Tuscan Red in 1872?

[nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org]

We have all kicked around the question of the origins of the color Tuscan Red.

I have been reading through the massive "Chronology of the PRR" published by Christopher T. Baer of the Hagley Museum, a private museum near Wilmington, Del., endowed by the DuPonts.  It is truly a monumental work, the work of a lifetime.  It is already thousands of pages long and some of the years have not yet been published.

Under May 1872, Chris notes:  

"PRR is repainting cars of New Jersey lines dark red (Tuscan red); say done because smoke of soft coal used by PRR blackens light paint used formerly."  His reference for this is "HntdnRpblcn," but since  the bibliograph portion of his Chronology has not yet been published, I can only guess that this is a newspaper named "The Hunterdon Republican."

Further in this regard, several years ago Richard Wallis wrote me as follows:  


>>

 Look at the following item from the Janury 6, 1882-Terre Haute Express:
"The T.H.&L. combination car No. 2 which was wrecked in the Otter Creek disaster, has been turned out of the shops and is in service under
charge of Conductor Murray.  It is of the color recently adopted by the
Vandalia--Tuscan red."
<<

Robert L. Johnson wrote me as follows:


>>

While doing research at the Pennsylvania State Archives, I chanced on some
information on this subject.  Apparently, the PRR itself once tried to
determine the date Tuscan Red was made standard for passenger cars.  The
oldest drawing their researcher could find was Tracing No. 3180B, "Lettering
and Striping on Standard Passenger Cars, PRR Classes PD, PE and PF,"
Altoona, January 1882.  The drawing showed the body and wheels (!) painted
Tuscan Red.  Other information turned up by the PRR's researcher showed that
Tuscan Red was standard at least prior to April 11, 1878.  Prior to using
Tuscan Red, the exterior was painted a Chrome Green, commonly called
"Carriage Green".
<<

Given these dates, I'd think that Tuscan Red, or something similar, probably came south with the Shenandoah Valley RR.  Which raises the next question:  What color did the Virginia & Tennessee use on its coaches?

-- abram burnett
 
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