Re: Locomotive cab interior color - color contrast?

kcsivils Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Things have a way of not changing if there is no
> reason to.
>
> I have to think the green color was used because
> so many other darker colors contrast with it
> nicely. For safety reasons I wouldn't want
> employees or personnel making a critical mistake
> because they couldn't see the right handle, gauge,
> or switch due to lack of color contrast. It got
> the job done and provided contrast, making things
> easy to see - all the more reason to continue to
> use it.
>
> Then again, it may have just been cheap paint that
> got the job done.

Green paint was only used here in the early GM, and EE Diesel cabs, usually cab walls and ceiling, the controls Black and only on some surfaces on some Steam cabs, mostly Black. 70's built GE's cabs came in Grey. Certainly not Zinc-cromate, that's for sure.
Handles were either Black, Brass or natural steel, some Auto brake handles were powdercoated, Red or Black. So it wouldn't make the slightest difference in the Dark, you learnt your controls by Feel, and location and the Gauges were illuminated. Only on the modern Electrics did you get colour coded pushbuttons and a big Red Pan Down knob.