Does anyone remember Connecticut Central GP9 #53?

I'd like to model ct central gp9 53. Does anyone remember if the blue paint was medium like d&h blue or navy like csx blue? I've seen photos on nerails and there seems to be a variation. Any help would be appreciated.

It was a dark blue - but color photos are notoriously difficult to judge color by.

Clear/overcast, lighting direction, film, age of film, underexposed/overexposed all contribute to variations.

Best to get the paint color used. I think the loco went to the P&W, but is probably not there anymore to get a paint chip off of.
That's if Homeland Insecurity will let you do that.

Definitely a darker blue, closer to CSX... as found on NERAIL:
http://photos.nerail.org/showpic/?photo ... 20Railroad

Of course today, she's not in CCCL paint anymore. Since that time, I believe she's worn P&W and HRRC colors.

That was a good running loco back in it's CCCL days - I had the pleasure a number of times when I worked there.
I agree on the blue being dark somewhat like the "dark future" CSXT blue.

If memory serves me correctly I can recall one of the people who painted it saying it was "Pepsi Cola Blue." As for the yellow I don't remember but the color of the blue always stood out in my mind.

It was the darker blue. This photo was taken just after it was painted and we were moving it to the engine track. Compare it to the ALCO #36 to the left.

I modeled the 53 in HO years ago. I was working for CCCL doing track work in the last years before P&W took over. I drew up the art work and sent it to Microscale Decal and they made the decals for it. MC-4207 was the part # Don't know if they have any still, I do. I used Floquil 110352 CSX blue for the paint. I think it came out pretty good. Here is a picture of my model of it. Brendan

Bob - like that photo at the "Little Mt. Washington St." shoofly! What a roller coaster.

Yes...that shoofly was an interesting part of the job. The day crew bringing the train across and tying it down on the south side for the night crew. Coming up from New Haven, call the cops at FIELD, walk down to flag traffic after the cops blocked the road, then cross your fingers that the train could make it up the other side in the snow. LOL I'm sure you enjoyed that as well. What fun we had at the CCCL in those days.

This response is all over the place, please bear with me.

Out of curiosity, the blue paint used on the CCCL (either 36 or 53) wouldn't happen to have been used on the CNZR RS-1 50? Were there a few leftover cans that were good enough for use? (the shades seem to tell a different story). Since there was somewhat of a relationship between the the the CCCL and CNZR (realizing the CNZR as we know it today was later). I've always wondered why the CNZR used blue on that engine.

Then there's the CCCL SW whose blue seems close to 53's.

Was there any chance of 53 going to the CNZR (instead of the HRRC)?

Having worked for CCCL and CNZR I can attest that there was a very close working relationship between the two. However, I am confident that no paint changed hands. The RS-1 # 50 was ex-Washington Terminal 50, serial number 75560, built in November 1947 and previously owned by Solite as its #33011 in Sealston, VA. It was painted that color when purchased.

Thank you to everyone for responding. Polyscale CSX blue it is. Can anyone give me a brief history lesson on the CT central? All I know is they ran from Middletown to New Haven? and were sold to P&W in the late 90's. What kind of freight did they haul and who were their customers. Is the line still in use?

The Connecticut Central started off as a division of the Valley Railroad (steam excursion railroad in Essex, CT) as a means to secure revenue during the winter months. Trackage was leased from the State of Connecticut to operate on portions of the Airline, Berlin Branch and the Valley Branch in Middletown, Portland and Cromwell. In the early 1990's the company was bought by a group of private investors and operated that way until the Providence & Worcester bought them out in 1998.

Businesses served by the CCCL included Stone Container in Portland - now closed (paper products to make cardboard boxes), Primary Steel in Middletown (steel plates and coils), Dyno in Middlefield - now closed (ammonium nitrate for blasting materials), MSR Build Supply in MIddletown (brick products), City of Middletown - now ceased (tanks cars of sewer sludge to Cromwell's Mattabasset plant for disposal). I also seem to think that in the early years they also serviced a fertilizer plant in Portland (Estech or something like that). Cars would be interchanged with Conrail in Middlefield. In the 1990's, CR allowed CCCL to operate all the way to Cedar Hill yard in New Haven. This was due to the fact that CR did not service the Reed's Gap Quarry (TILCON) in winter and had little reason to come north to Middletown. P&W would eventually gain the rights to the quarry and CR relinquished the line altogether. From that point on, CCCL would operate to New Haven under a Form "D" from P&W from MP 15 to Stones (CR yard limits).

The original trackage amounted to approximately 21 miles. The railroad had visions of expanding north along the Valley BRanch to eventiually reach Hartford. Some line clearing had already begun. This was not to be as the P&W bought the railroad before completion of this project. The P&W did eventually repair the tracks to Hartford and, for a short time, interchanged demolition cars with the CSOR in Hartford (they could be seen lined up along I-91 just south of the Charter Oak bridge). This ended partly due to the collapse of the roof of the Murphy Road Recycler's building in Portland a couple of years ago in heavy snow and partly for some legal mumbo jumbo. The P&W does still go to Rocky Hill two or three times a week to deliver cars to a building supply company.

The P&W still usues the Middletown Branch line and the Vally Line. There is also a P&W locomotive fuel/service depot located at MIddletown. Traffic across the river has ceased, at least for the time being.

I'm sure that if I am incorrect on anything or have missed anything that CVRA7 will respond with the information.

Someone once said (CVRA7?) the sludge train was known as the "Sewer Chief", a play on the Super Chief. lol

We had several pet names for the sewer run: Sewer Chief, AM-BM (PM_BM) and Poo Poo Choo Choo, among others.