Interchange: New York Central

The New York Central Railroad (reporting mark NYC) was a railroad operating in the Northeastern United States. 

In 1968 the NYC merged with its former rival, the Pennsylvania Railroad, to form Penn Central (the New York, New Haven and Hartford Railroad joined in 1969). That company went bankrupt in 1970 and was taken over by the federal government and merged into Conrail in 1976. Conrail was broken up in 1998, and portions of its system were transferred to the newly formed New York Central Lines LLC, a subsidiary leased to and eventually absorbed by CSX and Norfolk Southern. Those companies' lines included the original New York Central main line, but outside that area it included lines that were never part of the New York Central system. CSX was able to take one of the most important main lines in the nation, which runs from New York City and Boston to Cleveland, Ohio, as part of the Water Level Route, while Norfolk Southern gained the Cleveland, Ohio to Chicago, Illinois portion of the line called the Chicago line.

Freight Equipment

Specification P-18, Painting Open Top and Flat Cars, first issued December 28, 1921 indicates the following for repainting of cars:

* Shops equipped for handling F-1 black car cement, between April 1 and October 1 painted the cars BLACK. Shops NOT equipped for handling F-1 cement and ALL shops between October 1 and April 1 painted the cars freight car red/brown.

* From February 20, 1941 to June 6, 1956 they were painted freight car red/brown. New cars built built in 1956 and later were painted black.

* From about 1960 to 1968 a black paint replaced the F-1 cement and was used year round on hoppers, gondolas and flatcars. Some special service gondolas received silver paint. Some P&LE gondolas and flatcars were painted Century Green between 1960 and late 1966.

According to “NYC Color Guide to Freight and Passenger Cars” by Sweetland and Yanosey, “The box car red look became passé on the Central in the late 1958 changeover to Century (jade) green.” There are a couple of photos in the book dated 1959 that show green box cars with cigar band logos.

Heralds

Roman style "System" herald used between November 1935 and August 1955. Between November 1935 and March 1944 - the roman "System" herald had a black background. The black background officially removed from the roman "System" herald starting March 2, 1944. Reporting marks and data were Roman style. Reporting marks were 9" and car numbers were 7" on most cars.
Gothic style "System" herald used between August 1955 and May 1959. The black herald background returned with the gothic "System" herald. (NOTE: The gothic "System" herald was also used prior to 1955 on Pacemaker boxcars and bay window cabooses. Reporting marks and data were Gothic style.. Reporting marks were 11" and car numbers were 9" on most cars.
Cigar band style herald officially adopted at 1959 Shareholders meeting and cars started to be repainted in the Century Green scheme June 1959. Originally, boxcars painted in the Century green had black roof and ends. September 18, 1961 - the line in the reporting marks was removed. During 1963 - cars started to appear with entire car body painted Century Green and smaller herald appeared on boxcars starting in 1964. Covered hoppers and flexi-van flats were painted gray with black lettering - despite what some model companies have produced - the NYC did not paint covered hoppers Century Green. A small number of covered hoppers were painted black ( usually assigned to company sand service), but never green. It appears that Flexi-van flats never received the cigar band herald. Lots 130G and 148G cars had no heralds.
Pacemaker Freight Service Pacemaker cars painted starting in 1946 for service as cars were modified from regular boxcar service to high speed lightweight service. It took until 1953 before all 1000 lot 737-B cars were modified and painted for Pacemaker service.
At time of introduction in 1946, the cars were red and grey with white reporting marks.
The reporting marks were found hard to read, so in 1948/49, they were changed to black.
In 1955, the background of the herald was changed to black.
Cars were renumbered in 1960 and the reporting marks returned to white.

Diesel Locomotives

The NYC’s 4 FT’s 1600-3 delivered in 1944 were all black with vertical & horizontal nose stripes, but not a true lightning stripe. The 2 F2’s 1604-5 delivered in1946 had the same scheme.
Four E7’s were delivered 3/45 with an early version of the lightning stripe. 4000-1 were light gray with a dark gray band. 4002-3 were black with a black band. Four more E7’s 4004-7 in 10/45 were delivered with the early light gray with dark gray band scheme.
E7’s 4008-23 were delivered in 4/47 with the standard passenger lightning stripe.
F3’s 1606-1610 were delivered 6/47 with the standard lightning stripe and the gray bar ending behind the rear porthole. B-units were solid black. This appeared to be the freight scheme for other units delivered through 1948.
After that the standard freight lightning stripe scheme had the gray band extending the full length of the carbody and the band was also applied to the b-units.
The cigar band paint scheme for locomotives appears to have been phased in from 1960 to 1962. (Another source claims 1957.)

Cabeese

Passenger Equipment

Painting and Lettering

Heavyweight Cars:

* Prior to 1934 - Cars painted Pullman green - roof, underbody and trucks painted black. 5" Roman style gold leaf lettering ( headend cars used yellow lettering). Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Boston and Albany cars lettered BOSTON & ALBANY. MCRR and CCC&STL cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES with 3" sublettering. P&LE and P&E cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES with 3" sublettering. Car numbers centered over each truck.

* 1934 to 1937 - Cars painted Pullman green - roof, underbody and trucks painted black. 5" Roman style gold leaf lettering ( headend cars used yellow lettering). Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Car numbers moved to center of car. Cars shopped for Air Conditioning received a 2-1/2" 'C' under the car number. Boston and Albany cars lettered BOSTON & ALBANY. MCRR and CCC&STL cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES with 3" sublettering. P&LE and P&E cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL LINES with 3" sublettering.

* 1937 to 1939 - Cars painted Pullman green - roof, underbody and trucks painted black. 5" Roman style gold leaf lettering ( headend cars used yellow lettering). Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Car numbers moved to center of car. Cars shopped for Air Conditioning received a 2-1/2" 'C' under the car number. Boston and Albany cars lettered BOSTON & ALBANY. MCRR and CCC&STL cars renumbered and lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL with no sublettering. P&LE and P&E cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM with sublettering above car number.

* Starting in 1939 - Cars painted Pullman green with Gothic style imitation gold ( yellow ) lettering. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Cars shopped for Air Conditioning received a 2-1/2" 'C' under the car number. Boston and Albany cars lettered BOSTON & ALBANY. P&LE, PMcK&Y and P&E cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM with sublettering. Road initials 3" - car numbers 5"

* Starting in 1940 - Cars painted Pacemaker green ( similar to Pullman green - also called Dupont green #83-D39527 ) with Gothic style imitation gold ( yellow ) lettering. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Cars shopped for Air Conditioning received a 2-1/2" 'C' under the car number. Boston and Albany cars lettered BOSTON & ALBANY. P&LE, PMcK&Y and P&E cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL SYSTEM with sublettering. Road initials 3" - car numbers 5"

* Before 1953 - Pullman cars assigned to the NYC were painted Pullman green and lettered PULLMAN. Cars remained lettered PULLMAN after purchased by NYC at the end of 1948.

* After March 6, 1953 - Cars equipped with air conditioning and some headend cars repainted into the post 1948 two-tone grey scheme - same colors and lettering as the lightweight cars, except roof and underframe is F-1 car cement ( black ). NYC owned former Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Only 83 of 379 former Pullman cars painted in this scheme

* After May 1954 - Cars equipped with air conditioning repainted into the post 1948 two-tone grey scheme - same colors and lettering as the lightweight cars, except roof and underframe is F-1 car cement ( black ). NYC owned former Pullman cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL and sublettered PULLMAN at the ends. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Only 59 of 379 former Pullman cars painted in this scheme.

* Starting in 1957 Boston and Albany cars relettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Cars with air conditioning painted two-tone grey - non air conditioned cars painted Pacemaker green.

* After May 1958 - Headend cars painted solid grey. Lettering remains aluminum gray.

Some cars received the following paint schemes between 1966 and 1968:

* After July 1966 - air conditioned coaches painted two-tone gray with top aluminum stripe removed.

* After October 1966 - air conditioned coaches painted Pacemaker green with imitation gold lettering and no stripes - though paint diagram instructions stated to use up grey paint first ( resulting in some cars painted solid grey ).

* After December 1966 - air conditioned coaches painted Pacemaker green with imitation gold lettering and stripes.

* Starting in January 1968 - air conditioned coaches painted dark grey with aluminum gray lettering and stripes.

Other paint schemes and notes:

* Pacemaker cars painted BROWN with yellow striping and red ovals above car numbers

* Motor Queen cars painted BROWN with FAWN window band.

* James Whitcomb Riley cars painted grey with ORANGE window band.

* Streamlined Mercury cars painted two-tone grey with silver accents.

* A 'C' located under the car number meant the car was equipped with air conditioning.

* An 'F' located under the car number meant the car was equipped with ceiling fans.

* A 1-1/2" diameter solid circle under the car number meant the car was equipped with bulkhead fans

* A 2" star above the car number meant the car was used as a crew coach with no change in car number.

* A '•' located under the car number meant the car was equipped with bulkhead fans.

Smoothside Lightweight Cars:

* 1938 20th Century scheme - Light grey car body with dark grey window band - 2-1/2" Blue opex stripes separating the greys. 3-3/4" Aluminum stripes through window panels. Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL.

* 1939 20th Century scheme - Light grey car body with dark grey window band. Blue opex stripes replaced with 1-3/4" alumin stripes. 3-3/4" Aluminum stripes changed to 3/4" Aluminum stripes through window panels. Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL.

* 1941/1942 delivered coaches - painted Pacemaker Green with yellow (imitation gold) Gothic lettering and stripes. Lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL.

* November 1942 - Aluminum stripes at the top and bottom of cars sides removed.

* 2 cars painted experimental two-tone GREEN - Cascade Vale and Imperial Palace.

* 1946/1947 delivered 9100 series baggage cars - When delivered - painted Pacemaker Green with yellow (imitation gold) Gothic lettering ( no stripes ). Lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Repainted two-tone grey in early 1950s - then solid gray after May 1958.

* November 1946 - First use of Dark grey body with light grey window band. Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Colors were darker than those used on the original 1938 scheme. Retained narrow window band stripes.

* January 1948 - Remove narrow window band stripes. Stripes and lettering changed from light gray to aluminum then to imitation silver #600-4. Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN with small NEW YORK CENTRAL at ends.

* April 1948 - Car names and numbers reduced in height from 5" to 4"

* 1948 - underbody and trucks painted "Plymouth Gunmetal"

* February 1949 - Dark grey color changed from #70-14 to #70-74 and light grey from #70-15 to #70-73.

* April 1953 - Black pinstripe around letters, numbers and stripes removed.

* After May 1954 - Pullman cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL with small PULLMAN at ends. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL.

* After February 1957 - Imitation silver #600-4 changed to #70-24.

* After April 1958 - underbody and trucks painted black.

* After April 10, 1958 - Pullman cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL only. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL as before. 4" car numbers added to sleeper car sides under car name.

* After May 1958 - Headend cars painted solid gray with aluminum gray lettering.

* 1960 - Dark gray changed to #83-67117

Pullman and ACF Stainless steel cars:

* 20 ACF baggage-coaches delivered in stainless steel with Black Gothic lettering.

* 2 ACF baggage-coaches ( #344 and #345 ) delivered in post 1946 two-tone grey.

* PS coaches delivered in stainless steel with Black Gothic lettering.

* As car roofs began to leak - some cars had F-1 car cement applied to roof to seal leaks ( F-1 car cement is BLACK )

Budd Stainless steel cars:

* 1938 delivered cars - Black Roman style lettering - 2 cars only - #2560 and #2561 - both cars had window band painted orange in 1941 for service on James Whitcomb Riley.

* 1939 and 1941 delivered cars - Black Gothic style lettering - 2 cars - #2562 and #2563 - both cars had window band painted orange in 1941 for service on James Whitcomb Riley.

* Empire State Express cars - delivered November 1941 - RPO (2 cars), Baggage-Tavern-Lounge (2 cars), dining cars (4 cars) and tavern-obs (2 cars) lettered EMPIRE STATE EXPRESS. Coaches (16 cars) and Drawing Room-Parlor cars (6 cars) lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL

* 1946-1949 delivered cars - Black Gothic lettering. Pullman cars lettered PULLMAN in the center letterboard and NEW YORK CENTRAL at the ends.

* After April 1954 - underbody and trucks painted black.

* After May 1954 - Pullman cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL with small PULLMAN at ends. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL

* After August 27, 1956 - Letterboard painted dark grey with light aluminum grey NEW YORK CENTRAL lettering.

* After April 10, 1958 - Pullman cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. Dining cars, coaches and headend cars lettered NEW YORK CENTRAL. 4" car numbers added to sleeper car sides under car name.

* As car roofs began to leak - some cars had F-1 car cement applied to roof to seal leaks ( F-1 car cement is BLACK )

Express Reefer & Milk Cars:

* Prior to 1939 - Cars painted Pacemaker green including underframe and trucks.. 5" Roman style NEW YORK CENTRAL. 3" N.Y.C. above 5" car numbers centered above trucks. All lettering on exterior of car is yellow ( imitation gold ).

* After 1939 to June 1957 - Cars painted Pacemaker green including underframe and trucks. 5" Gothic style NEW YORK CENTRAL. 3" NYC above 5" car numbers centered above trucks. All lettering on exterior of car is yellow ( imitation gold )

* June 1957 to April 1958 - Cars painted Pacemaker green including underframe and trucks. 5" Gothic style NEW YORK CENTRAL. 5" NYC above 7" car numbers centered above trucks. All lettering on exterior of car is yellow ( imitation gold )

* April 1958 to July 1959 - Cars painted Pacemaker green. Roof and underframe painted black with F-1 car cement. Trucks painted with black enamel. 5" Gothic style NEW YORK CENTRAL. 5" NYC above 7" car numbers centered above trucks. All lettering on exterior of car is yellow ( imitation gold )

* After July 1959 - Cars painted Dupont green. Roof and underframe painted black with F-1 car cement. Trucks painted with black enamel. 5" Gothic style NEW YORK CENTRAL. 5" NYC above 7" car numbers centered above trucks. All lettering on exterior of car is yellow ( imitation gold )

Converted Troop Sleepers:

* Cars 9200-9499 - When rebuilt to express cars starting in December 1947 - painted Pacemaker Green with imitation gold lettering. When first rebuilt - all lettering 5" and no reporting marks ( N.Y. C. ) above car number. Around 1950 - 3" reporting marks ( N. Y. C. ) were added. Walthers 932-17283.

* Leased cars 9500-9599 were painted in 1948 two-tone grey passenger car paint when they arrived in 1953 from Chicago Freight Car Parts Company. All lettering aluminum grey. Lettering 5" except reporting marks ( N.Y.C.) which are 3". In June 1957 - car initials changed to 5" and car numbers changed to 7". These cars were leased from 1953 to late 1962. In HO scale - Walthers 932-17282.

* Some cars repainted into a two-tone grey paint scheme starting in December 1958 ( 2' wide light gray band - not quite the same scheme as the passenger cars ) - All lettering white - except black EXPRESS CAR lettering in middle of light gray band - left of door. Reporting marks and car number were 7". In HO scale - Walthers 932-17281.

* After September 1962 - cars painted solid dark grey with White lettering. Reporting marks on right side of door only.

Further Reading

NYC Modeler ezine.

https://www.canadasouthern.com/caso/home.htm - Canada Southern division of the New York Central