# Rio Grande caboose roof color?



## Tom Leaton (Apr 26, 2008)

If I paint my unpainted D&RGW narrow gauge caboose, would the prototype have a red body and roof, or a red body and a black roof? ( Of course, a red rood would be sooty black in real life, but that is another matter)

Any ideas?

Tom


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## stevedenver (Jan 6, 2008)

in reviewing for your question, west from omaha-the only book i have with color photos of DRG and RGS, 
every caboose roof is clearly body red-center cupola and off set cupola types 
the photos are circa late 1940s 

also 0586-at georgetown-unrefurb'd is also red body roof-know this first hand and its dead accurate correct info

the only black roofs ive ever seen are in hobby shops-and these with, as i recall, white grab irons-so likely a very later refurb, id imagine (very catchy looking with all the contrast)


im sure there is a prototype for it too, but i havent seen it-but it only makes sense as a cost saving after re-roofing with felt

variety is the spice


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## Tenwheeler (Mar 5, 2010)

Caboose body for 8 wheelers was boxcar red and red for boobers.

Roof was black rolled roofing.


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## Big65Dude (Jan 2, 2008)

Tom -

I don't know how helpful this may be, but here's a pic of a model D&RGW* caboose I built, clearly showing its (more-or-less) black roof: 









* _Dulles & Reston Garden Weeds Railroad_ - but, perhaps, you may have been referring to that _other_ D&RGW RR...


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## San Juan (Jan 3, 2008)

Black roof. They used tar paper on the roofs.

Grabs were aluminum.

Body was more boxcar red (brown) then red.

Although I model the late 1940s to early 1950s so things are probably different for other modeling periods.

Looks like this (paint is fairly accurate although the model itself is not since it's a USA trains caboose and not a true scale model of a D&RGW caboose):


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## jimtyp (Jan 2, 2008)

The AMS D&RGW short caboose I have, came with a dark gray roof:  link to pic


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## chuck n (Jan 2, 2008)

The only color picture of a D&RGW caboose I can find in my books is on page 157 of John B. Norwood's book RIO GRANDE NARROW GAUGE. The picture was taken at Cumbres, the caboose is directly behind a K-37 (# 492). The caboose's number is 04343. There is no date on the picture, but the engine and caboose are lettered for the D&RGW. The roof is black and the walkways are natural, with a lot of dark stains.

Chuck


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## johnegert (Dec 27, 2007)

Yeah---- good old black tarpaper. It usually took three longitudinal rows--one on each side with a couple of inches of overlap nailed to roof edges, and one row down the center overlapping the side lengths. Remember, too, that caboose roofs on the D&RGW often got a coat of disgusting black tar mopped over everything, resulting in lots of gooey crap in spots like the chimney stack flange, etc. Lots of modelers use wet-or-dry sandpaoper for roofing material, but I like black construction paper better. If you're really bonkers, you can use insect pins with small scale-looking heads for "roofing nails".... that and some heavy acrylic black and a very small brush for patches and sealing. Finally, the whole mess grays out pretty quickly in the mountain sun, so it's best to tone down the black.
john


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