I just inherited 5000 pounds of red oxide colorant from BASF. I'm told this makes excellent Barn paint when mixed boiled linseed oil. Did they paint boxcars with this?

That would be a maybe. Depends on the exact color, who they supplied the pigment to and the date, if any, on the packaging.

Is there any info on the packaging? I’d be concerned if it was a heavy metal oxide (red lead oxide) and not just a color name. Lead has been effectively banned since 1977. If it is lead oxide, that could be a big “uh oh”.

Furthermore, if using linseed oil, you need some sort of mildewcide or the organic oil will support mildew which causes ugly black streaks. The common mildewcides of years past are the same metal oxides which are now banned.

Thank you for the info this is not the red oxide pigment, this is a colorerant are there no hazardous ingredients . I spoke to the people at BASF. Jarod what I might need some help with is some colors. I've been asked by one of the Museum's to help them with paints that offer good weatherability. It seems that the single stage urethane in reds, oranges and yellows is extremely expensive from the major paint companies. So we are using a decent resin a automotive type pigment and uv stabilizers for cars that sit outside all day. I tried to send a private message but I didn't see how to do it

It’s my understanding that BASF is one of the pigment suppliers to the paint manufacturers and other industries. BASF should be able to tell you what the pigment was manufactured for. If It’s dry pigment for paint, then you’re likely looking at something oil based. Boiled linseed oil with Japan was extensively used back in the day. I have an old PRR formula for that somewhere. I think current oil bases may be hard to get or banned in large quantities due to VOCs in some states.

If there’s a pigment color number on the packaging, I might be able cross that with something else or determine visually what color it actually is. It’s a long shot that it’ll match any railroad colors but you never know.

Automotive paint should work fine and can be matched to anything if you have a sample to match to send to the lab. But it’s getting pretty expensive, too. I think most OEM paints are single stage urethanes now.

That said, we’re finishing up a repaint on a caboose by a mobile industrial painter - sand blasted (six layers of paint), epoxy primer and Carboline Carbothane 134 HG which is a urethane top coat in red #7587 with black under frame and white safety appliances. The interior was scuff sanded and sprayed with a light gray Dura-Plate 235 semi-gloss which is an epoxy, #4030 Nickel. The total cost was less than $10,000. Damn reasonable if you ask me. I’ll post some photos once I apply the lettering and the trucks are painted (plain old black Rustoleum).

Pat - you can PM or Email using the buttons at the bottom of the post.

I checked out mildewcides it seems that Home Depot has different varieties