CofG Blimp Cars

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1) Was the oval 'blimp' scheme paint on 40' and 50' cars. I have seen both 40' & 50' models. Suspicious of accuracy.

2) I am aware of the black/silver scheme. Was Black/Silver w/ Yellow logo the only colors used. I have seen models with purple/silver, black/silver, and boxcar red/silver. Again suspicious of accuracy.

3) Any known car number ranges (ie. 7402-7500?). Clueless on this issue.

Thanx, David

-- David Godwin (WDGodwin@aol.com), March 06, 2000

Answers

May I amplify Allen's rather understated comment that the silver- purple blimp scheme was not prototypical. Imagine my shock a few years ago when I walked into a train show and saw one of these "things" on a table - it was an O gauge hi-rail car as I recall. Purple, my friends, is the exclusive province of a certain Atlantic Coast Line Railroad, but even it did not put the color on its freight boxcars!!!

Back to the real blimp scheme, I photographed one of these in 1973 in very good shape. I don't recall now if it was still the original paint, but if so, it certainly had held up well for a very long time.

-- Larry Goolsby (LGoolsby@aphsa.org), March 06, 2000.


David,

1) The CofGa's famous "blimp" scheme was only used on 50' boxcars.

2) This paint scheme was always black car with aluminum oval. Car ends were black. The lettering on the aluminum oval was black and the lettering on the black background was aluminum. Cars 5500-5999 had aluminum roofs, while 1500-1999, 4999, and 6217 all had black roofs. The monogram had a yellow background with black lettering. (The purple/silver and boxcar red/silver model versions are not prototypical.)

3) There were three lots of these cars, all built by Pullman Standard. CG 5500-5999 were built in 1954. CG 1500-1999 were built in 1956. CG 4999 and 6217 were built in 1958, apparently as replacements for wrecked cars.

I don't believe that any of these cars were ever repainted in the blimp scheme by the CofGa shops. I do have a painting diagram dated May 30, 1958 which shows the application of the standard boxcar red "The Right Way" scheme on these cars, but I've never seen a photo of one that was repainted that way. Several were eventually repainted into the post merger scheme with block type Central of Georgia lettering.

Allen Tuten

-- Allen Tuten (ahtuten@aol.com), March 06, 2000.


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