Prototype modeling - how far can you take it?

[nachoman]

I had one guy here arguing about the color of P&LE cabooses. Said they were never red. He was quite wrong, and I had color pictures to show him. Even found some red under the green and yellow paint on our 2 P&LE cabooses. He still didn't admit he was wrong.
Charlie

Even those in the black and white era could research how paints were made in their era, what kind of pigments were available, and what colors were typically used. Perhaps they could learn the durability of certain colors or paints, and that could influence their weathering techniques. The rivet counters usually stop at the railroad right of way - beyond that into the real world is fair game. But how embarrassing would it be for a car enthusiast to visit a rivet counter's August 1964 C&O layout only to spot the candyapple red 1964.5 mustang in the dealer's lot. The car enthusiast would of course point out that candyapple red was not offered on Mustangs until 1966!!