# When did D&RGW start using Yellow and Silver colors?



## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

I have an old USAT D&RGW wood sided Yellow and Silver Boxcar #41617 with a yellow roof. The markings include "New 8-29". USAT made the boxcar in the USA. 

I am curious if D&RGW was actually painting wood sided boxcars in the yellow and silver colors and if anyone knows if there was a #41617 so colored.

Just curious - no special reason. I would have expected a wood boxcar to have had a black roof but it is not unlikely that the boxcar was in use 30+ years into the diesel age.

For that matter does anyone know the history of when USAT (and LGB) actually made rolling stock in the USA?

Thanks,

Jerry


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## parkdesigner (Jan 5, 2008)

Grande Gold colors started with passenger cars in 1950. Four cars (IIRC) were given gold and 2 stripe schemes - 3 coaches and a Combine #212. In 1955 the color was applied to additional cars, but the scheme was simplified to a single black stripe. 

Somewhere after '55 a pair of boxcars (wood) were given a complementary paint scheme - yellow with a silver roof. These were used on the "Silverton" train out of Durango, usually alongside the yellow varnish.

So to answer your question - use technically there were (and still are) yellow wood-sided boxcars on the grande - but only a few, and only starting in the late 1950s.

Hope that helps.



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## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

Posted By parkdesigner on 18 Mar 2012 06:15 PM 
Grande Gold colors started with passenger cars in 1950. Four cars (IIRC) were given gold and 2 stripe schemes - 3 coaches and a Combine #212. In 1955 the color was applied to additional cars, but the scheme was simplified to a single black stripe. 

Somewhere after '55 a pair of boxcars (wood) were given a complementary paint scheme - yellow with a silver roof. These were used on the "Silverton" train out of Durango, usually alongside the yellow varnish.

So to answer your question - use technically there were (and still are) yellow wood-sided boxcars on the grande - but only a few, and only starting in the late 1950s.

Hope that helps.



Yes, that helps.

The boxcar is USAT #R1942. The sides are two tone yellow over silver and the roof is yellow.

The yellow roof looks strange to me but since D&RGW had dieselized I guess a black roof became unimportant.

Thanks,

Jerry


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

I found a picture of your boxcar.

USA 41617

That is definitely a standard gauge D&RGW inspired paint scheme. The great info provided by parkdesigner is for narrow gauge cars.


Although I know way more about the D&RGW narrow gauge, my guess for when this was used would be the 1960s. But the car itself would have been metal, not wood. So it's a fantasy boxcar. Nice looking one, but not prototypical.


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

In either 1948 or 1949 there was a railroad fair in Chicago. The D&RGW send and engine (268?) and some passenger cars to run on a loop. They were painted in the Rio Grande gold for that exhibition. As they say the rest is history.

Chuck


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## rdamurphy (Jan 3, 2008)

Yeah, it's a generic model, doesn't match a particular prototype, either standard or narrow gauge with a generic paint scheme. That doesn't mean it isn't cool, it just doesn't follow any specific prototype.


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## Jerrys-RR (Jun 21, 2010)

Posted By chuck n on 18 Mar 2012 07:11 PM 
In either 1948 or 1949 there was a railroad fair in Chicago. The D&RGW send and engine (268?) and some passenger cars to run on a loop. They were painted in the Rio Grande gold for that exhibition. As they say the rest is history.

Chuck 



Hi Chuck,

Thanks for the link. That is funny because a web search came up with the same website but when there I could not find the photo. I must have been doing something wrong.

I saw where Knut had uploaded the photo but that site does not allow downloading its images which is why I don't upload photos to it.

It is nice to have a few pieces of LGB and USA rolling stock that was made in the USA. They don't seem to carry any extra value but they are worth more to me.

Jerry


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## Jerry McColgan (Feb 8, 2008)

It looks like the USAT number is wrong. It apparently should be R1932.

R1932 Rio Grande #41617 – wood X

That's good because I have the box for R1932.

Jerry


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