I'm working on a model of a Southern Pacific GS6, road number 4460. I have Robert Church's book on the SP GS class but I can't find any information on the pilot color on 4460 in that time frame. I've found a page from Key Model imports: http://www.keymodels.net/id22.html
On the page they note the GS6 had a black pilot from 1946-1950, then after 1950 they got silver pilots. So in modeling 1950 which color pilot would be the appropriate color to use on 4460, black or silver?
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Lou1985 posted:I'm working on a model of a Southern Pacific GS6, road number 4460. I have Robert Church's book on the SP GS class but I can't find any information on the pilot color on 4460 in that time frame. I've found a page from Key Model imports: http://www.keymodels.net/id22.html
On the page they note the GS6 had a black pilot from 1946-1950, then after 1950 they got silver pilots. So in modeling 1950 which color pilot would be the appropriate color to use on 4460, black or silver?
Yes. But the key is EXACTLY what time frame in 1950 are you trying to duplicate? Personally, I've always preferred the silver pilot on the all black SP steam locomotives.
From the color photos I've seen after 1950 the pilot should be silver on the #4460 same as the black de-skirted GS4s.
Hot Water posted:Lou1985 posted:I'm working on a model of a Southern Pacific GS6, road number 4460. I have Robert Church's book on the SP GS class but I can't find any information on the pilot color on 4460 in that time frame. I've found a page from Key Model imports: http://www.keymodels.net/id22.html
On the page they note the GS6 had a black pilot from 1946-1950, then after 1950 they got silver pilots. So in modeling 1950 which color pilot would be the appropriate color to use on 4460, black or silver?
Yes. But the key is EXACTLY what time frame in 1950 are you trying to duplicate? Personally, I've always preferred the silver pilot on the all black SP steam locomotives.
July-December 1950 is what I'm shooting for. I agree the silver pilot looks better, especially when the silver paint is confined to the area around the coupler and the steps/foot boards are black. Later when the entire pilot and steps were silver it looked a bit unkempt to me: https://locomotive.fandom.com/...fic_No._4460/Gallery
Why not paint it the color that you find most attractive? You can always repaint it later.
I found a picture of 4460 in October 1950. It still had the factory appearance with the stainless steel on the lower part of the pilot and a white stripe on the running board. So that's what I'll go with.
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