What shade of red is Arkansas & Missouri locomotives?

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I've decided to model the Arkansas & Missouri railroad in ho scale. I've seen a number of pictures of the locomotives in the A & M fleet, but red shifts color so much depending on the light when the picture is taken. I've seen photos that look like the color is a dark marroon, in other pictures it looks just like S.P. Daylight red, in still other pictures it looks slightly darker than Daylight red. Does anyone on this board know what color their locomotives are, or what mix of colors would produce an acurate color?
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Hey Russ and welcome to the Gauge! :) Don't know about the accuracy of this, but this guy ought'a know............... Mark Watson (staff member for MR) did a series of articles on his N-Scale Arkansas & Missouri starting in the Feb 1999 issue and continuing into about August 1999 I think. In a paint shop article he said the closest match he found was Modelflex DM&IR Maroon (Duluth,Missabe & Iron Range) to paint his Alco's. Keep in mind, unless someone brings a paint chip in to your layout room and puts in next to your loco as long as it's close no one will probably be able to tell the difference. I use a spray paint from the local hardware store for my Grey L & N Alco's and nobody here at the Gauge or in my layout room has ever given any indication they thought the color was wrong. Had 2 people ask where I was able to buy pre-mixed L & N spray paint at! :D :D :D Hope this was of some help.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Thanks Tyson, I took some photos into my local hobby shop and most of the guys thought it would be close to "signal red," but red is so susceptable to color shift from light changes that I don't trust the photographs. Heck, I downloaded 6 pictures from
A & M's web site, and I see 3 different shades! I had forgotten about that series in MR.
 

Tyson Rayles

Active Member
Keep in mind also that it's one shade fresh out of the paint shop, a different shade after being exposed to the elements for a year, still a different shade after several years and so on.................
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
I know red changes more than any other color, probably. I'm thinking of starting with them right out of the paint shop. I may even model the Railroad from it's early days when they would have one A & M loco painted in home road colors, and the rest of the consist would look like a rainbow of fallen flags.
 

Russ Bellinis

Active Member
Thanks Trainworm, I've seen that video and it is very good. That reminds me, does anyone know of anyone making sound systems to replicate the sound of an Rs1. It sounded so neat in that video that I would like to equip my Atlas Rs1 with sound if it is available.
 
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