Select your desired car type from the pulldown menu and enter a road number. To see all specific car types (for example, all Flats) select the car type from the pulldown and leave the road number blank. You may view the entire database by selecting "Any" and leaving the road number blank.

The C&O's Mechanical Department prepared painting and lettering diagram drawings for all equipment. These drawings included a general side and end view of the car with all lettering shown as to placement and appearance, and then each word, letter, logo, or numeral had a full size drawing prepared. It was the full size drawings that were used to make the stencils for application of the painted lettering to the cars. The painting and lettering diagrams were used as a guide for placement. They stated what full sized drawings to use, the spacing, etc.

The diagrams were updated as styles as specifications were changed, and often show a historical time-line on when and how lettering was changed. In other cases they were re-drawn and the background available from studying revisions is missing.

This is an on-line catalog of the "size 12" drawings in the painting and lettering series. These are 12-inches wide and of various lengths based on the size of the equipment being shown of letters/numerals being drawn, but are generally 36-48 inches long.

The Advisory Mechanical Committee (AMC) established a drawing numbering system beginning in 1930 for all mechanical drawings. In this standard the first set of numbers (called "Group") indicated the type of drawing or equipment being portrayed, followed by a dash and a second group of numbers which indicated the size of the drawing, and then a final dash and a third group of numbers which was simply a sequential number assigned in chronological order as new drawings were made. Thus,, the group "152" was used for anything having to do with painting and lettering equipment other than locomotives. For example: Drawing 152-12-331 would be instantly recognized as a painting and lettering drawing, and of a certain size, allowing the mechanical department employee to locate it in the proper storage cabinet. The 152-group has many different size drawings, and this is a catalog only of the ones of the "size-12" variety. This encompasses most painting and lettering diagrams, though some larger drawings were used to show the freight car painting/lettering in the post 1965 era, and most of the Chessie System era.

Reduced size examples of typical drawings in this series are shown. These drawings are very popular with modelers and we have sold many over the years through hard-copy listings in the magazine flyers and over the counter at conferences and meetings, but this is the first complete catalog to be offered to the entire membership and the public, made possible by use of the electronic medium.