Y2 Builder Plates

[NW Mailing List]

Abram  

      I am going to  teach you someday how to paint plate backgrounds. It’s a five minute job.   That being said it’s clear in builder photos that the backgrounds were painted at least for the photo after that I think they were just sloped over with graphite . Serval of my plates came to me just as they came off the locomotive  and where covered in 1/8 in or more of graphite.  The secret of painting them  lacquer thinner and a rag

 

Larry Evans

 

From: NW-Mailing-List [mailto:nw-mailing-list-bounces at nwhs.org] On Behalf Of NW Mailing List
Sent: Tuesday, February 27, 2018 11:46 AM
To: N&W Mailing List <nw-mailing-list at nwhs.org>
Cc: Ben Blevins <signalyard at gmail.com>
Subject: RE: Y2 Builder Plates

 

Question from a simple-minded old brakezman...

 

When a new engine was outshopped, was the background of the plate "painted-in" ?  Or is the painting of the backgrounds a collector's display technique?

 

What brings the question to mind is that the Y6 builder's plate which resides somewhat near-at-hand shows no evidence of ever having had paint applied.

 

Having cleaned up and painted a number of cast iron signs with raised lettering, I can testify that the job of a time-intensive one (if done right.)  It is hard to imagine a frugal pike like the N&W having a man spend a day painting in the background on a builder's plate, knowing that in two weeks the whole thing would be caked in soot anyway.

 

              -- abramo von burnettovich,

resident at the home for broken-down old trainmen

 

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