Model Railroading > Walthers El Capitan painted interior and tinted windows

The blue is more turquoise than blue shown I added a dark green car tint to match photo below

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This cars is full no empty sets, Does any one have any green tint ideas

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This is an effective way to get green tinted glass in a passenger car.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Railway-Classics-PROTOCORRECT-TINTED-GLASS-SHEET-/400246690510?pt=Model_RR_Trains&hash=item5d308fd2ce

Thanks just bought two sheets

Very nice work--but unless you are working from a Santa Fe photo--I don't think the table tops were white or had table cloths when I rode it in the 1960s. Indeed I recall the interior was a turquoise color similar to the interior of VIA's rebuilt Budd cars.

Well since I was born in 1965 I guess I will have to ask, what color were the table tops.

I would certainly look for some Santa Fe color interior photos of the car before re-assembling your model. Plus, the green window tinting was quite heavy by today's decor standards and made everything look a little "Martian" especially the passengers. The photos are out there--perhaps as post cards or online. I recall that the tables were of a lighter shade of green Formica--but I am really taxing my memory. The tables were set with Santa Fe marked paper placemats (somewhat thinner than what Walthers uses for its LAUPT kit--LOL!) I not just being cheeky here, do look for some color interior shots.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/12 16:48 by railwaybaron.

Hard to find good period interior pics in a web search. On most any passenger equipment, sadly. Railroad ads can be the best source. Refine an image search to names of trains, the name of the railroad, and the word "ad" and see what happens.

Regardless of accuracy, the change from Walthers near-translucent tan plastic is welcome. Walthers, why do you do such a fabulous job outside and then leave us with see-through tan blobs and wedges for an interior? Not that I'm picking, mind you. (I am.)

Your passenger load will make the car come alive. If you're representing the 1960s, or around the time you were born, there would likely be some empty seats and tables. Even in a busy lounge car on a busy train, unless it was prime drinking hour -- usually later in the evening as people were waiting for a dinner seating. Once jet planes took over around 1960, even full trains had some room in the lounge cars, unless it was a holiday weekend. Sometimes you could roll a bowling ball through them and not hit anyone. And it also thinned out depending on where you were along the route. Travel-weary people stayed in their seats or rooms, and only chain-smokers, card players, and the alco-saturated stayed in the lounge all day.

~ BZ



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/12 18:37 by Notch16.

Check Stout's Santa Fe through Passenger Service Volume 1 from Morning Sun. On the bottom of page 20 is a color photo of the interior of a Hi-Lever lounge. Looks like the table tops are a light green or khaki color (close to the industrial colors often used for the interior of bus roofs of that period) with small dark brown or black Indian designs repeated across the whole top.

Jay

Well that's great can someone post a picture of this and credit the author I cant pay $50.00 for one pic I do have 4 of the morning sun book but not this one

What manufacturer paint colors did you use on the interior?

The picture of the El Cap lounge shows tables with a geometric check pattern in "industrial" turquoise and tan Formica.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/12 21:39 by railwaybaron.

garr Wrote:
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... (close to the industrial
> colors often used for the interior of bus roofs of
> that period)
...


Ouch, nailed that one. I remember that color.

bnsfmodeler Wrote:
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> Well since I was born in 1965 I guess I will have
> to ask, what color were the table tops.


The table tops were translucent (similar to corrigated clear fiberglass panels) with actual seaweed in the table tops. I too was born in 1965 and have very vivid memories of riding ATSF passenger trains as my dad was employed with the ATSF for 33 years.
Charlie
MP 53 on the BNSF Topeka Sub

bnsfmodeler, you've got internet search capabilities, yes? It's not impossible to find a little bit of info.

Entering "santa fe el capitan advertisement" in Bing Images, I found this:

http://imagehost.vendio.com/bin/viewimage.x/00000000/abyss/adsfhilevel213.jpg?vvid=36795872&allow_track_link=1&track=027b2ea79f-7e06d&sp=1&vsid=1&vgp=0

Hope the link stays active on TO. If not, you'll find a color ad for the Hi-Level "El Cap" with one photo of the lounge. These pics are notoriously altered by art departments of the railroad advertising bureaus. But I see a light tan wall color (sorry, Walthers, I take it back!), some turquoise on bulkheads, what looks like ivory vinyl on some seating areas (I recall that from the Domes) and the institutional vanilla color which could certainly be that 'seaweed and fiberglass' top cited above.

Searching eBay for ads is also worthwhile. And if you can't afford a book, go Old Skool -- try the local library! You might be shocked at what's on their shelves!

Good luck, and nice work, kudos for diving right in -- even though your TO Ad-Hoc Research Team is making life a little more challenging for you. :-)

~ BZ



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/12 21:41 by Notch16.

Again looking at the color photo in the Morning Sun book, the table tops as shown are a repeating geometric tan and greenish turquoise pattern. I also remember the aforementioned Fiberglas seaweed table tops but I believe they were a latter 1960s rebuild. The seats in the car are light tan but have turquoise accents on the shelves behind. The staircase down to the Kachina Room and the water cooler are mainly turquoise Formica. The flooring is tourquoise. The bulkheads, ceiling and sides abound the windows are light tan. The tan is a sand color. I do not know how to post the photo and besides I think it would lose definition. Rather than pay $50 for a posting you could pay about the same for the book itself and you would probably get a better result. Overland Models sells the book at discount. Good luck!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/12/12 21:54 by railwaybaron.

Probably not a lot of help but here is (1) a drawing from the Santa Fe's
brochure describing the El Capitan and (2) a black and white photo
from the late 60s.

peddler

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Yes indeed. I never rode the "El Cap", only the "San Francisco Chief", and so never rode these cars until Amtrak.

But there are the classic Southwest Santa Fe Navajo-inspired colors that ran throughout the lightweight fleet: turquoise, desert sand, and clay red. Also looks like a Kachina motif on the tables in the 1960's B&W shot.

Well, bnsfmodeler, you may be in for a little more masking and spraying, or maybe you'll just call it a day with some judicious brush painting? It's fun to ride the train! (Santa Fe!) :-)

~ BZ

I am using Testors #2965 Turquoise for Santa Fe interior use. It appears to be a near match. The tinting sheet by Railway Classics is also the best I've ever seen.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/13/12 12:29 by ATSF3751.

post a pic