Broadway limited sells two versions of this beautiful engine for HO, one has a real shiny black gloss (called the excursion one I think), the other is normal black, duller, like most other locos.
My question is, which one is more realistic for the era of the 50s and 60s, and can anyone direct me to any info about why one of them was given a glossy coat of paint in real life? When and why did this take place?
(I’ve tried googling the Class J in the past, but this subject matter is still confusing to me)
BLI has two different versions of the in service J also. The 600 to 604 had a slightly different tender and Laird slides for the piston rods. The 605 to 613 had the cross head type slides and the tender water compartment top is flat on the later series. BLI made both of these classes and they are somewhat dull in luster compared to the excursion version. I have pictures of the N&W in service having visited there in 1956 and the only shiny one I saw was a fresh out out the wash rack when it was wet.
The picture below is a close up of a K class at Shaffers Crossing in 1956, but it represents the look of the J’s in service pictures. The N&W took a lot of pride in the motive power and certainly kept their motive power clean, but not shiny unless they were fresh out of the back shop. Remember, steam locomotives went to the backshop about once a year depending on the mileage they were used. They would come out looking as new for a few days, but the shiny paint was temporary.
I recently purchased the shiny excursion one, because I can’t find the original BLI class J anywhere, the one with the dull paint.
I think the one with the dull paint looks more like those pics of yours, but its hard to come by. Anybody know if they are releasing the class J in Blue line anytime soon? As far as I know, its only in Paragon, and it has been discontinued, which is a big shame.
