Standards for Colors of Structures -- 1994

[Dick Cowles]

Now, with the Friends' Forum there is an opportunity to revive research and studies done in the past by the Friends and others that has been at risk of getting overlooked, if not lost. A case in point is the attached "Colors Along the Line", the definitive study done by John and Janet Rupley back in 1994 to determine what colors are appropriate for structures at which sites. If you've ever wondered why the choice of paints for Chama, Cumbres, Osier, Sublette, Antonito, and Phone Booths the reasons are all in this study. I suspect more eyes will see this electronic "reprinting" than has ever been the case with the original, although the original did set a lot of discussion in motion.

[Jason Rose]

Dick, not everyone has the ability to view an rtf file. So, I copy/pasted the contents here.

Jason

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A HISTORICAL RESEARCH PROJECT
on the
Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad



COLORS ALONG THE LINE
by
John & Janet Rupley

pre-publication draft July 12, 1994.
revised color number annotation per Moore Paint
info July 19, 1994


Purpose:

The primary purpose of this study is to establish a definitive study the complies with requests from the New Mexico and Colorado State Historical Preservation Officers (SHPO’s) to further establish a basis for color scheme(s) across the 64 mile length of the Cumbres & Toltec Scenic Railroad (C&TS RR). This study is necessary to support and establish color selections for individual structures and sites, and to present to the visitor to this historical site a wider view of how it may have looked throughout its one hundred fifteen years.

Requirements:

The entire property of the C&TS (from Chama, New Mexico to Antonito, Colorado), including all structures, sites and equipment, is on the National Register of Historic Places. Sites of this nature must comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Historic Preservation Projects. Although there are a number of separate standards, the one applied to this property most frequently is the Standard for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings.

“Rehabilitation” is defined as “the process of returning a property to a state of utility, through repair or alteration, which makes possible an efficient contemporary use while preserving those portions and features of the property which are significant to its historic, architectural, and cultural values.” 1

Methods:

Samples have been carefully collected at different sites/structures since 1990. These have been catalogued and a full listing is provided in Appendix A. Many of the samples were selected from discarded materials during normal maintenance required on structures to maintain a weatherproof condition. Where more information was needed and maintenance was not needed, small sections of material were removed for analysis (this was particularly true at the Station in Chama). More descriptive information is presented at each section of this work for the particular type of sample being analyzed.

Each sample was inventoried, locations noted and then procedures for matching color were carried out. Most of the samples had numerous layers of paint. Layers were sanded to a uniform color and clear oil was applied to present a more natural color. This color was then compared to two types of color schemes. The first was “Color as-you-like-it”, MOOR-O-MATIC II COLOR SYSTEM, from Benjamin Moore Paints. This paint system includes an extensive section on Historical Colors. This section appears to be very accurate in matching paint colors sixty or more years old, as modern colors are simply too deeply toned.

The second method used was PANTONE Color Formula Guide 1000, a component of The PANTONE MATCHING SYSTEM from Pantone, Inc. This system was more difficult to match to and generally required that color bracketing be used. The latter is where the color is very similar to two colors, one lighter and one darker.

Samples:

Shingle samples were taken from (1) Sublette, New Mexico, (2) Osier, Colorado, (3) Cumbres, New Mexico and (4) Chama, New Mexico. It should be noted that there was no color on the shingles obtained at Osier as they were found in a corner of the attic and were in unused condition. There were no exterior shingles remaining on this structure. General sample list follows:
Sublette S-1 thru S-4
Osier O-1 thru O-2
Cumbres CP-1 thru CP-11
Chama C-1

Unless noted otherwise the shingle appeared to have only one coat of paint.
These roof shingles were also compared to a number of trim pieces taken from
Sublette, Osier, Cumbres and Chama.

History:

Reviewing prints of original section house drawings from the D&RG called for the shingles to be painted. 2 Initial analysis of trim shows the roof color matches the bottom color (that next to the original wood) of nearly all samples taken from other areas of each building. This further solidifies the conclusion that the painted shingle color is the original color condition for the whole structure. A deep reddish brown best describes the color.

Color:

The conclusion of color is that it best matches “Color as-you-like-it”, MOOR-O¬MATIC II COLOR SYSTEM, Historical Color number HC-71. This color is confirmed as the base color at EVERY site.

COLOR SCHEMES

The schemes became more clear as more samples were examined. Groups became evident and are described below. Although dating each color was not possible, photo reprints in many publications helped with the period and color.

SCHEME A

1881 - ORIGINAL PAINTING thru 1915.

All samples that were taken, showed the same reddish brown at the base. This included all window and door trim, eave trim and shingles. As the original drawings call for this painting it is reasonable to expect it to be the starting point for the structures.

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number HC-71

This coloring was true for the sites at Osier, Cumbres and Sublette. The Chama station samples have not been analyzed completely, since this structure was constructed in the late 1890’s after the original structure burned, color matching does not seem relevant.

This was not just the trim color but the body of the structures as well, and represents the original paint scheme for the line. In 1915, Osier still appeared to be in this color scheme. The suggested painting of all original structures (Water Tank, Section House, Depot and Coaling Platform) at this site is to return them to the reddish brown color.

SCHEME B

Not Later than 1918 - BROWN

This represents the second coat of paint for these structures.

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number ET-8 (#1238 new) PANTONE 469C

This color was applied to all surfaces (except the roof). Trim, window frames, door frames, lap siding, etc. all had a second coat to this color type. The shingles, where there is evidence of a second coat of paint, it was the same color as the original (known as Scheme A). This color was maintained on the trim later when the yellow was applied to the walls.

SCHEME C

1915-19453 - LIGHT YELLOW

This was the first occurrence of the yellow siding color (although the current color is not a match, it was this information that led to the brown and yellow paint scheme that can be seen across the railroad as of 1994).

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number HC-7

From the samples taken it appears that the trim remained to be painted in the previous brown color.

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number ET-8 (#1238 new)

Since this was the original yellow color selected by the D&RG, it would make sense to select this scheme as the color for the structures that are to be representative of the period between original construction and abandonment. This is the second of the three major color schemes found on the railroad.

SCHEME D

1913-1930 - DARK YELLOW

This second yellow is distinctively different than the other yellow. Again there is no evidence that the trim color varied from that in the previous scheme. This yellow color matches to the following sample.

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number CB-55 (1112 Close)

The brown was, therefore:

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number ET-8 (#1238 new)


SCHEME E

1935-1940 – “ABANDONMENT WHITE”

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number OW-18 (910 Close).

This white is found on most of the structures and is evident in movies and color photos during popular railroad chasing post-war days of the 1940’s until the lines’ official D&RG end in 1968.

It is somewhat interesting that the trim color was not the same at each site. There are numerous reasons why this might happen and at this point they are only supposition. Nevertheless, Sublette had a green trim, while Osier stayed in brown. “Green” is mentioned in several books4 as the trim color, and is certainly confirmed here with samples taken from Chama and Sublette. The eave trim, and door trim samples (none of the original window trim exists on the section house) revealed no green color at Osier. The green is fairly light but creates a good contrast with the near pure white used on the walls. The following green was consistent on trim samples taken at Sublette.

MOOR-O-MATIC II UNIVERSAL COLOR SYSTEM number GR-4 (424 new).

It is this scheme that is suggested for the entire Sublette site. The structures were known to be of this color scheme and this would go a long way in presenting the site as a continuum of the life of the railroad. Abandonment period was a significant length of time on the Rio Grande representing approximately 40 years of this lines’ 87 year history as the D&RG.

SCHEME F

1973 - C&TS SAFFRON YELLOW AND GRIZZLY BEAR BROWN.

This color was popular, and may have been established by accident because the D&RG was operating the facilities in Durango with a similar type of paint scheme. Durango was not trying to emulate a previous color, but rather keeping up an identity that would help promote the railroad. To this date the yellow walls and brown trim is considered a “railroad” combination. Since the information contained herein, goes significantly toward a scientific identification of the colors used during different eras, this color scheme should be phased out and all new painting should follow one of the above schemes.

Site Color Schemes:

Chama: To be determined on individual building basis
Cumbres: Scheme C
Osier: Scheme A
Sublette: Scheme F
Antonito: Scheme C
Phone Booths: Scheme C



1 Hume, Gary L. and Weeks. Kay D., The Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for Rehabilitation and Guidelines for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings. Washington. DC: 1990 Edition.

2 Original Section House Drawings by the Denver and Rio Grande Railroad, from the collection of John W. Maxwell, Denver Colorado

3 Dorman, Richard L., Chama/Cumbres With A Little Chili, R.D. PUBLICATIONS, Santa Fe. New Mexico, 1988, p.119 and others.

4 Dorman, Richard L.. Chama/Cumbres With A Little Chili, R.D.PUBLICATIONS, Santa Fe. New Mexico 1988, page 27 and others.

[Kevin Murray]

It's great to see this article. Wish I had seen it before we did the interior of the Antonito Depot! We ended up getting paint analyses of each room, and repainted them to a certain age. It would have saved some money to have read this article, but we'll use it on the outside, I'm sure. Thanks!

[Dick Cowles]

Oh dear! Even I had forgotten about that posting four years ago. Thanks so much Jason! (BTW Word 2010 does seem to be able to open the rtf). Institutional memory, where are you?

[Jack Price]

I am glad that this article was available. I have had numerous calls from personal friends questioning why the color change to Brown.... Now I can give them an objective reply. I am although, in agreement with Durango with regards to curb appeal of the brighter colors... Thanks again for a great article.
Jack Price