Author Topic: Monon Railroad Structure Colors  (Read 2899 times)

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David Armstrong

  • Monon Fireman
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Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« on: May 05, 2019, 08:25:01 pm »
Did the Monon Railroad have standard structure colors? I am interested in both the end-of-steam period and 1965/1966. I have a picture of what I assume to be a railroad structure at Cedar Creek (234.3?) that I took in 1966. The structure appears to be something like depot buff and brown, but the two prints that I have are quite faded and I no longer have a slide viewer to look at the original slide. I did not set out to model the Monon, but now that I have so many Monon models, I may wish to apply Monon Railroad colors to railroad structures that I add to my layout. Thank you in advance for any answers.

Mark Johnson

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Re: Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2019, 07:54:09 am »
Others with more knowledge will, hopefully, chime in - but the 'buff' color you describe was pretty common on wood-frame depot structures like Clear Creek, Mitchell, Pekin, and a few others. As we all know, the Monon tended to be a pretty low-buck operation for most of its independent life, and I always suspected that the most common color for structures was "whatever paint could be bought in bulk the cheapest."

Mark J
Columbia MO

David Armstrong

  • Monon Fireman
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Re: Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« Reply #2 on: May 29, 2019, 06:36:52 pm »
Since I do have one picture with those colors, I have no reason not to go with your suggestion. At least I can sort of match the colors that I observe in the picture.

George Lortz

  • Monon Engineer
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Re: Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« Reply #3 on: June 04, 2019, 01:52:49 am »
David,

Another color of paint that the Monon used, especially on depots, was a strange shade of light green.  I don't have the names of all of them, but I believe Salem was an example.

George L.

David Armstrong

  • Monon Fireman
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Re: Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« Reply #4 on: August 04, 2019, 03:15:03 pm »
While I thank you for the "light green" suggestion, I must be too much of a traditionalist. Of course, if I had taken a picture of the Monon station in Bloomington when I was stationed there in the service, I might have known at least of a different trim color, if there was a painted trim. That shows you how much I remember!


David Armstrong

  • Monon Fireman
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Re: Monon Railroad Structure Colors
« Reply #6 on: September 10, 2019, 04:35:38 pm »
Thank you Rick. I appreciate you posting the pictures!