Gary's great line about the next episode of "American Choo Choo," does remind me of some serious discussion on the different theories of why cab roofs were red. I'll toss out my theory for starters. I think the red cab roofs (and tender decks) were actually areas painted with red oxide (or red lead) primer. Cost concious shop foremen and master mechanics saw no need to waste black paint on areas of the locomotive and tender that would soon be black anyway from coal smoke so they stayed red. I am sure there are lots of other theories out there.

While I'm here, SR 630 is complete mechanically. Electrical work is concluding as more gadgets are added. She should turn black very soon. 4501 is now at the rear of the shop having her firebox door sheet cut out.

That's all for now

Not sure exactly, but a quickie websearch tells me the most logical reason...

reflect the hot sun rays away, black absorbs heat. The cab is hot enough already.

So a black engine gets more of the sun's heat. The more you know...

The "reflecting heat" idea doesn't answer why the top of the tender deck would be painted red... isn't it advantageous to have the feed water as hot as possible? At the very least there's no reason to keep it cool?

Is durability a factor? Roofs of buildings are frequently red.

Could have been that one of the shops had a bunch of extra red paint on hand. Then people seemed to like it, so it caught on.

The *general* idea behind red paint used to be extreme durability--that iron oxide paint was far and away the best compromise between durability, wear. cheapness, and relative non-toxicity of ingredients. Why do you think everything from barns to covered bridges to cabooses to lighthouses to schoolhouses were painted red through American history?

That being said, red is also a stylish flourish seemingly universal. Aside from the obvious black, red has turned up as a trim color all over the globe, most prominently on the drivers and cab roofs of German steam.

http://finance.groups.yahoo.com/group/CBQ/message/9838

this seems to have the best answer, but the reasons may vary, but "Red Lead" paint
prior to the safety hazards of lead in paint (any kids licking paint on a steam engine?)

to slow/stop corrosion from the acidic smoke, same for tender decks maybe cab/tender plates.

Red lead paint is orange, not red. I think the iron oxide pigment idea is probably the correct answer.

I'm glad you brought up this very salient fact - not widely known by those unfamiliar with it. Still one of the best primers every made. If we could have just kept poor inner city kids who are malnourished living in the projects to stop chewing on the metallic tasting window sills, we'd still have use of it.

We used lot's of "Red Lead" paint in the boiler room on board the USS KOELSCH. It was kind of orange looking.

DBH

I know PRR, Frisco, and WM had red cab roofs and I'm sure there were many others.

I've also heard from eyewitnesses that Southern had red roofs at one time but no color images support this. But, it may be that they were either too dirty or only red before color film came along. What happened in the 30s may have been different from what happened in the early 50s.

What other roads had red roofs and does any photo proof exist on the SR? I know 4501 was painted with a black roof during its most recent black paint job. I am expecting 630 to also emerge with a black roof with red cab windows and a red tender deck.

Not to go off topic but silver would be a good color to reflect heat.
I have seen school bus's with silver or white roofs to reflect heat.

DBH

Add the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy to this list.

Les

Didn't the SP use silver roof paint?

Dave H.

Perhaps it was dictated by the style preferences of the period. Period photographs may be black and white, but not all steam locomotives were that simple in color.