I lined up my blackbirds for a photograph of the tops to show the variation within and between manufacturers in the colors and shades of gray. The order from top left to right is:
Row 1
P2K SD-7 (superdetailed), Model Flex CB&Q Gray
P2K GP-7 (superdetailed), Model Flex CB&Q Gray
Bowser/Stewart VO-1000, Model Flex CB&Q Gray
Bowser/Stewart VO-1000, Factory Paint
Row 2
BLI SW-7, Factory Paint
Bachman S-2, Factory Paint
BLI SD-7, Factory Paint
BLI SD-7, Factory Paint
Row 3
BLI NW-2, Factory Paint
Walthers Mainline SW-1, Factory Paint
P2K SW-7, Factory Paint
The photo was taken without fill flash under 5000K fluorescent lighting (CRI 86). I cropped the photo and posted it as a high resolution file so you can zoom in to really see the color variations. Not the differences between and within manufacturers. To my eye and under my lights, Model Flex CB&Q Gray most closely resembles photos of motors painted in the blackbird scheme. Bowser/Stewart comes closest to that color. The rest are mostly too dark except Bachman, which is too light and yellowish. The recent P2K issues are to bluish.
These data illustrate the need for color standards for Q locomotive paint colors.
Nelson Moyer