Not good

I do not recall ever having seen 844 (or 8444) with a white smoke box. It was generally painted with a much lighter color than the boiler as it was painted with a different paint that included powdered metal (aluminum - aluminium). The silvery color did darken quite a bit after running the loco. At one time I recall the smoke box of 4004 painted white while displayed inanimate in Holliday Park, WY, but that was rectified in 2019 in preparation for the Spike150 celebration.

One might settle ones curiosity by inquiring from Athearn why this was done.

Here's a video showing the color quiet accurately

Here's a TrainWorld video of the locomotive that clearly shows the exact color of the model.  This engine has been out about a year or so and I can't find a single thing on the internet about the white smoke box color.  I've got to be missing something.

Deane

Thanks for your commentary

Thanks for your commentary Bill.  It's helpful to know I'm not clear off the deep end.

I did email Athearn last night after reading your suggestion.  I'll post any response I get.  I'm sort of in disbelief that Athearn would do this.  I keep looking for where I'm wrong.  This is supposed to a replica of the last incarnation of the 844 for excursion purposes.

Meantime, I'll probably take my beating and try to sell the engine to someone who isn't bothered by the color and wants a bargain.  The wheels have never touched a rail.

The KATO 126-0401 Union

The KATO 126-0401 Union Pacific FEF n-scale model has a similar color: https://www.amazon.de/Spur-Dampflok-Class-4-8-4-Pacific/dp/B00QSNYW48
/> Regards Volker

Yes Volker, you are

Yes Volker, you are correct.

Athearn was kind enough to provide me with an explanation in just one day.  The arrived at the color by scanning some photos they got from on-line.  Only one problem, they scanned the wrong thing.

The photos they used for scanning were an earlier version of the 844.  One with a black smoke box and a red light on the front.  It had the front painted with white paint where there wasn't much heat, but nothing else on the engine was anything but black.  They then applied that color to the entire smoke box and the fire box, resulting in a bright white color instead of the graphite color of the prototype.  Not good thinking.

I solved my issue by dropping the engine at the hobby shop and told them to do something with it and we'd figure later what I got out of it, just to make sure they took care of themselves.  They're good people.

Doesn't say much for their

Doesn't say much for their process, though. Stuff happens, they get a freebie on that. But how did it get past signoff? Didn't anyone look at production lot? What about the pilot model? It's pretty obvious to anyone that's been around 844 or seen more than a handful of pictures that it is at least not representative, if not outright wrong. And it's not as if we're looking for a picture of an anonymous loco in an out-of-the-way place. There have to be literally tens of thousands if not millions of photographs of 844 available.