1948
1938
The question that has to be asked is...which two-tone gray scheme are they in??
When NYC streamlined the 20th Century Limited (behind "Dreyfuss" streamlined Hudsons) in 1938, the cars were light gray with dark gray thru the window sections. The first E-7 passenger diesels delivered in 1945 matched this paint scheme (except one pair that was black). A couple of years later the railroad reversed the colors, making the cars dark gray with a light gray section thru the windows. This is the scheme Walthers used on their recent 20th Century Limited. Con-cor offers both paint schemes.
Normally when someone says "New York Central two-tone scheme" they mean the second scheme, with the first scheme being the "reversed two-tone scheme"...even thought it really should be the other way around.
The streamlined "Dreyfuss" Hudsons were in the original scheme. AFAIK they were never repainted into the reverse scheme.
The NYC also streamlined the Empire State Express in 1941, but with stainless steel cars. After the war, it was common to see a NYC name train with a mix of heavyweight, stainless steel, and smooth-side streamlined cars.
