Lawrence Rast and others have commented positively on the ACL 4-6-2 shown in the outstanding Seaboard-Coastline Modeler headed by Generalissimo and STMFC member John Golden.

I have to question, however, the brass colored pilot wheels. Surely by now these would have been covered by something more appropriate...some shade of black, no doubt. I don't recall these having a whitish color either, so, while I'll check the in service photos that I have, I'm pretty certain that blackish it should be. And, I seem to recall noting this before ...perhaps each year when I placed it on a display table at Prototype Rails. Interestingly, I seem to recall questions about the number of spokes and the tender trucks but never a comment about the color [ shudder...color again ].

Anyhow, don't worry about this being out of scope. Some time ago those in charge of the STMFC [ well...me with able assistance from Assistant Jeff Aley and support from several much more knowledgeable guru's ] decided that discussions about the steam locos that pull our frt cars were as in scope as the contents of our cars and/or the plants they serve. I mean, if we can talk about bananas every 3 months or so, surely we can talk about brass wheels on an ACL Pacific. All of this is, of course, subject to the discretion of the group's management [ uh...Jeff and me ]. And, for those curious, the ACL P5a Pacific were dual purpose engines used in frt service as well as passenger.

Hmmm. Those brass colored wheels are really bothersome.

Mike Brock