WTF(oM)? Fleet of Modernism... Variations on a Theme from PRR

[Dave V]

Interesting that we have such variations in what manufacturers think the PRR Fleet of Modernism scheme should be. I now have 8 cars in FoM, in three different interpretations on the scheme...



On the right those cars are from Intermountain/Centralia. The upper two are older cars and the lower two more recent releases. Even between the Centralia cars, the newer ones are "pinker" and have much more "gold" than "buff" lettering that is only visible/legible when hit by the light at a correct angle (as in the photo here). The older Centralia cars also have window shades (which the newer ones don't seem to) and different detail painting (buff versus silver around the windows, no paint on the handrails/grabs, etc.). The lettering on those older cars is legible under any light angle.

Then there's Bachmann on the left. The buff striping/lettering is actually--I think--closer to prototype. Both the brown and the Tuscan are pretty close to what color prototype photos I can find. Of the Bachmann cars, only the observation car is correct for Pennsy, the coaches being foobies. In this case I feel like Bachmann actually pulled off a scheme that looks closer to the prototype than IM/Centralia did. Though neither of the three schemes were a home run.

I'm just venting. Yes, I'm still hunting for the IM/Centralia "eastern" dining car in FoM and that'll complete my FoM train for running behind my T1. I don't think anyone would fuss at a T-TRAK show about it. Not looking for repaint suggestions either (I think I'd rather paint ties on Kato concrete Unitrack--see above photo--than attempt an FoM scheme in N scale). Just observing loudly, LOL.

[pdx1955]

I have found that IM doesn't do a good job on getting the right color shades on their passenger cars. Their SP Daylight, NP, SP&S  schemes are the completely wrong shades. Three is also plenty of striping or lettering mismatches (prewar and postwar mixed together). I wouldn't trust IM to get it right...I've purged all of them from my roster. So, your PRR cars with paint closer to N&W is not surprising.

[Point353]

Then there's the Con-Cor interpretation of FOM:

[apudelek]

Dave, could it be that the IM cars have what is essentially a faded tuscan?  I don't know as much about FOM stuff, having none in my PRR roster.  I wonder if a bit of weathering of your entire fleet, especially the Bachmann, could lessen the difference here.

[Dave V]

Dave, could it be that the IM cars have what is essentially a faded tuscan?  I don't know as much about FOM stuff, having none in my PRR roster.  I wonder if a bit of weathering of your entire fleet, especially the Bachmann, could lessen the difference here.

Fleet of Modernism cars would likely not have shown any weathering besides the undercarriage. These were the premiere Blue Ribbon trains from about 1938-1947, so they would have gone through the wash racks after each run.

[chessie system fan]

My guess, from looking at my FOM cars, is IM used "poor color-shifted photograph printed in books" paint matches.

[Dave V]

My guess, from looking at my FOM cars, is IM used "poor color-shifted photograph printed in books" paint matches.

That’s a very reasonable and likely explanation. Now I have to decide whether I want to hold onto these or sell them off.

[Point353]

Prototype:






Brass model:

[Dave V]

Bachmann definitely hit that scheme better than IM/Centralia did.

[dougnelson]

Dave:
Here is my interpretation of a PRR FOM car.  This is a P70kR made from East Wind etched acrylic sides, American Limited core kit, and decals from Mike Dunn printed on an Alps printer (uses gold foil).  Trucks are East Wind (American Limited) 2D-P5 and the diaphragms are American Limited full width.  I probably used Scale Coat box car red for the base color, and not sure what I used for the darker band.  I made my own mask for the middle band.  I built this car probably 20 years ago.  Unfortunately, most of these products are no longer available.

[Sokramiketes]

I was working with Ron at Des Plaines Hobbies when the assembled and painted Centralia Car Shops cars were being developed.  So I know we fretted over the FOM colors, including railroad paint chips.  I photographed the samples to check how they looked.

Here's the pre-production sample of the scheme:



Notice we had an incorrect black end on the sample, which was corrected for the production cars.  (I still have this sample somewhere, Ron sold it for ~$10 at a sale at some point, and I figured the history was interesting enough to put it in the collection)

Since Ron's passing, Intermountain has released new runs.  They are slightly off in color and decoration, most notably they have silver window frames.  So they are easy to spot.  Intermountain also ran into some artwork issues on some of these re-releases.  Fonts were missing in AI files, and Ron was a font aficianado.  But on some files fonts weren't changed to curves and, well, the later pyramids are built worse than the older ones. 

[Dave V]

How'd you get from that very good looking scheme to two-tone pink in production?

[Rasputen]

I'm not an expert but wasn't the lettering changed from gold to buff on the prototype at some point?  I just finished printing some HO scale sets for a friend, I had to purchase 11x17 inch decal paper
and then cut it down to fit in my printer.

[Dave V]

I'm not an expert but wasn't the lettering changed from gold to buff on the prototype at some point?  I just finished printing some HO scale sets for a friend, I had to purchase 11x17 inch decal paper
and then cut it down to fit in my printer.

Lettering was buff from the start with FoM. At least as far as I can tell.

[chessie system fan]

Mike, those FOM colors feel right. If you were to paint a car today, which colors would you use?