A verrrry red-faced Charlie Vlk admits that he did mean Mr. Tom Madden, Dean of All Things Pullman.....
The process of objectivity you describe hits the nail on the head...... we can wax poetic about how
the human eye processes different wavelengths of light, etc... but if we don't know what the size and
nature of the subject we're dealing with it is just a waste of electrons.....
I'd like to work on a Color Project, but sure would like a few people that have more knowledge of setting
up databases and are more internet savvy than I.... also that have some time to devote to data entry, etc..
Since the source documents (unlike the Pullman records which are in a few locations) are scattered
in files across the world, I think the real population of the database (i.e., CB&Q E7 EMD Styling Drawing
Dated 4/48, Issue C with such and such colors referenced) would be a Wikopedia type effort.
Charlie Vlk


Charlie Vlk wrote:

> ... what we really [need] to get started is a
> database of the caliber of Mr. Maddox's Pullman Project.

I'm going to go out on a limb here and assume you meant me, Charlie.
But if Tom Maddox (QB: UCLA, Denver, Pittsburgh) has been working up
a Pullman database, please point me to it. :-)

There is almost no subjectivity in the Pullman database - it contains
facts directly transcribed from original Pullman records. I had to do
some interpretation (is that written number a "3" or a "5"?) and make
occasional inferences (the original truck data is missing for this
car, but every other car in that lot was delivered with 2410A trucks,
ergo...), but there wasn't a lot of opportunity to make subjective
judgements. Color interpretation is going to be chock full of
subjective judgements, for reasons that have been discussed at
excruciating length here on the STMFC.

Having said that, databases and other foundation documents seldom
originate in committees. They happen because someone (and it's almost
always one) decides to do it. And they keep at it until others
recognize the value of the undertaking and decide to contribute to
it. But it's that one person creating the framework that makes it all
happen. You start with curiosity, move up to "interest",
then "passion", and next thing you know you've committed all your
hobby time, energy and resources to it. You do need to stop
before "obsession", because that tends to scare people off!

Tom Madden