2 cents worth

I originally posted this to a thread started by Festus about the recent goings on about 489 and accuracy vs the way things are now.

This isn't an attempt to stem the exidus or to point blame one way or the other. IT is jsut a 3rd party view that might shed light on certain realities when dealing with steam locomotives new or old.

here it is:

There is a saying that applies now just as much as it did back in the day " Run it must ; shine it might ". Keeping your rolingstock operational always had a higher prioroty than what it looked like. That being said let me pass along an anaology I like to use when it comes to historical appearance vs what its painted to look like now.

SP 4449. That brings a very specific picture to mind. Orange, red, black and silver. If you remember her from the 70's then White red blue and black will also come to mind. I remember all the fuss and crocodile tears when she was repainted flat black with a silver front end. It was almost like people were crying " How daree you defile her that way!!" , but honestly look at it this way. Even if its painted plaid with pinstriped skirting and polkadot drivers, its still 4449. It is still the only operational GS-4 locomotive in the world reguardless of its colouring.

489 and her kin are the same way. Silver trim or no, she is still the 489 still a K-36 still operational and still doing what she always has done and continuing to show people and the next generation something that americans from the early part of the last century took for granted as jsut a way to get from point A to point B, no big deal.

Preservation is a very fine sword and a balanceing act all at the same time and you can't please everyone. At the end of the day the machine and its history are still intact and ongoing reguardless of its paint scheme. Red cars or green, boiler jacket paint or no, they are still around to be seen and experienced and I think that is far better than seeing them stuffed , mounted and perfectly detailed but not doing what they were meant to.

Just my thoughts. Thanks for all the pictures Roger.

K S Wilcomb

Fairy tales begin "once aopn a time." Railroad Stories begin " now this aint no BS !"