Re: Caboose Color

Jerry474 Wrote:
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> Jason, the document did not just apply to the
> 0579, I did not include the addresses to save
> space, but the document was sent to all D&RG and
> RGS shops in Colorado and Utah.


Sorry if I implied that I was commenting on 0579, I was meaning to use 04990 as an example of how things that were put in writing in Denver were sometimes viewed as mere suggestions by Alamosa.

Given that 04990 was not rebuilt into its present caboose format until late 1918 (over two years after the date of the April 1916 letter you reference in the original post), that the rebuild was done in Alamosa, that its end walls were clearly painted bright red originally and that these walls would not have existed prior to the 1918 rebuild from outfit boxcar to caboose, it would seem to indicate that Alamosa was still doing things the old way and not following the April 1916 order to cease painting cabooses bright red, at least through 1918.

Perhaps there was a lot of the red paint to use up so rather than throw it out, Denver sent it to Alamosa for the narrow gauge, perhaps Alamosa just did not care what the folks in Denver said or perhaps the date on the letter was transcribed wrong. (other sources I can find say that the painting of NG cabooses bright red ended "sometime in 1918", but they do not cite a specific document) Who knows, just interesting to compare what the paper work said should be done and what the surviving cars tell us was done.

Jason Midyette