If I may. A little "Southern U.S." flavor. Taken in Blue Ridge, Georgia, Sat., 25th. Tourist railroad locomotive "just parked in town". The old depot, naturally. Followed by, "My shoe can't read".
Late to the game, but better late than never. September 27, 2015… my son sets in the engineer’s seat of a static display Shay locomotive as Cass Scenic Railroad’s Shay #2 departs with another run up the mountain. Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Almost all P42s have fiberglass noses. I think they were converted around 2011 or 2012. It was supposed to make repairs easier, so the shops didn't need to rebuild and repaint metalwork in the event of a minor collision. The change also came with a new rounded headlight bezel, the old one was angled and had a second clear plate over the two headlight lenses. The F59PHI also has a fiberglass nose: https://www.railpictures.net/photo/198718/ One of the NCDOT F59PHIs had the front end repainted after the damaged nose cone was taken off after a grade crossing collision. It ran for a few years with the bulkhead exposed: http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=2119006
Is it just me or does that look mean and nasty? I like that! NCDOT even managed to use some of the flat surfaces for the lettering.
This was our lead locomotive from Emeryville, California to Denver. It's nose was in a little better shape. However, as we were trying to leave Denver, its engine brakes would not release so they pulled it off and left it. We were out of the mountains and it was all down hill to Chicago anyway.
On a better day for Amtrak, September 8, 2021, the power for #7 rests in King Street station in Seattle as passengers detrain. 161 wears a 50th anniversary paint job.