Does anyone have a source for the S.P. steam & early diesel locomotive numberboard sheet metal numbers used to indicate train number / engine number?

Thanks! - Doug Debs
cell 650-704-1487

Doug: I'll check with the guys that were involved with the restoration we did of 2353 in the 1990's. We have "X2353" in the indicator boards. This is done with the removable sheet metal numbers. I don't know if they somehow survived 30 years at the fairgrounds, or if we had them made. I don't recall what type of numbers are in the lighted engine number boards.

Jim Baker
Steam Foreman, PSRM

Assuming someone gets their hands on a complete set to use as a pattern, this seems like the perfect job for a CNC plasma cutter. The historic number pieces could be scanned and vectorized to create the files needed to run the cutter.

There is a place called "Tech Shop" in Menlo Park where for a membership fee, you can use all kinds of cool equipment in their shop including a CNC plasma cutter. I suppose it is run like a gym, but is geared for garage tinkerers that otherwise couldn't afford this equipment.

http://techshop.ws/

You can have letters and numbers cut to any size at shop that was either a laser cutting machine or a water jet cutter .I have used shops in the Sacramento area having these machines .Water jet is usually more expensive. The problem you might have is if their computer software has the correct font programs.
I had headlight number made in China at one of there sign shops for the QJs for only $7.00 per set. If there was any great demand I could get them made in China

Well, if you check the on-line index of technical drawings held by California State RR Museum the following hits are obtained:

Information about reproductions, etc. can be obtained with this link http://www.csrmf.org/doc.asp?id=130 There is a link to email contact the library from this page as well as links to order forms and fee (costs) schedules. They will process orders using credit cards.

I never cease to be amazed at the things in that library. I have found a number of things that I am interested in re-creating. Anyone want to go in on some standard SP station platform lamp posts? They would look nice next to a lot of preserved SP depots out there. I am working on getting quotes.

Yup, it's exactly like that. I've had a membership there and I've used the plasma cutter for a WRM project. You do need to pay like $45 for a certification class to use the machine. But these are public-access tools, by and large. For instance the plasma cutter seemed to have a lot of slack in it, and I needed to dress its cuts a bit. However, the centerpiece of the shop has to be a brand-new 4x8 foot ShopBot CNC router.

I also understand they are trying to establish franchise locations all over America.

FWIW, I seem to remember from my days in engine service (1959-1962) that we used a combination of the traditional metal numbers sandwiched with plastic or glass, and some one piece plastic ones with black paint. It was not uncommon to have to scrounge around to get the right numbers.