Re: Why I asked the question.....

Robert Herronen Wrote:
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> Present but not used.

Right! Whenever you are dealing with the Rio Grande Southern, post 1929, you have to keep in mind the cardinal rule of the railroad for all employees:

"We're broke. Act accordingly!"

Due to costs and the plain fact that they had no money the RGS didn't modify anything unless it was necessary for safe operation. To waste good roofing paper, tar and the hourly rate to have the light houses removed and the hole covered over was not a necessary expense. As Jeff pointed out, on the 0402 they didn't even bother to plug the hole, just tarpapered over it!

When those shots up above with the caboose in new paint were taken in 1940 you can bet that the roof didn't need repairing and so it may have gotten a coat of aluminum paint but no modification to the light house! So if you ask the question, "Why didn't they remove the light when they repainted, and possibly re-sheathed the car?" The simple answer is that the roof didn't NEED to be redone. You have to put on that 'Depression mentality' that lasted until 1951 for the RGS!