Our museum has sanded, needle scaled, patched and primed the outside of our Pullman Troop Sleeper and are now getting ready to put a coat of Pullman green on it. The question is; what brand of paint and what color have you used that closely approximates this color? And, are you satisfied with the results? For the record, we will be applying this paint with brushes and rollers.

Appreciate any comments anyone can give me; pro OR con. Thanks!

Les Beckman (Hoosier Valley Railroad Museum/North Judson, Indiana)

midlandblb@cs.com

> Our museum has sanded, needle scaled,
> patched and primed the outside of our
> Pullman Troop Sleeper and are now getting
> ready to put a coat of Pullman green on it.
> The question is; what brand of paint and
> what color have you used that closely
> approximates this color? And, are you
> satisfied with the results? For the record,
> we will be applying this paint with brushes
> and rollers.

> Appreciate any comments anyone can give me;
> pro OR con. Thanks!

If you can find someone who can sell Dulux, ask for 93-5502H.

The other method is to take a sample to a jobber and have him match it. Unfortunately, good durable paint isn't brushable these days unless you're willing to put up with alkyd enamel.

Using paint rollers is like using an an accordion: "use an accordion, go to jail".

Pete

Hi Les,

Asking about the color of Pullman Green is an age old question. There were in fact many shades of Pullman Green both due to formula changes and due to varying effects of weathering and age and how people perceived it. I believe we recently found an old gallon labeled Pullman No.11 paint; and have also heard that original mixes were largely a blend of yellow and black. Sounds odd but it works!

For applying with brushes and rollers I would recommend a good quality Urethane enamel. Coronado makes an Industrial version which can be mixed to include the very deep colors found on rr equipment. (Most Home Center mixes are best suited for tinting to pastels, but the industrial paints use more expensive pigments which are micro ground for better coverage and more resistant to fading.) But expect to pay up to 50 bucks per gallon. Still, when you consider the value of all the preparation and labor, I do not think it makes sense to try to pinch or save a few bucks per gallon.

As to Dulux, it is basically not available and is almost impossible to apply well without spraying. A good option is the brand Centari which also must be sprayed but is very durable and holds gloss better than most enamels. For these spray finishes, find someone who has worked with these products before since there are 'tricks'. If using these be sure to include adding the hardener or other catalyst to imprive longevity.

Another comment - we preservationists have an inflated opinion of what constitutes a good paint job. Of course we can identify with a showroom sparkling shiny exhibit in a marble hall of a national museum. But that really was not typical as was demonstrated to me recently by a paint job from a professional railcar painting shop. I could have done better myself, and have done so.

With the enamels and rollers, use the shortest nap you can find. I have heard both pro and con on use of foam rollers. They do give a smoother final finish but there have been some complaints about them failing or crumbling during use with enamels, and that would really ruin your day (and the paint job). Try to do the painting out of the sun or on the shady side to give the coating time to level out and settle, and dry properly.

So do the best job you can and be aware that in 5 years, the job will have lost some of its lustre, just as in the real world. Contact me off RYPN if I can help more.

Bob Kutella


68trolley@comcast.net

> Hi Les,

> Asking about the color of Pullman Green is
> an age old question. There were in fact many
> shades of Pullman Green both due to formula
> changes and due to varying effects of
> weathering and age and how people perceived
> it. I believe we recently found an old
> gallon labeled Pullman No.11 paint; and have
> also heard that original mixes were largely
> a blend of yellow and black. Sounds odd but
> it works!

A bit more on Pullman Green No. 11. We have 3/4 gallon of it, Dulux paint 88-9046. I located it when going through some cartons stored away in the Pullman Library container at IRM. When I asked Arthur Dubin about it, he recalled that this was the formulation for Grand Trunk, and was later used for Canadian (Canadien) National cars. It has more yellow in the tint than say, the standard formulation No. 10. If anyone is interested e-mail me with your address and I'll make up some samples on index cards and send them out.
- Ted Anderson

tedander@core.com