Model Railroading > SP painting practice... interesting

Just about one year ago, I wrote the following thread about my research on EMD/SP's Scotchlite reflective lettering peeling off to reveal red lettering. My findings were that the entire unit was initially painted SP Scarlet which was the reason for red (identical to SP Scarlet) appearing under the failing Scotchlite many years later:

http://www.trainorders.com/discussion/read.php?3,1746419,1746435#msg-1746435

Here's a very interesting photo recently posted by Super_C on the Nostalgia & History Discussion. An SD45T-2 with a well-worn battery box where many shoes have scuffed away the paint down to bare metal above the step (right side of photo). Very consistent with what I found on the SW1500; The top coat of gray, then an obvious ring of scarlet (This is not just overspray from the "wing" area... definitely a solid coat.), followed by the yellow-colored primer that EMD used, and bare metal in the center.

http://www.trainorders.com/images2/view.php?377504

As I stated in my original thread, painting a locomotive this way doesn't seem to make any sense, but for some reason, that's how it was done.

Edit: This IS very close to the scarlet nose area, and I'm not saying I'm sure this entire T-2 was painted scarlet first as well, but it makes you wonder...

Mark



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 08/17/09 12:20 by mwbridgwater.

Interesting, to say the least. that was a great catch. Are you the modeler that had an article in the NMRA rag about modeling an SP unit? It had the fading/weathering/rusting.......etc?

If so, great job!

Rick
http://www.fourrocksmodelworks.com

drgwguy Wrote:
----------------------------------------------------
> Are you the modeler that had an article in
> the NMRA rag about modeling an SP unit? It had the
> fading/weathering/rusting.......etc?

No, not me. sounds interesting, though... like to see it.

Mark