Great information, thanks. I had looked in the CPHA library for a
painting diagram, but couldn't find any that detailed this particular
paint scheme.
Craig
Jeff Pinchbeck (Redacted sender jpinchbeck for DMARC) wrote:
The black letterboard scheme was used from 1936 to 1949. It won't be obvious in the
photo but there is actually a black pinstripe 2" up from the bottom of the side,
below the windows and 2" below the black roof of the car. You need to consult
photographs that have better lighting to see that.
The first application was on the lightweight train sets pulled behind the 3000
series Jubilee engines. All lightweight cars (coaches, buffet, mail and
baggage express) delivered between 1936 and 1948 had this scheme. The
application of shields was applied up to and including the delivery of the
second order of 2100 series coaches in 1938. After that the shields were
dropped. Last cars delivered with black letterboard were the first order of
2200 series coaches numbered 2200-2234 between late 1947 and early 1948.
Heavyweight cars converted to air conditioning between 1936 and 1949 also received this paint scheme. They were painted with a
black pinstripe along the bottom of the side and one at the belt line, just below the windows of the car and no shields. Cars
involved were "N" and "S" series sleepers, AC converted coaches and tourist cars, "A",
"L" and "S" series diners along with BEAR RIVER, BLOMIDON and CANTERBURY, and 6600, MOUNT, RIVER, CAP and
FORT observation cars. A number of AC equipped business cars were also lettered, e.g., 70' superintendent cars, along with
dynamometer car #62.
Passenger cars were generally repainted every 5 to 7 years so, yeah,
conceivably cars were still found into the early 1950s
Jeff
