Re: "The Exception"

Posted by Derrell Poole on
URL: http://c-sng-discussion-forum.254.s1.nabble.com/Caboose-roof-color-tp61p453.html

Non metal caboose roofs on the UP were covered with what they called Mulehide.

"Mulehide is canvas that is laid over the wooden roof, with hot asphalt brushed on to seal it. Usually, two or three coats of canvas and asphalt was used. This treatment was very waterproof, and very durable, thus the mulehide name. But, it also weathered rapidly and needed regular maintenance, which explains why metal roofs were used on freight cars. The color of mulehide would vary from new asphalt black, to highly weathered, old asphalt gray. It was never to be painted. At times, and depending on when it was last treated, the fabric pattern of the canvas is visible." -  http://utahrails.net/caboose/caboose-paint.php#red

Of course the UP was not the C&S and perhaps paint would have slowed down the weathering on the C&S cabooses. But assuming physics and practices were more or less the same as on the UP then we must also consider that red paint doesn't hold up so well in high country ultra violate intense exposure. Petroleum substances dry out pretty fast too. I can draw the logic that rejuvenating a tarred roof often might discourage a car shop from painting over asphalt. And the bean counters tended to break out in hives over every wasted penny so they would not be anxious to color roofs either - if that was not economical. Which practice might have proved cheaper?... who knows?

This is another one of those things we don't have RR documentation to support one way or another. I'd not be surprised if thru the years the practice varied between painting roofs red and leaving them raw asphalt. Until someone finds something more definitive than a few photos (each of which represent only a split second of time out of decades of seconds ticking away) model as you will on things like this. I ain't changing my black roof 1910 cabooses based on hearsay. And neither should you.

I guess we're not talking "facts" here are we? More like, "taste"....?