Carl Steckler Juniors' book about the LV paint schemes, for diesel engines, gives a unit by unit breakdown, on what was painted into which scheme, and when. Believe it or not, the Valley had almost 60 variations, on diesel paint schemes. His book includes the original scheme, and a guide to every repaint, with dates (sometimes estimated, from known photos) and a picture, of every scheme done. Mine's at home, but it's worth the very affordable price, he charges. He can be contacted, for ordering info, at:
[email protected] "Lehigh Valley Railroad Diesel Paint Schemes (1925-1976), by Carl Steckler, 40 Simms Hill Rd, Dryden, NY 13053, 1993"
You will know exactly what schemes the locos wore, that you are asking about. The spiral bound book, was around 20 bucks, if I recall. This book is a "must have", for any Valley afficianado...........
According to Carl, Mike Bednar, and other published sources, Cornell red was indeed, a "real" color created for, and used by the railroad, in it's diesels, beginning in the mid to late 40's. The vendor changed, in the mid 60's, resulting in a slight color shift,(after a foray into the netherworld of PRR Tuscan) and there are confirmed accounts, of paint being added to Cornell red, to make enough, to paint a given loco. According to the words of a LV painter, from the interview in the book, they even used blue and/or white, to "stretch" the paint, to make enough. This will account for, on occasion, locos painted in the same year, varying slightly in shades of Red, or Tuscan.
