TH&B paint scheme
- Thread starter redcanoe
- Start date
Hi Brian, and :welcome1: to the Gauge.
Depending on which maroon you want to duplicate, there are several options. This colour appeared very differently depending on the age of the paint and the lighting. I used to paint TH&B diesels for a LHS and used a custom mix of PollyS (no longer available), then, later, Floquil paints. My version tended towards a boxcar red/brown, although I also did some in a more maroon colour. In my opinion, LifeLike Canada did the best version, and I'd recommend starting with their r-t-r geeps and switchers.
Here are some pictures of the prototype to give you an idea of the variety of "maroons". (All photos have been "colour corrected".)
and a couple shots of my modified and remotored Athearns:
My formula for the "brown" version, using either Floquil or PollyScale paints, is:
6 parts Roof Brown
3 parts Reefer Orange
1 part Caboose red
and for the cream:
3 parts Reefer White
2 parts Depot Buff
1 part Reefer Yellow
if you want the more "purple-looking" maroon, try Tuscan or Tuscan Red, with the cream mixed:
6 parts Reefer White
2 parts Depot Buff
1 part Reefer Yellow
Another option for the maroon would be Wisconsin Central Maroon, or, from SMP Accupaint, B&M Maroon.
Wayne
Depending on which maroon you want to duplicate, there are several options. This colour appeared very differently depending on the age of the paint and the lighting. I used to paint TH&B diesels for a LHS and used a custom mix of PollyS (no longer available), then, later, Floquil paints. My version tended towards a boxcar red/brown, although I also did some in a more maroon colour. In my opinion, LifeLike Canada did the best version, and I'd recommend starting with their r-t-r geeps and switchers.
Here are some pictures of the prototype to give you an idea of the variety of "maroons". (All photos have been "colour corrected".)
and a couple shots of my modified and remotored Athearns:
My formula for the "brown" version, using either Floquil or PollyScale paints, is:
6 parts Roof Brown
3 parts Reefer Orange
1 part Caboose red
and for the cream:
3 parts Reefer White
2 parts Depot Buff
1 part Reefer Yellow
if you want the more "purple-looking" maroon, try Tuscan or Tuscan Red, with the cream mixed:
6 parts Reefer White
2 parts Depot Buff
1 part Reefer Yellow
Another option for the maroon would be Wisconsin Central Maroon, or, from SMP Accupaint, B&M Maroon.
Wayne
Thankyou
Wayne:
Thanks for your well thought out and wonderfully illustrated answer. I lived in hamilton for 36 years and have seen the locomotives in person.
I agree the proto 2000 locomotives are very good (I own 3) but they are very hard to come by now :-( I have other locomotives that I hope to "change" to a TH&B scheme.
I think your athearn locomotives look fantastic. Did you make the decals yourself? I am also having troubles finding decals (I "haunt" ebay ;-) Where did you find the "torpedo tubes" for the gp9? That is the locomotive that I would most like to model for my layout.
Thanks again for all your effort.
Brian
Wayne:
Thanks for your well thought out and wonderfully illustrated answer. I lived in hamilton for 36 years and have seen the locomotives in person.
I agree the proto 2000 locomotives are very good (I own 3) but they are very hard to come by now :-( I have other locomotives that I hope to "change" to a TH&B scheme.
I think your athearn locomotives look fantastic. Did you make the decals yourself? I am also having troubles finding decals (I "haunt" ebay ;-) Where did you find the "torpedo tubes" for the gp9? That is the locomotive that I would most like to model for my layout.
Thanks again for all your effort.
Brian
Thank you for the kind words, Brian. :-D
The torpedo tube air tanks are soft metal ones from Juneco. Detail Associates also makes a similar part in plastic which is better detailed.
All of the lettering is painted on - these were the first two that I did, and they were painted with PollyS military colours using a brush. All of the areas where the lettering was to be maroon were painted that colour, and all of the areas that were to be lettered in cream were painted cream. I then used C-D-S dry transfer alphabet sets to letter the appropriate areas - the colour of the dry transfers in not important, as they're used only as a "mask" (the letters are applied as usual, but the final step of burnishing them in place is not done). I also used dry transfer stripes as masks for the striping on the hoods and cab. The locos were then painted the appropriate colours, again, using a brush, and as soon as the paint was dry to the touch, I used a piece of masking tape to dab at the dry transfers, lifting them off and revealing the colour underneath. Most of this came off quite cleanly, but there were some areas that required touch-up with a fine brush - some areas around the lettering and some of the lettering itself. The cab heralds were brush-painted freehand, as no suitable dry transfers were available at the time. C-D-S later released a lettering set for TH&B diesels, in very appropriate colours, but it may be no longer available, as C-D-S has ceased operations. You may be able to find them in a hobbyshop somewhere, or you could contact C-D-S directly - they're not making any more lettering, but they are continuing to sell their stock on hand. The set is #413 and it will do either a geep or a switcher.
Wayne
The torpedo tube air tanks are soft metal ones from Juneco. Detail Associates also makes a similar part in plastic which is better detailed.
All of the lettering is painted on - these were the first two that I did, and they were painted with PollyS military colours using a brush. All of the areas where the lettering was to be maroon were painted that colour, and all of the areas that were to be lettered in cream were painted cream. I then used C-D-S dry transfer alphabet sets to letter the appropriate areas - the colour of the dry transfers in not important, as they're used only as a "mask" (the letters are applied as usual, but the final step of burnishing them in place is not done). I also used dry transfer stripes as masks for the striping on the hoods and cab. The locos were then painted the appropriate colours, again, using a brush, and as soon as the paint was dry to the touch, I used a piece of masking tape to dab at the dry transfers, lifting them off and revealing the colour underneath. Most of this came off quite cleanly, but there were some areas that required touch-up with a fine brush - some areas around the lettering and some of the lettering itself. The cab heralds were brush-painted freehand, as no suitable dry transfers were available at the time. C-D-S later released a lettering set for TH&B diesels, in very appropriate colours, but it may be no longer available, as C-D-S has ceased operations. You may be able to find them in a hobbyshop somewhere, or you could contact C-D-S directly - they're not making any more lettering, but they are continuing to sell their stock on hand. The set is #413 and it will do either a geep or a switcher.
Wayne