Re: Progress on the Pullman Tourist Sleeper
| January 14, 2020 08:18PM |
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Most of the wood you see in these photos is still unfinished. The sheen on the ceiling and walls is still natural milled wood. Nothing is on that part yet. The seats have a light clear finish, as does the floor which you can't see because it still has a cardboard covering over it. No, didn't use shellac or the clear finish of the day. We used modern finishes so that there would be minimal maintenance required for our children and grandchildren.
Given some of the other construction techniques we have experienced, it doesn't look like Pullman spent a dime more on materials then they had to. So it is highly unlikely they used a stain. That would mean having to pay a worker extra. The original interior wood, painted over with a lead-based green paint, showed no signs of ever being stained. Remember as much as this car was for economy-minded passengers, it was probably also for the economy-minded D&RG. They probably didn't care that the clear finish made it look nice, it was cheaper than paint.
The factory photo is probably purposely underexposed. Nobody alive knows what it really looked like in color. The best we have is that photo. Plus the artificial lights will have some effect on what you see. The old-growth wood's grain may be more pronounced. But you are probably correct, the finish would be yellowish and quickly show the effects of soot and dirt.
Sorry for the edits. I have not been made the 240-mile round trip since the beginning of December and was going from memory. I know the T&G on the lower part of the ceilings isn't finished because I'm burning the scraps in our woodstove.
Bill Kepner
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2020 06:16AM by drgw0579.
Given some of the other construction techniques we have experienced, it doesn't look like Pullman spent a dime more on materials then they had to. So it is highly unlikely they used a stain. That would mean having to pay a worker extra. The original interior wood, painted over with a lead-based green paint, showed no signs of ever being stained. Remember as much as this car was for economy-minded passengers, it was probably also for the economy-minded D&RG. They probably didn't care that the clear finish made it look nice, it was cheaper than paint.
The factory photo is probably purposely underexposed. Nobody alive knows what it really looked like in color. The best we have is that photo. Plus the artificial lights will have some effect on what you see. The old-growth wood's grain may be more pronounced. But you are probably correct, the finish would be yellowish and quickly show the effects of soot and dirt.
Sorry for the edits. I have not been made the 240-mile round trip since the beginning of December and was going from memory. I know the T&G on the lower part of the ceilings isn't finished because I'm burning the scraps in our woodstove.
Bill Kepner
Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 01/15/2020 06:16AM by drgw0579.
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488 stops for water at Los Pinos tank on closing day Oct. 1979. Photo courtesy Don Richter
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