459 cab side panels

Hi guys !

A recent post on the Facebook RGS group showed this photo of 459 (I think it is a forwarded post by William).



At first I wondered if the Autumn 1941 claimed date might be wrong, since the engine didn’t showed the steel cab side I thought she should wear by then.
So I went through my available ressources, aka O’Berry’s Mudhens, the Friends Pictures Library, and DPL.

And again the Friends’ Collection proved to be of great help !
The two following pics are from Otto Perry, same train Northbound out of Durango dated 10/17/1941.

[ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com]


[ngtrainpics.photoshelter.com]


Those pics were also available at DPL, which made it possible to zoom in to show cab side details.
As you can witness, a close look revealed 459 had both style of cab side panel at the same time ! Right side was indeed steel sheeted, while left side was still wood !!!

Now the good question is : did 459 left for Mexico like this, or was some shop work performed on her before she went south !??







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Sebastien
SNCF passenger trains engineer
Volunteer on the "Chemin de Fer de Rillé" (60cm/2ft, France)
www.aecfm.fr
cfrtrain.blogspot.fr