Hi Chuck,

 

The use of “white lead” and “red lead” was not limited to railroads.  White lead was a major paint component.  Oil, typically boiled linseed oil, pigments, driers, and solvents, typically mineral spirits or turpentine, were added to white lead to make now largely banned “lead paint.” 

 

“Red lead” was a lead based paint commonly used as a primer, especially, but not exclusively, over steel as it has rust inhibiting qualities.  We used a lot of it in the Navy and Coast Guard.  It has since largely been replaced by other non-lead red colored primers that some still called “red lead.” 

 

While assigned to the Skipjack in the ‘60s, we used a vinyl paint system that started with zinc chromate primer on bare HY80 steel, sometimes followed by a vinyl “red lead” primer, and then the black vinyl color coat.  MEK was the solvent used for these primers and paints.  I guess my point is that in some circles at least “red lead” became a generic name for any red primer regardless of whether it contained lead.

 

Pax,

 

 

Ralph Brown
Portland, Maine
PRRT&HS No. 3966
NMRA No. L2532

rbrown51[at]maine[dot]rr[dot]com

 

From: Charles Peck

Sent: Sunday, July 4, 2021 9:39 AM

To: main@realstmfc.groups.io

Subject: Re: [EXT] [RealSTMFC] caboose colors

 

Out of not knowing, I am wondering about the uses of lead oxides.  Grandfather, an L&N RR

boilermaker, had mason jars of red lead and white lead that he had brought home from the shops.

I seem to recall the red lead being used as a primer coat. Were these common in RR shops?

What other uses would these have had?

Chuck Peck

 

On Sun, Jul 4, 2021 at 9:15 AM Bruce Smith <smithbf@...> wrote:

Ray,

 

Red pigments are one of the earliest color pigments that human used. Red pigments occur naturally in the form of iron oxides, hence the name "oxide red" as a common paint color for that boxcar red sort of color. Of course, these colors have brown and orange overtones, so they are not the "pure" reds that one associates with the color "caboose red". One of the first uses that I am aware of for a "red" is the PRR's red background for keystones on passenger engines and signs. This color was called "toluidine red" and its use began in the late 1920. The paint was expensive and therefore unlikely to be used for the exterior of cars. Widespread use of truly red car paint seems to coincide with the introduction of synthetic paints and pigments following WWII.

 

Regards,

Bruce Smith

Auburn, AL

 

---

From: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io> on behalf of Ray Hutchison <rayhutchison2@...>
Sent: Sunday, July 4, 2021 6:35 AM
To: main@RealSTMFC.groups.io <main@RealSTMFC.groups.io>
Subject: [EXT] [RealSTMFC] caboose colors

 

CAUTION: Email Originated Outside of Auburn.

I know that the answer for individual railroads will differ, but I am wondering when the "caboose red" started to be used?  Color photographs (there are not many) of older cabeese show a boxcar red or similar color, but at some point rialroads began to paint their cars in colors that carried through to modern period.  My particular interest is Great Northern, contemporary models (including brass) show the early wood boxcars in caboose red... but before this, what color would they have been painted?

Ray Hutchison
Green Bay WI