Pennsy Valve Gear...To paint or not?

Do a Google image search on "PRR steam color" and you'll get lots of color photos of Pennsy steam.  No bright rods on work a day locomotives, particularly in the late steam era.  For my models, I paint the rods with Neolube then weather on top of that.  Depending on the locomotive, wheels and rods will get a mix of grimy black, dirt and grime.  Grime is particularly good on locomotives that use a lot of sand.  You'll see photos of heavy sand use on the Google image page.

I don't think real rods were painted.   They were steel, and a lot of the surface was machined, so if polished or steam washed, it could look bright - but like bright carbon steel, not chrome.   Think of what the bed of a machine tool looks like if you have ever seen one.   It is sort of a shiny dark gray.

I use the Neolube too.   It is graphite in an alcohol solution I think, and the package says it conducts electricity.      

Mine all get sprayed and weathered.  I think Jim is correct - the railroad wanted them bare so cracks could be detected.  Same with couplers.

If I want the shiny look, I leave the nickel silver ones bare, and paint the brass ones with Testors steel paint.  They say you cannot brush it, but I do anyway.

I use oily black on mine and paint with a brush. It looks so-so when stopped and observed closely, but at speed it is just fine.

I would suggest you look at this site, gobs of color photos and there isn't any clean shiney valve gear/rods to be found.  I'm sure it is dirt,oil plus the end of the steam era so not much going on in terms of cleaning/painting. 

That's a favorite PRR site Chris, and it reinforces the obvious...that shiney rods and valve gear are not authentic except perhaps on new engines or ones perhaps freshly shopped locomotive...I prefer the well used appearance.

I used Neolube previously, and it seems still in favor for the treatment of such components from the commons above.

Bob

I agree Bob, the dirty in service look is what I love...even on my beloved J's...