capchris Wrote:
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> Thanks for the pics. One of them is new to me.
> These locos are very much like RGS 36.
>
> Our challenge is to decide if we want an 'early'
> version with shiny parts and a diamond stack, or
> blacker/dingy look with a straight stack per the
> one known photo at Trout Lake.
The later style used by the D&RG (and, based on the photograph you mention, largely carried over onto the RGS) was certainly black overall with less line trim than the original style, but I wouldn't think it was dingy. Quite the contrary, as a machine used in passenger or special service it would have been well-kept for the most part. In this case, think of the black as clean and classy in the same vein as a modern stretch limo.
Per Baldwin builder's specifications for the D&RG class 42, they didn't actually have a huge amount of brass trim even as built--basically just the boiler jacket bands (plus functional items like bell, whistle, etc). Looking at posts above, in the photograph of D&RG 96 in its original scheme, the cylinders, sand box and the dome obviously had painted coverings, NOT brass. The handrail and running board nosing wasn't brass, either. Even the jackets were american-made planished iron rather than genuine imported russia iron. By ~c1880 the D&RG was buying a huge number of locomotives and costs had to be kept down. The Grande did previously purchase some engines with extensive brass trim, but it wasn't this class.
That being said, even without the brass the two styles are obviously very different looking--distinct enough that a casual observer might not even realize they're the same locomotives. You get different stacks, different smokebox, different dome covers, different base color (black instead of green), different trim, and so forth. I like both appearances so I look forward to eventually see it operating in whatever scheme you ultimately select for it.
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Special note for Chris: Prior to deciding to buy the Rogers 2-4-2's, NZR had originally considered buying Baldwin class 8-18.5C 4-4-0's of broadly similar size and style to the D&RG machines discussed above. NZR's unusual selection of the 2-4-2 instead of the 4-4-0 led directly to the development of the 2-6-2 in the mid 1880's and more indirectly to the 4-6-2.
