Unfortunately, I don't have any color photos of the Cape Girardeau depot but the fifth picture in the following post is high enought resolution to zoom in on the two baggage carts on the platform to see that the B&W film picked up the color difference between the upper body of the carts and the underframe/wheels: http://www.frisco.org/vb/showpost.php?p=21255&postcount=22 I would go with the red/green scheme. I have a kit for Jordan Highway Miniatures Baggage Wagons #360-301 that I will be using for the Cape Depot and the styrene is already colored in the aforementioned scheme. I'm not sure when REA came into being but for those who want to model an REA cart, here are some photos of REA logos that I took - should make nice decals.
My father rescued the baggage truck and mail crane from Severy, KS. Both were displayed in our back yard in KC. The baggage truck was as Tom described; it had steel spoked wheel with steel treads. The wheels were black and the bed and the "bulkhead" were yellow. Severy was lettered in black on the side rails and on the front of the "bulkhead". A chain looped through the spokes served as a parking brake. There are pictures somewhere in the family stuff. When we were transferred to Springfield, the Frisco would not pay to move it with the household furniture, so we donated the baggage truck and the mail crane to the Smoky Hill Museum. The mail crane is still in Belton, but the baggage truck seems to have found its way into someone's private collection.
Now I'm for sure going to paint one yellow and black. I'll leave the other looking more grey and worn. Thanks everyone. I'll post pics when I get a chance to paint them.
Keith--The Railway Express Agency name was changed to "REA" in advertising about 1960. So any equipment with the full name was before that date. Tom
Here we go. I like the yellow and black but I rusted it up a bit because of the high humidity and it's always sitting out in the weather. Thanks for the help and history lessons.
In consideration of this 1957 photo of the Cuba, MO depot that Don Wirth posted, Tom's comments are completely validated! http://www.frisco.org/vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=4676&d=1187039022 My guess is that these were most certainly not Railway Express Agency carts. Jim, please don't feel compelled to repaint your HO-scale carts; I think they look dandy. Best Regards,
I like scratchbuilding depots! The next on my list to complete the branch will be the Brownwood station. Thanks for the photo Chris.