Southern 2-8-0 #542 pictured at Spencer, North Carolina this week:

http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.p ... 111&nseq=3

The 542 is numbered 604, which is the number that ex-Buffalo Creek & Gauley Consolidation #4 usually carries. So why number 542 as a "fake Southern 604" when she could carry her REAL Southern number? Is it because her own tender was not available so the 604's, er...number 4's tender, WAS available? I know there is a movie involved, but it's all rather confusing! Anyone want to clue us in?

BTW, the 542's restoration looks great. Is this strictly a cosmetic restoration, or are there plans to eventually run the Southern class J?

Les

Les,
I suspect that a number plate was easier to apply than repainting the tender. Just a guess.
Don C.

The 542's tender was/is shot, so for the movie "Leatherheads", 542 was cosmetically restored and the 604's tender, in excellent shape was used. Remember, its a movie, not a preservation project, and a big benefit to the Hollywood movie was the unexpected money to cosmetically restore the 542.

As I understand it, long-term, there are indeed plans to return the 542 to service, but NCTM has the 604 and 1925 at the head of the line.

Matt Bumgarner

May issue of Trains Magazine (arrived in my PO box today) has a short article by Will Adams, with photos, on the movie shoot, and basically confirms every bit of speculation above. NCTM ended up with about $60,000 worth of "unplanned restorations."

More info:

http://rypn.sunserver.com/forum/viewtopic.php?topic_view=threads&p=111912&t=24999&sid=3db98395c1cefd5b510be7f2ff3a3e0f

and

http://www.chattanoogan.com/articles/article_103550.asp