Question came up about how to display builder's plates in a musuem setting. One thought was that they should be displayed as they came off the donor engine, chipped paint, valve oil spots and a bit of corrosion. The opposite side of the room we have a few eager bodies with polishing machines, reved up, in hand waiting for the word to put an eye blinding shine on the pieces.

What are the consensus thoughts on this matter?

They are worth more money 'as is'. I say leave them alone. If you want a polished look, have copies of them made up.

In my opinion as a would be visitor and not a purchaser, especially since you probably will not want to sell it anytime soon. The worst thing you could do is polish it. Unless this engine was the pride of the fleet or had an obsessive engineer the plate would have been left untouched. Even if it was the pride of the fleet or the pride of an obsessive engineer, the most that would have been polished were the high spots (top of the letters, edging, and stamping spot (if it had one), the background would have been left with the rough sand cast surface, at most they would have painted the background black or red (from what I have seen).

I would suggest that all that needs to be done is to dissolve the the old paint and oil, or at least only the old oil to make it presentable. If the crew wants a polished builder's plate, have them cast a new one, the patina and scratches tells the story of it's life.

Just my opinion,

Rich C.

“Question came up about how to display builder's plates in a museum setting.”

The question of whether to display builder’s plates with or without their patina should be derivative of the purpose of your exhibit. What educational purpose are you trying to accomplish? If you are just bolting plates to the wall, it’s probably more for decorative effect and polished brass can look rather nice. I’d personally lean that way if you have a large collection to display. That is probably what the public would expect. If, for example, you had no particular interest in salt shakers, dolls, Pez dispensers, etc. and you saw them in a museum display, would you rather see them dirty or clean? If, however, your intent is part of a larger effort to interpret steam locomotive operations, a grittier reality may be far more appropriate.

I was once given a brass whistle from an MU car, which I would like to have received in its grimey condition. Sadly, in an effort to please me, the shop crew ground off the old paint and filth, presenting me with a lovely brass whistle, scarred from the grinding wheel, but not as it was in service life. That being said, the RMPA has an elegant display of class plates from most of the Pennsy steam fleet, polished, painted, and behind glass, alongside a photo of the donor locomotive. To the average visitor, I think this is the way to tell the story of the different classes of steam locomotives, how they were designated, and what it meant to the operators. Consider who you are getting in to view the collection, then consider what they want to see. To my tastes, steam at its dirtiest, particularly at the end of service, is the way I want to see them, but to the average observer, their concept is shined, white tires, and polished each day.

On the loco, leave them as they appeared in life. As a display, polish them up.

Concerning builder's plates. In my opinion I would give them a good bath and paint the front of the plate and highlight the letters. Never paint the back, an original plate will show signs of being mounted to the locomotive. Painting the back suggest that the plate could be a fake.
If the plate is brass, just clean it. If the plate has the original paint (leave it alone). That tells a story too.


Kevin Kohls

I think the Colorado Railroad Museum used to have a great display of railroad hardware including the builders plates under discussion.

they were going both ways. Some of them had their old time paint and others were shined up.

Other items included lanterns and other locomotive items like number boards etc.

I would also add that trust plates are a neat part of this kind of collection and you do not see them on restored cars or on museum displays very often.

Ted Miles