Looking for help on the color of Lionel's 150 prewar window trim with a loco painted in brown.

Handrails were left natural except on the 700 series. Window beads were painted red on side windows only.

Tin

Thank you Tin for the information. Question: the only windows painted were the two one each side?

Per Greenberg's book, the Brown 150 had Dark Olive Green window trim, and the handrails flanking the door were painted Gold.  Source: Greenberg's Guide to Lionel 1901-1942, Vol. II: 0 and 00 Gauges.  Used Gold Rubber Stamped "New York Central Lines".  The grills were same color as body.

Thank you Teledoc, I have the rubber stamps and all the colors of ink so that is not a problem. Greenbergs book states olive green with gold painted.
Tin says that the windows were red and that the handrails left unpainted.
Does anyone know if Lionel changed the trim colors and painted handrails through the course of the 150 brown loco run?

Ron, From the above referenced book, what I posted is the ONLY colors that were listed, and ONLY one 150 in that color.  I'm not on my computer right now, but if you want all the color combo's as listed, I can post them later.  Sorry Tin is wrong.

Thank you Teledoc for the information.
Will follow with the Olive green and the gold handrails.
Just want to get a accurate as possible as this loco was painted some type of green and saw the brown when stripping the paint.
Just love these little locos, easy to restore, lots of fun.

Okay, back to the little 150 again.  There was the early version produced in 1917, with the 700 body style, which was painted Dark Green.

The Late Versions (1917-1925) The 150 series bodies;  details were Embossed handrails usually painted gold, black frames, and gold stampings.  Colors:

a. Brown/dark olive green window trim (type 3 motor)

b. Maroon/brown window trim

c. Maroon/dark olive window trim

d. Brown/dark olive window trim (type 4 motor)

e. Dark Green

f. Dark Olive Green

g. Mojave

h. Peacock

i. Brownish Maroon/ dark olive window trim (type 4 motor)

This is straight out of Greenberg Guide.  The last three colors are not normal colors, and per any writings in both Greenberg or Doyle, they are considered as possible special orders for customers, or repaints from Lionel on a repair/returned item, and repainted with that day's available color.  Any of these odd colors are noted as "Extreme Caution when buying--Fakes can and were made" to increase desirability and value.

If you disagree with the above, tell me why.

Thank you Teledoc, I believe I have the 150 with the type 3 motor as it has the same brush plate and wheel bearings.
Anyway they have the same trim color and the hand rails will be painted gold.
When I redo/restore a train I will always state it is a repaint and what new replacement parts were place on the engine/car, I never resell anything anyway. Just having fun researching and obtaining the parts.

There are other early transition pieces as well. Greenberg's is far from conclusive on anything. The transition piece I owned until I sold it this past summer was Brown with wire handrails that were unpainted, and the window trim was red. This I know was a manufacturing loco. I also owned an excellent original Brown version with stamped handrails, as many were, but they were not painted gold. The window trim on that loco was the maroon. This was also a manufacturing loco and was in a set number 161 with a scarce two toned PRR Box Car.

Tin

Thank You Tin, I know that sometimes Greenberg can be wrong and it sounds like you have and had the brown 150 loco (older & newer versions) with original paint. Since this is a repaint and will never be sold as a original factory painted loco, I  just may rubber stamp the loco with the gold ink for now. The hand rails are embossed on the shell so it is a later version. 

I just looked at my Doyle Lionel Prewar trains and used a magnifying glass to look at the photo, the photo does have the window trim in green. Maybe Lionel was not that consistent in the window trim color and used what they had on the assembly line at that time. Variations could be from that. Also I can not make out if the handrails were painted.

Gentlemen,

   I do believe you will find between 6-10 different color variations, and some that were not even listed in a catalog or in Greenberg's Guide either.  Lionel did a lot of this kind of stuff on their Pre War Tin Plate Trains.

PCRR/Dave