Today (9/16) I purchased a stock car kit a local train show. Speciffically an Athearn stock car, NP railroad. The underside of the car is black plastic and the car weight is exposed bare metal. Does anyone have info on the prototype colors used on NP freight cars? Possibly they were the same color as the car body but I would like to be sure. To any manufacturers reading this. It wouldn't hurt to add this info to your instruction sheets.
Paint color question
- Thread starter Jim Krause
- Start date
Most of the vintage equipment I see at the Smiths Falls Railway museum is either the body colour or black underneath. However, this is rapidly changed to "local dirt & dust" once the rolling stock starts, well... rolling. 
In the case of the stock car though, Canadian examples get a white lime disinfectant spray over the entire bottom half of the car, obscuring whatever colour was there originally.
Andrew
In the case of the stock car though, Canadian examples get a white lime disinfectant spray over the entire bottom half of the car, obscuring whatever colour was there originally.
Andrew
Andrew: Thanks for the info. It seems to me that I've seen the whitish color along the lower portion of cattle cars here in the states also. Our local museum here has a picture of a NP car with a Bison sticking out through the side of the car. Apparently Bison were not as easy to transport as cattle and this one tried to exit where there was no door. I've often thought that would make a good modeling project. Regards; Jim
Actually, didn't CN and/or CP eventually start painting the lower part of stock car sides white so the lime wouldn't show up?
Triplex,
I believe you are correct about the sides - I suppose it was to give a neater appearance. I don't know if they would have painted under the car white, but I am pretty sure they would have disinfected underneath...
Andrew
I believe you are correct about the sides - I suppose it was to give a neater appearance. I don't know if they would have painted under the car white, but I am pretty sure they would have disinfected underneath...
Andrew
I would recommend grimy black. As Andrew suggested, it wouldn't take long to turn that way after a little service. Plus black hides the details.
That being said, most of my super detailed models are painted the body color.
That being said, most of my super detailed models are painted the body color.
When in doubt go with the Stones and "Paint It Black"!! I usually take the weight and use a spray can to paint it. The plastic parts under the Athearn car are black so it kinda blends together better, plus black helps hide the fact that the Athearn cars aren't that well detailed underneath.
Another trick to use on Athearn house cars likke box cars, refers, and perhaps cattle cars is to put the weight inside on top of the floor of the car rather than on the underside.