Virginian RR Question Regarding To Article In New January 2016 Railfan & Railroad Magazine

Yes and Santa Fe was black and red. ��

Did the black age and weather to the point the color "changed" to blue?

From what I have been told here locally; the color was never a bright blue. I have been told the blue that they did use was so dark that it appeared black.

Scott Smith

Go and check out the "Sante Fe" post that is up at present time, you can see some original photo's of the Yellow and Blue "Cigar Band Units", some newer, and then another with loads of wear and tear....Nothing about Red and Black though!.........................

Brandy posted:

Go and check out the "Sante Fe" post that is up at present time, you can see some original photo's of the Yellow and Blue "Cigar Band Units", some newer, and then another with loads of wear and tear....Nothing about Red and Black though!.........................

Farmer Bill & Brandy, as to the Santa Fe. I don't ever recall them in Red & Black. I know of Red & Yellow. But as for VGN, my dad did tell me that there was no Blue & Yellow Virginian, which I believe him. Thought I would ask here in case if the VGN Railroad ever even tried Blue & Yellow.

All the books on the Virginian I've read, said all the diesels and all the post 1948 electrics were painted black and yellow. All the color pictures I've seen show the engines in black and yellow. I think the whole blue and yellow scheme goes back to Lionel making a mistake back in the 50's when they painted their Virginian Trainmaster blue and yellow.

Ken

I have seen a couple of pictures of Virginian locos that were blue.   Whether it was because the black paint faded or whether it was a defect in the color film of the day I cannot say.  However the blue did not match the blue Lionel used.

The Virginian colors were BLACK and YELLOW, period, not blue, not faded.  Lionel got it wrong and continues to.

George Lasley

For toy trains the paint scheme inaccuracy is forgivable. Postwar versions on Virginian Trainmasters have been done in black/yellow, blue/yellow, and even with the roadname in gold. During the MPC era Lionel did blue/yellow SD24's in a totally fantasy scheme especially notable since the N&W had taken over the Virginian several years before EMD even offered the SD24.

What I don't like is Lionel perpetuating the blue/yellow on scale PS1 boxcars and cabooses several years ago. Virginian boxcars were pretty much all boxcar red and cabooses caboose red. Trains represented as scale should be done with correct paint schemes.

Ken

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but the Lionel PW Virginian 2329 Electrics were definitely a blue and yellow.

Was just thinking about this other day looking at the new Lion Chief Plus Virginian Electric Rectifiers. Seems like they got these right with black and yellow (have not seen one in person, just the catalog pics).

Ans TYCO did have a VIR hopper:  IN SILVER!