True color/appearance of the "Graphite, or Smokebox colors

[NW Modeling List]

Mark:

Re N&W practice: I don't think there ever was anything official on what a 
graphited smokebox or firebox should look like.  In the color pics in books 
and slides I have, the color is just as you have observed:  almost black to 
fairly bright silver.  I think the models you mention look just fine.  If 
you remember the Oriental Models Y3 from years ago, it came factory painted 
with a bright silver smokebox. For painting models, it comes down to what 
you think looks good.

There were some roads, like UP who had standards, like a flat gray look 
prior to the 1940's, and a bright silver finish in years after that.

I think that in the final years of steam, there were paints that would stand 
up to the heat of unlagged smokeboxes.

--Rick Morrison

----- Original Message ----- 
Subject: True color/appearance of the "Graphite, or Smokebox colors



> As I look over my collection of steam power I notice that the Graphite  or 

> smokebox color is never the same on any two engines.

> Graphite on a pencil is metallic.

> I understand the graphite was powdered and mixed with linseed oil and 

> painted on with a big crude brush.

>

> Well, my specific question is what would that smokebox and possibly 

> firebox color be if it were the mid 1930's?

> Did that change by the 1950's?

>

> Secondly, is either the Precision Craft Models Y6b, or Lifelikes Y3 

> graphite correct?

>

> I have seen a Sunset M2 factory painted and THAT smokebox was very 

> metallic.  Looked like Testors "Steel" which is a flat, darker than 

> "Bright Silver" silver.

> Could THAT one be correct?

>

>

>

>

>

>

> Mark Lindsey

> N&W Historical Society

> Stuck in the 1930's

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