I am working on seat reproductions for coach 9. I have one of the seats from coach 3 in my shop, and I am figuring out, among other things, how to make patterns to reproduce it.
One of the first things I am doing, before stripping all the paint, is to determine what the original color of the seat frame may have been. They are currently black.
I have taken paint chip samples from three of the inner areas, potted and polished them to determine the paint layers. (Inside of the outer frame, inside of the window side frame, and the window side of the walkover mechanism.)
The results are surprising. I am seeing unusual colors. But I don't know if the frames have ever been stripped to bare metal and repainted during their history, nor do I know what primers may have been used that may explain the colors I am seeing.
Rather than reveal what I have so far, I will first ask the community if anyone knows of historical references to the seat frame color.
The black and white builders photo from the Delaware public archives shows the seat frames to be quite bright, or very reflective. The seat arms definitely have some remaining nickel plating, but they are a separate part.
The seats are made by Hale & Kilburn of Philadelphia. They are not the same seat that is being reproduced by Strasburg RR. It is a specific model for narrow gauge cars.