inorganic pigments because inorganic pigments, particularly mixed metal oxides, tend to be more durable than organic pigments.  Also, there can be quite a bit of variation in the durability of organic pigments.  For example, DPP BO Red pigments (bright red automotive pigments) are more durable than Naphthol Red 170 pigments.  I was involved in reformulating Case Red / New Holland Red for CNH from Naphthol Red 170 to DPP BO Red pigments in order to reduce color fade.  The pigments used in the tints to mix paints you find at Home Depot, Lowes, etc.. tend to be less durable because cost is a primary driver for architectural coatings (house paint).