With respect to the wood cars in main line service in the era prior to the all steel cars and the locomotives converting to electric headlights, what was the paint a/o stain colors?

This is a tough question to answer. The answer likely is buried in correspondence at the Hagley, but I haven't been able to find it yet.

I have seen information that the cars were painted yellow in the 1800s. In corroboration, Wiswesser drawing no. 317 for an 1860 1st class 45 ft. coach describes the car has having pale yellow sides, brown trim, roof, floors, steps, & underbody. The lettering was white.

At some point, possibly late 1890s, the color was changed to Pullman brown. Some of Wiswesser's drawings, e.g., no. 303 for an 1870 open end 47 ft. coach and no. 304 for an 1868 42 ft. baggage-mail car, describe the cars as having an Indian red (maroon) body, dark brown roof, end platforms, underbody, and white lettering. Is this why the P&R cars at Strassburg are red/brown?

I'm not sure when the changeover to Pullman green happened.

Thank you. Brown and dark red are the only references I have found, but nothing to indicate the shade of those colors. The only cars found being labeled as dark red were the coaches with the curved corner windows in the ends. They are pictured in several photos taken in Reading Terminal. The rest of the cars in those photos appear in dark colors, but what colors? After years of looking, LaBelle's wood kits are going to be painted in a deep red with dark brown roofs and gold lettering. Modeler's license, of course. PS The Hill line video was greatly enjoyed.