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IT WASN’T HAULING SUGAR BEETS, but Stras- burg Rail Road’s ex-Great Western 2-10-0 No. 90 sure looked good in the GW “dia- mond” scheme for a charter held by Lerro Productions on February 19, 2013. No. 90 was built by Baldwin in 1924 and worked for the Great Western in the beet fields of Col- orado. During it’s illustrious career there, it was the hero in a roundhouse fire in 1940 (it was the only engine under steam and was used to pull the other locomotives out) and was broadsided by a truck and rolled over in 1944. Following the truck mishap, it was giv- en an extended smokebox to cut down on emissions from the lignite (a very low grade of coal) it was required to burn during World War II, and emerged in the famous white- trimmed GW diamond paint scheme. No. 90 powered excursions in Colorado until 1962 and was sold to the Strasburg in 1967. It was immediately put in the shop and emerged with Strasburg’s “egg” herald and yellow trim. Since then it has run in the more subdued Strasburg scheme, as well as the basic black Great Western scheme it wore before the smokebox extension (which
was removed by the Strasburg) was in- stalled.
Since No. 90 was due for its annual in- spection and a new coat of paint, the Stras- burg let Pete Lerro and Lerro Productions apply some paint to the locomotive for the charter. Pete painted the smokebox alu- minum, while Mike Huhn applied white trim to the wheels. Vinyl was used for GW lettering on the tender, and striping was done with white gaffer tape. A solid pilot was fabricated out of roofing paper and applied by Mitch Goldman and Steve Gilbert. And the diamonds under the cab windows were magnets. The final result was not 100 per cent accurate — 90 never ran with a short smoke- box and diamonds — but it looked good. The weather forecast for the charter was
dismal, but some sun peeked out in the morning for a few runbys (above and be- low). The night photo session had to be moved indoors because of rain. Following the charter, the pilot and stripes came off, as did the diamonds. Digital readers can see more of this charter, as well as video of the event, starting on page 58. — S.B.
TWO PHOTOS: STEVE BARRY
Diamonds Aren’t Forever
12 MARCH 2013 •
RAILFAN.COM
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