This is a sore point and I'm glad it has been raised again in the exchange of CNR 5288 to the TVRM. I've spoken with some steam owners who have boiled their opinions down to a statement like, "It's my engine, I'll do with it as I wish!". My own opinion is that all historical locomotives deserve some semblence of their original or last original operators paint schemes if they are going "on tour". I hate to see locomotives butchered into something they aren't or weren't meant to look like. Sheet metal work was often designed to compliment a specific paint representation while in service. Examples? Stone Mountain Scenic's debauchery of two 4-4-0's, "Ferroequos", articial balloon stacks, cow-catchers on tank switchers. You know the drill.
Of course there are going to be exceptions to the rule as in Strasburg's tasteful paint scheme fleet representation. Rumored plans to put a Belpaire firebox on a CPR ten-wheeler fall outside the tasteful aspect.
Just my thoughts on a tender subject (pun intended).
Congratulations to TVRM on their acquisition. Another locomotive lurches from steam purgatory!



glueck@saturn.caps.maine.edu