Will Gant Wrote:
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> Look at 346 for example. What would it take to
> back date it to its original form? Its got extra
> compressors, different plumbing, electricity,
> backup light, different stack, I mean, so much is
> different
I thought about this and agree: It cannot economically be altered into its own original appearance. Too much has changed.
However, it could be readily altered to represent "generic 1880's styling" of no particular locomotive--especially if you weren't worried about relatively minor details like the generator and dual compressors. Change the headlight and pilot and suitably repaint/reletter it and 346 could approximate a nondescript 1880's locomotive at a casual glance. No, the illusion wouldn't hold up under any close scrutiny, but it'd be plenty good enough to fake things for a bit.
Assuming backdating things is the purpose of the prop smokestack on 463 and budget was a serious limitation, the movie company would have been better-served to simply repaint the boiler jacket bare metal grey to simulate 19th century boilers and leave the stack alone. It occurred to me, however, that backdating may not be the true purpose; it's possible (likely, even) that someone in the movie production simply likes that shape of smokestack. If so, good on him. I do too.