1870 Rocklin roundhouse
From: KyleKWyatt@gmail.com
Check out the O'Sullivan USGS photo of the CP Rocklin roundhouse (mislabeled UP) in 1870.
—Kyle
Timothy O'Sullivan photograph of the Central Pacific Railroad Roundhouse at Rocklin, California.
Courtesy USGS.
Rogers-built Buffalo No. 82 at Rocklin Roundhouse in 1870.
Colorized detail of above photo courtesy of Jim Wilke, see comment, below.
posted from CPRR Discussion Group at 6:51 AM
3 Comments:
From: "Jim Wilke" woodburner@earthlink.net
Thanks for providing the link to the Rocklin Roundhouse image. It is the clearest view I have seen of the Central Pacific's Rogers ten wheelers in as-built condition. The engine is Buffalo No. 82.
There is clear evidence of paintwork and delineation of colors for No. 82. Three colors are clearly visible on the tender, in addition to landscape paintings on the rear corners, and scrollwork framing the center number panel.
The Rogers specifications for this engine do not include the colors used, but by comparing this to known Rogers color schemes of 1866-67, its possible to reconstruct the color scheme of this engine with a very high degree of accuracy.
Contrasting panel colors were only used on Rogers engines when the main color was wine; indicating that this engine is in wine color. The contrasting panels used by Rogers for wine engines were vermilion for the center number panel, and green or ultramarine blue for the long panels. The dark number panel and lighter long panels in the image support this, and conform to what appears to be consistent with photographic processes of the time.
When Rogers engines were painted green, no contrasting panel color was used on the tender, although the tender flange was painted wine. Green appears to be the basic or entry level finish, and wine the better, or first class finish. Both finishes used vermilion wheels.
The Rogers specifications for this engine note that the name of the engine was to be depicted on the landscapes on the tender, suggesting that the scenes on the rear corners depict bison. A comparable photograph of sister CP engine Gorilla in original paint includes the visible image of a standing gorilla.
All of this indicates that Buffalo No. 82 was built and delivered in Roger's best finish. It was painted wine color, with green or ultramarine blue panels on the tender, and vermilion number panels on the center of the tender. The wheels are vermilion, and the frame is probably striped in vermilion as well, rather than gold. The cab is oiled or varnished walnut, landscape paintings of bison are on the rear corners of the tank, and abundant gold leaf striping and scrollwork shaded in colors decorates the upper portions of the engine and tank. The name or initials CPRR would likely be on the tender flange, but are difficult to see in the image. A landscape depicting a river from a mountain view (Hudson River school) is painted on the headlight.
Its clear that Rogers and other builders were manufacturing engines in high levels of finish for the Central Pacific. The equally elaborate Prussian blue and crimson Schenectady engine in the background supports this.
—Jim Wilke
From: "Jim Wilke" woodburner@earthlink.net
The Central Pacific Railroad in its first full year of operation as a transcontinental line was a colorful road. If we could go back in time, we might have ben able to see something like these engines, simmering in the sun, glowing in gold leaf and color, loaded up with cordwood for their day's run on the Sierras.
Here is a colorized view of the Rogers-built Buffalo No. 82 at Rocklin Roundhouse in 1870. The colors are accurate to the engine and show the elaborate and splendid tatste of the time. This reconstruction uses green for the long panels on the tender, although ultramarine blue may also have been used for the panels, particularly as the engine is fitted with a column bell stand, used on the better classes of Rogers engines.
The levels of finish, from brass cylinders, steam dome and boiler bands, to the walnut "house," or cab, are accurate in accordance with the Rogers builder's specifications for this locomotive. All in all, it was a formidable, powerful and impressive machine.
The colors of the Schenectady engine in the background are also accurate in accordance with known information for one of these locomotives, Jupiter No. 60, and represent the best passenger style of the Schenectady Locomotive Works.
—Jim Wilke
See, Rocklin Roundhouse History Tour.
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