Black B&O Wagon Top Express Boxcar

@CAPPilot posted:

Was there a black B&O wagon top express car.

Not to my knowledge.

  I've seen models painted black, but can not find anything on a prototype car painted black.

Probably since there were none.

Most B&O wagon top express cars were painted green

Must admit that I've never seen a "green" wagon top boxcar. Only the standard B&O "boxcar red" and blue.

with a few repainted blue in the 40s.

@Hot Water posted:

Must admit that I've never seen a "green" wagon top boxcar. Only the standard B&O "boxcar red" and blue.

Between 1939-1945, 125 M-53 Wagon Tops were modified for express service and called C-16.  These were initially painted green, with some of them painted blue in the mid-40s.  In late 1947 and into the 50s the express cars were returned to regular service and repainted boxcar colors.

It was the black C-16s that I was wondering about.  Several scale modeling companies produced one so I thought maybe there was one as well as the blue ones.

I agree with Hot Water. The only B&O wagon top cars in express service I saw were painted blue, and I saw a good number of those. I never saw a B&O wagon top painted black.

@rheil posted:

I agree with Hot Water. The only B&O wagon top cars in express service I saw were painted blue, and I saw a good number of those. I never saw a B&O wagon top painted black.

Thanks for the replies.  rheil, I find your comment interesting since everything I've read has said there were just a few blue cars.  One source stated 5 were painted that way (#1879, 1885, 1889, 1894 and 1986).  Another source, less footnoted, said 14 cars numbered 1886 to 1899 were blue.  I need to do some more research.

Thank you both for confirming there were no black Wagontops.  I did not think so, but since a few scale model makers produced a black one I wasn't sure.