I am attempting to research without much luck online. Would anyone know in what color paint General Electric shipped their (EARLY) small 45 ton diesel switchers from the factory? Were they painted per custom order or did they all roll of the assembly line in identical paint jobs? What about the cab interiors and inside engine compartments? I am inquiring about one, with side rods my club owns that was sold to a steel company. Many 
Thanks.
Replies sorted oldest to newest
I would expect GE painted them in whatever colors the customer wanted.
Rusty
Ours is painted in its original US Navy scheme. I have no idea if it's original or not, but everything is painted machine gray in the cab (although the instrument panel is black and the ceiling tongue and groove paneling may be the normal forest green of other locomotive cabs)
The GE standard for 45 ton switchers was two colors included in the price, and those two did not include the black for trucks and underframe. The cab interiors were a medium grey (from my memory). I never saw one with tongue and groove, and I suspect this was not applied by GE due to obtaining the wood and also the labor.
The one that operated on the East Troy RR was always orange, from what I know. It was generally, affectionately called "the Orange Clank", of course as a result of the loose sounds those side rods would make.
Paul Fischer
Access to this requires an OGR Forum Supporting Membership
