Where to find Pantone colors for Denver Rio Grande emd f3a?

Getting a Pantone match will be tough.  I have the Patone charts for when I was working on TCA Convention cars as Lionel uses them.  They are close, but never accurate.  Also, the "Aspen" color used on D&RGW locomotives varies based on era.  Are you looking at the four stripe yellow, black and silver D&RGW paint scheme?  The person to ask on this forum is Erik Lindgren.  He mostly posts in the 2 rail section.

Hmmm... Since I had to re-do the pilot for my sunset f7, I had to match the paint it came with. I think it looks great, though you could go a little brighter. If you want me to, I can match it in Pantone. Just let me know.

GG1 4877 posted:

Getting a Pantone match will be tough.  I have the Patone charts for when I was working on TCA Convention cars as Lionel uses them.  They are close, but never accurate.  Also, the "Aspen" color used on D&RGW locomotives varies based on era.  Are you looking at the four stripe yellow, black and silver D&RGW paint scheme?  The person to ask on this forum is Erik Lindgren.  He mostly posts in the 2 rail section.

Yes the 4 stripe.

Oh no not Erik! ;-)...  I have him on speed dial.

Look at the reference material on the Railfonts.com web site. Lots of color references there.  Pantone is a color chart system for use by printers where everything is different sizes dots of three colors and black.  It does not work well with paint. The paint color matching system is Munsel, but is way too expensive for model railroaders. 

David Johnston posted:

Look at the reference material on the Railfonts.com web site. Lots of color references there.  Pantone is a color chart system for use by printers where everything is different sizes dots of three colors and black.  It does not work well with paint. The paint color matching system is Munsel, but is way too expensive for model railroaders. 

Thanks David,

A good day when you learn something new!

John

I use the Pantone Color Chart in Photoshop. Photoshop told me the name of the Pantone Color. The illustration below shows the process. It gave me two possible color names.  The arrow is pointed to one of the two possibilities.

This is a best guess. at this point you would take this Pantone Name to any paint shop that sells automotive paints.  Look at their Pantone Book and see if you like the color.  If you have a paint sample, they can put the sample in Paint Densitometer, and do a color reflection test.

The paint department at Home Depot can also do this process.

PANTONE DS 5 - 1 C  /  This would be the starting point.  If this was going to be printed in a book, the printing press operator would also scan the printed sheet and make sure the color is correct, as related to the Pantone Color.  You have to keep the computer monitor, color corrected

Gary

trainroomgary posted:

I use the Pantone Color Chart in Photoshop. Photoshop told me the name of the Pantone Color. The illustration below shows the process. It gave me two possible color names.  The arrow is pointed to one of the two possibilities.

This is a best guess. at this point you would take this Pantone Name to any paint shop that sells automotive paints.  Look at their Pantone Book and see if you like the color.  If you have a paint sample, they can put the sample in Paint Densitometer, and do a color reflection test.

The paint department at Home Depot can also do this process.

PANTONE DS 5 - 1 C  /  This would be the starting point.  If this was going to be printed in a book, the printing press operator would also scan the printed sheet and make sure the color is correct, as related to the Pantone Color.  You have to keep the computer monitor, color corrected

Gary

Gary,

Thanks! This was along the lines of what I was going to do. If I could not find a better solution.

Some sites I found tell you how to mix your paint, either 1 part this to 2 parts that or drops or....

I am going to run with this idea I think, and either use the prototype in Golden, or a model as you have done here.
Then print a 1/4 page and have Home Depot (this is for a wall) scan and get a sample or quart made up.

Again, thanks,

John G

Did I miss why you needed the Panatone color number??? 

I will admit I, as I get older, go for more 'TLAR' method....That Looks About Right! 

I use Tamiya Camel Yellow for a decent match. Color looks different at different times of day....different as it ages or even weather it's clean or dirty. My solution.....custom painted WbB units

AMCDave posted:

Did I miss why you needed the Panatone color number??? 

I will admit I, as I get older, go for more 'TLAR' method....That Looks About Right! 

I use Tamiya Camel Yellow for a decent match. Color looks different at different times of day....different as it ages or even weather it's clean or dirty. My solution.....custom painted WbB units

I am painting a walls along the staircase to my basement, one wall will have trains on display. Either I am going with a neutral color or RG Gold / Aspen.

Sounds cool!!

Here is another resource once you have a hex value for a color.
If you scroll down you will find paint manufacturers and approximations of the color.
I am going to go to Home Depot and get several color samples made up.

http://encycolorpedia.com

http://encycolorpedia.com/f5a738  (one of the samples I have of D&RGW)

Behr Colors:
290B-6 Squash         #f2a74a
S-G-310 Peach Butter     #ffa535 *** http://www.behr.com/consumer/ColorDetailView/S-G-310
PMD-20 Goldenrod Field    #f2ad4c

Of course the proof is in the painting, will post what that looks like in a few days.