Alphabet Route - Western Maryland Railway

Model Painting

The Western Maryland is one of these easiest roads to match model paint. Steam locomotives, diesels in the fireball and speed schemes, early open hoppers were all painted black. Other freight cars and MOW equipment in the fireball and speed eras were painted oxide red (called "box car red" by the WM). Scalecoat or Scalecoat II oxide red is a very good match. You may need to mix 2 parts caboose red to 5 parts oxide red to match some manufacturers. You can also mix 1 part Floquil box car red with 1 part Floquil caboose red to get a similar color. For 70T and 100T hoppers, Floquil zinc chromate primer may be used. Passenger cars were painted Pullman green. Cabooses were painted "bright red". Caboose red is a good match.

For early Circus era locomotives, MOW equipment, and cabooses, three colors are needed. The first two are black and white. The third is a bright red. The best match is a custom mix of Scalecoat custom made by Mainline Hobby Supply. An alternative would be "caboose red" which is relatively close, but not perfect. MODELflex gloss white and signal red match the paint used by Atlas and Stewart well. Floquil signal red matches the red used by Life Like and Bachmann well.

The Alphabet Route

Western Maryland Railway