For quite a while now, I have been trying to determine what the original livery of the 30 Eurofima coaches delivered to the SBB was.
The delivery of the coaches began in 1977 and the coaches were delivered in the new C1 livery, which consisted of an orange livery with a reflective latitudinal light grey stripe that ran the length of the coach. Most models of these coaches came with a dark grey painted roof, but recently a few models (LSM) were released with a off white coloured roof. In support of their choice of livery, the company pointed to a handful of photos which suggest a light colour.
I concede that there are photos that appear to show a light coloured roof, but I am not convinced that this was really the case.
My belief is that the Eurofima coaches were delivered with a metallic grey coloured roof. This appears to be more reflective than the roofs on other coach types of the SBB in similar livery, including the Bm RIC (1972) that were delivered in 1977, the Bpm (1980) and the WRm after their revision. The Eurofima coaches were painted in Austria prior to delivery to the SBB. I did manage to find evidence that some coaches were modified following delivery. This modification included the removal of the door open indicator above the doors. See: https://www.drehscheibe-...7491,8033728#msg-8033728
Some coaches appear to have had other repainting of the roofs, ranging from the sections seen in this photo https://www.drehscheibe-online.d...file.php?031,file=111008 to this one http://bahnbilder-von-max.ch/la...zona//picture_02258.html

I finally found a video which seems to support my theory.


At 3:20: Re 6/6 enters the Station
3:55: An Am (EC livery) and an Am (C1) come into sight
4:03: The roof of the Am EC (left) is darker than the Am C1 (right)
It can clearly be seen that the roof of the orange coach is grey: https://youtu.be/RYj28Jf9Vmc?t=244
4:09: From this angle, the roof looks much lighter in colour (metallic)
4:23: The train passes out of sight
4:24: The train from a new view point
4:30: The roof looks silver here
4:49: The coaches are shunted by an Ee 3/3. The coach roof looks silver from this angle: https://youtu.be/RYj28Jf9Vmc?t=291

Based on this video, I have to conclude that the silver appearance is simply due to reflection as captured by the camera, as the video clearly shows that when the coach passes right in front of the camera, that the roof is painted grey. The paint on the roof is more metallic than the paint used on the Bm (RIC), WRm and Bpm (1980) coaches and this results in a reflection that makes it look silver from certain angles.

I can't call out any specific model for being too light without calling out all of the other models for not being metallic in colour.

Interestingly, during my search, I also came across a number of photos of DB TEE rolling stock, which seem to support my belief that these coaches originally had more metallic roofs as well. I had been told that the Maerklin 4247 and 4295-4298 were correct and the earlier 4147 and 4153/4095-4099 were not. Among the photos that I found were clear images of an Ampz (4224) with a silver roof. My memories of the TEE Roland from 1971/72 were of silver roofs. (Seen at different times at Arth-Goldau and Luzern).
http://bahnbilder-von-ma...elen//picture_02135.html
http://bahnbilder-von-ma...nico//picture_02228.html
http://bahnbilder-von-ma...llen//picture_02172.html

Regards

Mike C