SMS Rail Lines restores Former LIRR Alco FA

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

Les Beckman wrote:

There's a note on the Ahead of the Torch website this morning, that owner Bob Losse intends to eventually repaint the two FA cab units (and an unpowered B unit) into the Pennsylvania Railroad solid yellow stripe paint scheme.

Les

There was a post a few days back about "how to criticize" restorations, especially paint, and I guess there is no uniform way, but from a preservation standpoint, painting this former L&N unit for PRR is an atrocity. Not sure where this aphorism comes from, but: ACCURACY IS ITS OWN JUSTIFICIATION. Note: I recognize that painted and saved is better than not.

nedsn3 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 8:48 pm

Nice work. Love those FA's. And PA's too!

traingeek8223 · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 9:39 pm

Quote:

There was a post a few days back about "how to criticize" restorations, especially paint, and I guess there is no uniform way, but from a preservation standpoint, painting this former GN/SP&S unit for PRR is an atrocity. Not sure where this aphorism comes from, but: ACCURACY IS ITS OWN JUSTIFICIATION. Note: I recognize that painted and saved is better than not.

The unit in question is ex L&N so atrocity avoided...

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

traingeek8223 wrote:

The unit in question is ex L&N so atrocity avoided...

Fixed that, but it is still inaccurate. It is too bad that none of the PRR FAs were preserved, but painting it as one won't change that. Still say: accuracy is its own justification.

Mount Royal · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:01 pm

Atrocity is kind of a strong word for this, isn’t it? I could name some real atrocities.

Dave · **Posted:** Mon Jan 25, 2021 10:13 pm

1. Paint is relatively inexpensive, short lived and entirely reversable.
2. They are his to do with as he sees fit.

G. W. Laepple · **Joined:** Mon Aug 23, 2004 5:10 pm **Posts:** 1182

See? It's nit-picky stuff like this that gives this board a bad name and discourages some serious people from participating.

Phil Raynes · **Posted:** Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:05 am

I agree with Wayne 100%!!!

PMC · **Joined:** Sat Oct 17, 2015 5:55 pm **Posts:** 2876

G. W. Laepple wrote:

See? It's nit-picky stuff like this that gives this board a bad name and discourages some serious people from participating.

How is it serious to present this locomotive as something it never was? I consider the Illinois Railway Museum's restoration of Alco FA L&N #134 as L&N #134 to be serious. Putting fake PRR trainphone antennas and painting it for the PRR might be the owner's prerogative (as would be turning it into a chicken coop, or mocking it up as Thomas or a steam locomotive), but it isn't serious preservation, IMHO.

It probably is nit-picky to criticize results if the intent wasn't there and the group was doing the best that they could to recreate the object's in-service appearance. For example, a few years back I posted a photo of New York Central RR 0-6-0 No. 6721 in Utica NY after being repaired from damage due to a runaway freight car, and someone noted that the lettering on the tender was wrong, it should have been centered. That struck me as nit-picky (though correct), as the group dong the work weren't railroad historians. It isn't, however, nit-picky IMHO to criticize intent.

bbunge · **Posted:** Tue Jan 26, 2021 9:31 am

To my simple self, this is a guy doing the preservation world the service of a restoration and not running a museum. We should hope the owner has a plan for long term preservation hopefully into an environment that would include maintaining operational status. Although, operation into a working environment would certainly be a good interim step.

Bob

Trainlawyer · **Posted:** Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:43 pm

PMC wrote:

Les Beckman wrote:

There's a note on the Ahead of the Torch website this morning, that owner Bob Losse intends to eventually repaint the two FA cab units (and an unpowered B unit) into the Pennsylvania Railroad solid yellow stripe paint scheme.

Les

There was a post a few days back about "how to criticize" restorations, especially paint, and I guess there is no uniform way, but from a preservation standpoint, painting this former L&N unit for PRR is an atrocity. Not sure where this aphorism comes from, but: ACCURACY IS ITS OWN JUSTIFICIATION. Note: I recognize that painted and saved is better than not.

A slightly paraphrased quote from Brother Levin the elder with which I believe Brother Losse will concur, "It's my #@*& engine!"

GME

wilkinsd · **Posted:** Tue Jan 26, 2021 1:49 pm

Trainlawyer wrote:

A slightly paraphrased quote from Brother Levin the elder with which I believe Brother Losse will concur, "It's my #@*& engine!"

GME

If this forum is good for anything, it's for people pontificating to other organizations or owners how to spend their money, or manage their assets.