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Fleet Colors

Using the Guide !!

Detailed information

It's always been a challenge finding what color paints the fleets have used over the years. Over the years I've managed to collect about 90 paints samples from the fleets. I compiled a list of readily available paints accurately matching these samples. Be sure to read the Detailed information, it's a good read. If you have samples or information you wish to share, please email us at: laker301@comcast.net


*American Steamship Co.* Fleet History
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1907 - >>	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Deckhouse Roof	1970 ? - >>	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	Came in around 1970.
Stack	1907 - >>	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Stack	1907 - >>	-	Red	-	Center band
Stack	1907 - >>	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Top and bottom band
Spar Deck	1970 ? - >>	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	Came in around 1970.
Spar Deck	1907 ? - >>	-	Beige	-	-
Bulwark	1907 - >>	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Hull Main	1907 - >>	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Boot Topping	1907 - >>	-	Red	-	-
Spar deck color was added / changed sometime around 1970 from Beige to a Deck Red. Stack is black with three even bands mid-stack. white-red-white Sources: American Steamship - Sherwin Williams
Image Credit - Please note web address: Boatnerd Beige Boatnerd Oxide Red


Buckeye Steamship Co.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	? - ?	-	Cream	-	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Stack	-	-	-	-	-
Spar Deck	-	-	-	-	-
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	021 - Roof Brown	10211	-
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	Possible used in the later years.
The Roof Brown color was used by the fleet in the 1950's per Sherwood Williams Marine Finishes. The John T. Hutchinson photo below shows a more Oxide Red. Strongly suspect this to be the same Oxide Red as other fleets used in her later years. I have to look into this. Sources: Sherwin Williams
Image Credit - Please note web address: sea-corps.com Oxide Red


*Canadian Lake Carriers* Subsidiary of Keystone Fleet
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1927 - 1957	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main Color
Stack	-	-	Silver	-	Large wide band near top.
Stack	-	-	Red	-	Shield outline, silver center.
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Stack was black with a wide silver band near the top. A Silver shield outlined in red was in this band. The letters "C.L.C.L." in red on the four corners of the shield. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Central Paper Co.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1899 - >>	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Bulwark	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


*Coal Carriers Corporation & Baywater Shipping limited Fleets*
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1915 - ??	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Stack	-	-	Red	-	-
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Stacks where all black with a Red band near the top. Two white "C" outlined in black are in this red band. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Colonial *Steamship Limited*
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1933 - 1958	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Forecastle	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Forecastle bulwark only.
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main Color
Stack	-	-	Silver	-	Two bands mid stack.
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Columbia Transportation Co. Also know as Olgebay Norton Co.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1900 - >>	-	Beige	-	-
Pilot House Roof	1950 ? - >>	-	Grey	-	A change in the 1950s
Texas Deck	1950 ? - >>	-	Grey	-	A change in the 1950s
Deckhouse Roof	1970 ? - >>	-	002 - Oxide Red	10021	Some newer boats.
Stack	-	-	Same as hull color	-	Main stack color.
Stack	-	-	Red	-	Columbia Star Logo
Stack	-	-	Yellow	-	Center band.
Spar Deck	1900 - >>	-	-	-	Early boats may have been different.
Spar Deck	1960s - >>	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	A change in the 1960s
Spar Deck	1990s - >>	-	Brown Maroon	-	More recent boats.
Bulwark	-	-	Beige	-	-
Hull Main	1900 - 1990s	Scalecoat	021 - Roof Brown	10211	Early years.
Hull Main	1900 - 1970s	Scalecoat	087 Box Car Red #2	10871	Used on a few boats in the early years.
Hull Main	1970s - 2000	-	Reddish Maroon	-	More recent boats.
Boot Topping	-	-	Orange	-	-
At various points with various boats over the fleets history, the colors change from a Hull Brown to more Maroon color. Early years the hulls where all Hull Brown. Later some boats it changed to a more Reddish Maroon color. More recent boats have a more Deeper Reddish Maroon color. Not sure how far back they used the Oxide Red on the Spar Decks. Sources: Oglebay Norton - Sherwin Williams
Image Credit - Please note web address: MHSD Hull Brown MHSD Early Maroon USCG Later Maroon


Cargo Carriers Incorporated.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1955 - ??	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Masts	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Both masts.
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Stack	-	Scalecoat	006 - PRR Brunswick Green	10061	Band near upper stack
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	006 - PRR Brunswick Green	10061	-
Boot Topping	-	-	Orange	-
Sources: M.H.S.D. Calender


Davidson Steamship Co. Ltd.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1892 - 1942	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Forecastle	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Spardeck railing	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Schooners only.
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main Color
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Stacks where all black. Most of the schooners had a white narrow stripe along the spar deck. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Edwardburg / Canada Starch Co. Fleet
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1858 - 1955	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Forecastle Rail	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Stacks where all black with the company logo in the middle. The Casco had a cream color stack. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Eastern Steamship Co. Ltd.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1923 - 1933	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Forecastle	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	-
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Main color
Stack	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Wide band mid-stack
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	-
Stacks had one large white band near the middle with a large "E". Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Eastern and Western Steamship Co.
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1923 - 1936	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Forecastle	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Stack	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Stacks had two narrow white bands near the middle with a large "W". Dates are not clear as to when the Western Steamship was formed. Note that the Eastern Steamship Co. was a part of this fleet. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


*F. D. Gleason Coal Co.*
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1921 - 193602	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Stack	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Frames & Booms	-	-	Brownish-Beige	-	-
Forecastle	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Stacks where all black. Sources: Book The Fleet Histories


Great Lakes Towing Co. Fleet History
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1899 - >>	-	Red	-	Any True Red
Stack	-	-	Red	-	Any True Red
Stack	-	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	(Stripe & Letters) Any True White
Spar Deck	-	-	Grey	-	-
Hull Main	1899 - 1960	Scalecoat	006 - PRR Brunswick Green	10061	Early years
Hull Main	-	Scalecoat	077 - Reading Green	10771	Later years
The Brunswick Green is listed as being used before the 1960's. More recent photo's show a much brighter green. Some research is needed to narrow down the dates. Sources: Sherwin Williams
Image Credit - Please note web address: Boatnerd Boatnerd


Hindman Transportation Co. Fleet History
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1954 - 1978	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Stack	1954 - 1978	-	Red	-	-
Stack	1954 - 1978	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	(Letters) Any True White
Spar Deck	1954 - 1978	-	-	-	-
Hull Main	1954 - 1978	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Fleet operated without and changes from 1954 - 1978. Sources: Sherwin Williams - Book The Fleet Histories
Image Credit - Please note web address: Wellandcanal.ca Wellandcanal.ca


*Interlake Steamship Co.* Fleet History
Description	Years	Paint	Description	#	Notes
Deckhouse	1913 - >>	Scalecoat	011 - White	10111	Any True White
Deckhouse Roof	1913 - >>	Testors	Neutral Grey	FS36270	-
Forecastle	1913 - >>	Testors	Neutral Grey	FS36270	-
Stack	1913 - >>	Scalecoat	010 - Black	10101	Any True Black
Stack	1913 - >>	-	Orange	-	-
Spar Deck	1913 - >>	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	-
Bulwark	1913 - >>	Scalecoat	002 - Oxide Red	10021	-
Hull Main	1913 - >>	Scalecoat	088 - Box Car Red #3	10881	-
Boottopping	1913 - >>	-	Orange	-	A slight pale Organge.
Little changed over the fleets history. More recent boats have there upper decks in the Oxide Red. Sources: Interlake - Sherwin Williams - Book The Fleet Histories
Image Credit - Please note web address: Interlakesteamship.com


Intestate Steamship Co. Subsidiary J & L Steel Co. Fleet History
Description