"Red" (in quotes, because it isn't really red). All the PRR tender decks were originally painted red, but they were always so dirty that you can hardly tell in many color photos. And as they were shopped in and out and reached the end of the steam era, who can say? But originally, red, even on non-streamlined steam locomotives. And remember, that "red" on the tender decks was not the "Tuscan Red" used on things like passenger cars. It was actually "freight car color" which was more of a reddish brown (and more red in the 1920s than it was in the 1950s, when it got more brown).
The PRRT&HS published a reprint of some official PRR painting instructions for steam locomotives. I had a copy of it around here somewhere, but luckily, my laziness and the internet came to the rescue. Somebody has that same reprint online here:
https://www.angelfire.com/film/prrpics/PRRPaint.htmlOkay... time to put "PRR Max" back in the box for another 10 years.
