[PRCo] Re: Black on the PCCs

[Jim Holland]

Hi!
	First off, it is chernak Green, Not black!

	What confuses a determination from pictures is that there is either
molding between the cream roof and red above the windows or there is a
rain gutter along this length!  Also, the film emulsion often makes the
red look almost black in B&W photos so this clouds a determination!

	I am looking at a photo of brand-new 1204 and it  *appears*  as though
there IS a chernak-green line between cream roof and red above windows. 
Does Not appear to be a line between red above the windows and cream
windows.
	The belt rail itself is cream and there IS a green stripe on the lower
molding of the belt rail.
	On a new 1700, it is very difficult to tell if the underside of the
gutter (inside the gutter itself is cream) between cream roof and red
around standee windows is painted green - it appears not - appears dark
as if just in shadow, which it is.  Definitely Not a green line obetween
red of standee windows and cream of *sittee* windows!
	And a photo of 1170 at St.-Louis Car reveals a green line along the
molding between roof cream and above windows red.  NO green line between
red above windows and cream around windows.  Green line on lower belt
rail molding.

	PRCo was amazingly consistent in what it did and it seems the Only
variation in exterior colors of the PCCs is with the advent of the 1700s
and the hour--glass front dash.
	Now, there are always exceptions.  For some reason, PCC--100--herself
was painted a Chocolate--Brown for a time (don't know if that is light
brown or dark brown) and car 1630 was painted what appears to be an all
cream--color at St.-Louis-Car (pg.53 of Harold Cox' book  *PCC Cars of
North America.*)
	Super interesting to note is the striping on 1630 when all-cream  -- 
green line along top molding (which would be between cream roof and red
above windows IF it was red!), green line on lower molding of belt rail,
and green line at rub rail at floor level.!
	Photos of 1613 as new interurban (Jan--1946), 1481 at St.-Louis-Car,
and 1516 at St.-Louis Car show this arrangement.

	AHAaaa!!!  --  the color photo by John Baxter of 1734 used as a post
card most definitely shows a black line on the lower edge of the red
around the standee windows over the front doors - but it is super
difficult to tell if this went down the side of the car as well  --  and
this appears possible in some of the photos of the air cars but it is
extremely difficult to determine for sure!!  The roof molding overlaps
the window area and the area of the overlap appears darker - it is in
shadow, of course.
	The photo of the back of 1799 on a flat car at Millvale (pg.118 of
Vol.-3  *PA Trolleys in Color*) shows the back end and there appears to
be a green line along the molding under the standee windows which wraps
down and around the back windows - this is the same line that would
continue across the doors.  This green line appears on pgs.-245-247 of
Young and Provenzos book  --  *The History of the St. Louis Car
Company.*

	Another interesting note - the design of the 1700s is different from
other standee window cars in that the molding below these windows causes
the paint to extend across the very top of the doors - this line is
flush with the top of the doors on most other standee window cars.  So
this causes the top of the doors on PRCo 17s to have a band of red.  Yet
1700-herself in photos at Millvale upon delivery reveal the the doors
are cream at the top - no red band!

	And REpainted car 1111, used on the fan-trip (1958.02.02 - 1111 - PRCo
- "Groundhog Day Fantrip:" 21, 27, 30, 34/31, 64, 75, 76, 82, 87, 94,
96) appears to have a black line between the red above the windows and
the windows.

	Cars in the Half--n'--Half paint scheme had a red belt rail and both
moldings of the belt had a green (possibly black at this time) stripe.

	It is difficult to tell at times from the photos.

	Have I thoroughly confused the issue yet?!?!(:->)

> Dietrich, Robert J. wrote:

> . . . I became confused with the black lines.  I know the band around the
> bottom is black and the door seals, but what about the 1" black piping
> between the red and cream?  I looked at the color books and it appears that
> there is a stripe along the top of the letter board between the red and
> cream.

> So I need expert help.
> Did all (most) cars PCCs get the top black stripe?
> Is there a black stripe below the windows?  On all cars or just some?
> Is the black stripe consistent on all paint schemes?  Mine is a red front.

> Thanks.  I appreciate all the help I get from you folks.

> Bob

-- 
James B. Holland

        Pittsburgh  Railways  Company  (PRCo),   1930  --  1950
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