Roger: Thanks for the nice comments on the orange NE-12 (which is the
ugliest waycar or caboose I have ever seen). I have spent lots of time
researching the NE-12s, so here is what I know to be pretty accurate.
1. The first car in the class, #13525, was sent to 14th Street and was
inspected by railroad officials on 5-19-54. I have 5 photos of the car
at 14th Street on that day. Look in Dan Holbrook's "Waycars of the CB&Q"
on page 50. While the caption says the location is unlnown, that is in
fact the 14th Street Coach Yard in Chicago. Until just 2 years ago,
this was the only published photo of an oragne NE-12 that I am aware of.
The photos I have are of several different views of #13525. The car is
clearly all M-O-W orange. End platforms are black, as is the underbody,
trucks and ladders on the ends. Window frames are aluminum in color
(maybe made out of aluminum??)
2. Dan's book states that there were 10 of the orange NE-12s. For many
years we were not able to photographically support this. Bat and Hol
found a photo that showed 3 orange NE-12s, all new at Havelock. They were
cars #13525, 13526 and 13527.
3. In 1999 Kalmbach published BRHS member Jeff Wilson's book on the
Burlington: "Burlington Route Across the Heartland." Look on page 45
and you will find ORANGE NE-12 #13533 on the rear of the westbound
freight crossing the IC diamond at Mendota. That is only the second
photo I have seen published that shwos an orange NE-12.
4. From what Dan and others have passed on to me, the official inspection
at 14th Street resulted in management telling Havelock to find a new
paint scheme and that the M-O-W orange wasn't acceptable. Havelock (and I
am sure other interested parties) was told to come up with something
Zephyr-like. And the silver scheme with the red stripe came to pass.
5. Bat had given me a builders photo of NE-12 #13548 which is new at
Havelock. The photo shows a date of 11-3-54. Dan's book shows #13548
being built in September 1954. With this data, I think we can be
comfortable that orange NE-12 production was over no later than November
1954, and maybe as early as September 1954. #13548 was the 23rd out of
the 1954 production of 35 class NE-12s. The best data I have is the
statement in Dan's book that there were only 10 of these orange NE-12s.
6. I used a 50/50 mix of Floquil reefer yellow and reefer orange. I have
painted about a dozen CB&Q M-O-W pieces using this same mixture.
I hope this helps. I will put this out onto the List so everyone can
provide some input and comments.
Mike
On Wed, 28 Mar 2001 12:21:14 -0600 (CST) <hansons@b...> writes:
>Mike,
>I recently received my copy of the Zephyr and saw the photo of your
>award winning NE12 waycar. Excellent work!
>I have a couple of questions which you obviously may be able to help
>with on the NE12's.
>A couple of weeks ago, I was fortunate to obtain my first piece of
>brass - an Oriental Ltd. NE12. It was painted, however, in red -
>which started no small discussion with my local CB&Q society
>members. Some insisted that ALL the NE12's were silver (or
>aluminum). My understanding was that the first 10 or so of the first
>
>run were painted MOW orange with a black roof. Your model seems to
>confirm that - and I assume that you worked from a prototype photo.
>The questions? First - am I correct about the MOW orange being on
>the first 10 NE12's? and - Is it truly MOW orange? (The photo of
>your model appears distinctly yellow, rather than orange).
>I'd appreciate any input on this.
>Thanks,
>Roger Hanson
>Kansas City, MO
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