Vallejo equivalents of commonly used colours

[CNR5529]

Some time ago I put together a list of Vallejo paints equivalent to typically used colours I would need. This was mainly after purchasing @tom mann's weathering book, and needing paints that are no longer available. This list was compiled from a number of other lists put together on various forums and sites (including parts of Joe Fugate's acrylic paint list), but I thought I would share the information here, particularly after seeing @Ed Kapuscinski's engine black thread. I havent tried all of these yet, but the ones I did try turned out to be quite satisfactory.

Quick reminder: 71 colours (model air line) are airbrush ready, while 70 (model color line) require thinning.

Please feel free to add to or correct the list with any other colours you guys have found to be useful. I am still looking for a good replacement for "mud".

71.957 Black
71.021 Oily Black
71.054 Weathered Black
71.055 Grimy Black
71.251 Engine Black
71.040 Burnt Umber
71.036 Roof Red
70.846 Mahogany Brown
71.139 RR Rail Brown
71.029 RR Tie Brown
71.037 Rust
71.122 Earth
70.819 Sand
71.288 Dirt
1pt 71.075 to 1pt 71.143 Mud
71.230 Aged Concrete Discontinued
71.215 Concrete Discontinued
71.143 Aged Concrete
71.045 Concrete
70.820 Off White
71.132 Aged White
70.976 Buff
3pt 71.033 to 2pt 71.027 Depot Buff
71.094 Depot Olive
71.014 Signal Green
71.085 Signal Red

General Railway Colours
71.001 Reefer White (pure white)
71.047 Reefer Grey
71.078 Reefer Yellow
71.083 Reefer Orange
71.036 Tuscan
71.111 USAF Light Blue -> Fresh Roller Bearing Caps
1pt 71.003 to 1pt 71.102 Caboose Red
71.041 Boxcar Brown
71.080 Boxcar Red (Lighter Brown)
1pt 71.038 to 1pt 71.105 Boxcar Red
72.712 Oxide Red
72.705 TTX Yellow
72.706 Railbox Yellow
71.019 Pullman Green
71.017 Coach Green

For specific railway colours, this page covers quite a few: https://www.testors.com/~/media/DigitalEncyclopedia/Documents/Testors/ebook/MRH-Acrylic-painting-guide-post-Floquil-Portrait.ashx

[PaulCoats]

The OP asks for "Mud".

1pt 71.075 to 1pt 71.143 Mud

71.131 Concrete also makes a good color for truck sideframes and wheels.

Other RR colors:

71.036 Tuscan
71.111 USAF Light Blue -> Fresh Roller Bearing Caps
1pt 71.003 to 1pt 71.102 Caboose Red
1pt 71.038 to 1pt 71.105 Boxcar Red
72.705 TTX Yellow
72.706 Railbox Yellow
72.712 Oxide Red

SP/SSW colors:

(SP Lark Light Gray was the same as the NYC Light Gray)
71.128 SP Lark Lt Grey
71.048 SP Lark Dk Grey (71.047 for slightly faded SP Lark Dark Gray)
71.003 SP Scarlet (slightly faded Scarlet 3pt 71.003 to 1pt 71.276 USAF Light Gray)

[central.vermont]

Can one of the moderators sticky this so we can reference it much easier.

Thanks, Jon

[PaulCoats]

I have some more paint arriving any day now.  I may have a few more color equivalents.

[PaulCoats]

I've been painting some Athearn undec covered hoppers.  I wanted that nice light gray ACF color.

I was going to prime the cars, first, of course.  I was deciding, should I prime with Vallejo Gray Primer, or White Primer.  Then...

1 part Vallejo Gray Primer + 2 parts Vallejo White Primer, in a 30 ml dropper bottle, plus one 1/4" stainless ball bearing.  Pop in the nozzle, screw on the ap, shake well... and this happened.

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This is with 1 part Vallejo Gray Primer + 1 Part Vallejo White Primer.  Again, no paint, just primer.

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Weathering the trucks and wheels... on the left, Vallejo 71.131 Concrete.  On the right, Microlux (from Micromark) 29053 RR Tie Brown.
No other weathering, just the paint.  No chalks, nothing... and looks just fine.

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[wazzou]

It'd be nice if the pictures were larger in order to see what you've done.

[peteski]

It'd be nice if the pictures were larger in order to see what you've done.

It seems that he attached them as "Inline expendable thumbnails", not "Inline full-size image", so you need to click (maybe even twice) on them to expand them. 

[PaulCoats]

Sorry, Bryan, still learning how to use this site. 

Please double-click on the photos in my post

[PaulCoats]

The paints I was waiting for arrived.

For SP Caboose Red, which is an oxide type red, I have found these colors to be as close as you can get.

Tamiyz XF64 = Humbrol Red Brown Matte 160 = Vallejo Air Hull Red 71.039. 

Vallejo Air Hull Red 71.039 looks like closest match to SP Caboose/Freight Car Red.  If I spent hours mixing,
painting, drying, comparing, I don't think I could do any better.  It certainly satisfies me.

[craigolio1]

@CNR5529 thanks for starting this thread!

Craig

[PaulCoats]

The MRH Acrylic Paint guide lists for SP Daylight Orange (which is also the orange on SP Bay Window Cabooses) as being
4 parts Vallejo VMA 71.130 Orange Rust + 1 pt VMA 71.074 Beige.  However this looks yellow.

I found a much better match for SP Daylight Orange to be 10 parts Vallejo VMA 71.130 Orange Rust + 1 pt VMA 71.074 Beige.

[CNR5529]

Thanks for all the feedback guys. I updated the main list with the generic colours that everyone would likely need. As for specific railway colours, the MRH article I added to the list has quite a bit of useful information, including lots on the SP.

[PaulCoats]

Boxcar  Red = Vallejo 71.041

Use Vallejo 71.074 Beige to lighten the 71.041 for a more sunfaded, aged look, but pure 71.041 for fresh boxcar red.