RGS Ochre Passenger Cars pt.1

In light of recent discovery of the (Colorado) Midland Archaeological Team i.e. Adrian Hundausen, Art Hundausen and Jon Pankau its has determined that the color used in pre 1901 finish of Colorado Midland passenger cars were in fact to the "THE BESTS EVIDENTS WE HAVE" that; first class coaches, sleepers and parlor cars were painted Pullman brown (chocolate or UPS brown), second class coaches and smokers were Ochre (yellow or dark mustard) and baggage and other cars were Maroon (Tuscon red). In collaboration with that there are numerous mentions of car finish by railroad car construction and maintenance authorities in National Car Builder magazine periodical in the 1890-1891 period and the recent analysis of a paint chip sample of Colorado Midland 2 class coach 259 carbody remains locacted at Bull Hill Colorado. I was skeptical at first of the use of the color Ochre and wondered why there was no photograghic evidents of that but there is a photograph taken at Green Mountain Falls of passenger train that proved me wrong as we are all fooled because "light yellow" does not how up as expected in the grey tint used by ambrotype photography used in the late 19th century. A artical at the PacificNG, The Very Image Of The Past explains all that.

But that is the Colorado Midland.

A material sample obtained from the remains of Rio Grande Southern mail, baggage and express 150 car revealed a surprising revalation of the color of Otto Mears controled Rio Grande Southern passenger equipment along with factory Billmeyer and Small color, early Denver and Rio Grande passenger car colors and also section house and other building color at Vance Junction.

Part 2 will expain the material and finish sample.

Rio Grande Southern passenger consist circa 1891 at Lizard Head Pass with what could possibly be a Ochre or "Mustard Yellow" finished second class combine or "smoker" or head end car.