# Western Maryland speed lettering



## Bob Small (Jan 3, 2008)

In the Morning Sun book "WM Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Equipment" the author mentions that "In order for the speed lettering to line up from car to car, the WM painting diagrams specified the location of the lettering at seven feet, five inches from the top of the railhead" (which I assume to be to the bottom of the lettering).




But when I scale off the photo of the C-19 ACF 2-bay covered hopper (page 47) it is more like 9 feet to the bottom of the lettering.




If I locate the lettering at the stated 7'-5" then it looks far too low.




And what are the widths of the 4 "stripes" and the 3 "spaces". It doesn't look quite right if the stripes and the spaces are the same width.


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## W3NZL (Jan 2, 2008)

Bob, 
I think that 7'5" refers to coal hoppers only, although the author doesn't say so.. 
I have some of the speedletter paint scheme drawings, but not the ones for the 
hoppers... The author mentions dimensions from the tops of the cars or railheads, 
all the dimensions in the drawings I have R from the bottom of the sill in all cases... 

On the stripes, the serif of the stripes is the same as the lettering, an evenly 
spaced... 
Paul R...


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## Bob Small (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks Paul


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