murphyRailVarnishWeb (2).pdf

The original Murphy book is in my collection and pdf was created by Eric Schlentner from my scans.

Fred W. Heilich III

The file is in Dropbox.com

Fred

Fred & All - I uploaded Fred's 1897 Murphy Varnish, Coach and Railway Varnishes and Colors book for easy access so you don't have to mess with DropBox. It's an interesting artifact. Here's the link:

https://bigeprod.com/rrPreservation.html

If anyone wants a high resolution copy, let me know and I can upload that, too but be forewarned it's 24MB.

Thanks for posting your file, Eric. The Dropbox has been a real pain.

Fred Heilich

Uploaded a large update:

Added a Pullman Co. section for company maintained cars, 1957 to 1962, interior and exterior finishes. I expect this section may be greatly increased. Right now, the color numbers are all Pullman's. When we can cross them to the appropriate paint manufacturers, that info will be added.

Added some P-S freight cars.

Looking into adding Budd material.

Thanks goes to Bob Webber at the Pullman Library for his continuing and valuable assistance.

Link: https://bigeprod.com/rrPreservation.html

Enjoy.

Another update today:

Added Structure section, PRR Budd FOM scheme, CR loco, freight car & structures, confirmed BM colors & add’l info, confirmed NYC grays.

Link: https://bigeprod.com/rrPreservation.html

I would suggest that you include a "Last updated <Date>" in your pdf.

-Hudson

Revision dates and descriptions are in the Appendix, currently page 26.

The question I have is: Are these numbers of any use anymore? I don't think the numbers alone will mean anything to anybody selling or mixing paint anywhere.
I am to understand that several other steps would have to happen. First you would have to find an old/vintage color card that shows the color of interest alongside the old number. Then you would have to match the old color card to the similar color on a "new" color fan and then you find the "new" number (or scan it with the new computer).
And the reason I say this is because the colors are all mixed by computer now and the formulations are all different...as are the numbers. All of this seems to have changed about 20 or 25 years ago...the method of reading a chart and mixing doses of pigment into a base with measures....that method is long gone.
Am I wrong? Is somebody still mixing paints with formulation charts and "ounces and pounds" of various colors? I have been around a number of professional paint companies and inquired...but nobody seems to be equipped to use those old numbers.
T7

T7,
You are correct that DuPont codes are no longer valid for mixing. However, having them in the list is useful for cross referencing between railroads that used the same colors. Case in point, I crossed Bando Blue to Wabash blue and now have an Imron color sample card graciously provided by Monticello Railway Museum. Some, not a lot (so far), of these codes have been updated with current, valid codes. PPG/Ditzler codes are all still valid - this has been confirmed by the coatings lab in Pittsburgh earlier this year. At this point, I don't know the validity of Sherwin-Williams and the others codes. The EMD styling books with color samples still exist and a lot of drift cards out there are held by historical societies. Tracking colors down sometimes takes quite a bit of sleuthing, hence the list.

Your best bet for color matching where the list has no current equivalent is to borrow a drift card/sample plate or sand down to a good paint layer for a chip or find someone that has the color you need for a sample and have it scanned by your supplier. When painting, make your own sample cards for future reference.

This list is a "living document" in that it is updated as I get/find more info. If anyone has any paint/color data, either historic or current, please send to me and I'll add it to the list.

Had you received my email with the PRR and steam loco painting info? Different format but may be of use.

Susan Yosten
Researcher/document collector near Erie, PA, USA

I am glad you clarified this point. Too often I get in discussions with people who assume the "old" numbers are still useful.
T7

PM sent.

Found this list at RailFonts.com.

http://www.railfonts.com/Reference/paint_cross.pdf

-Hudson

Hudson, I have most of that list incorporated with corrections

We're working on Pullman, Budd (both with the Pullman library) and PRR reference numbers and figuring out what paints they refer to. The colors were mostly specified on drawings and docs by name and reference number only. If anyone has any documentation on these numbers or knows who does, please let me know.

Thanks,