Damaged Locomotive Handrails

[RailEagle]

Woul it be realistic to intentionally damage and weather a locomotive handrail to make it look like it was dented and/or bent?

[7j43k]

Things happen.

But first, I suggest you look through some of the MANY thousands of on-line photos of diesel locomotives, and find an example.  Then you can point to it and say: "Prototypical!".  In addition, you will have a better sense of how the bend should look.

If yer talking steam, you might have to go the "book" route. 

Ed

[doctorwayne]

RailEagle

Woul it be realistic to intentionally damage and weather a locomotive handrail to make it look like it was dented and/or bent?

 

Well, things such as that often got damaged, but if it were more than scraped paint, it would likely be fixed pretty promptly. 

 

Handrails. like ladders, grabirons, sill steps, etc. are considered safety appliances, and as such, are to be repaired as quickly as possible.  You wouldn't want an FRA inspector to show up and find you operating with unsafe equipment.
For example, if one of my road's boxcars shows up in your yard, and a switchman notices that there's a broken sill step, that car is bad-ordered, and sent for repair as soon as is practical.  Your road will bill my road for parts and the work performed, at a rate preset amongst all common carriers in North America. 

Wayne

[BRAKIE]

RailEagle

Would it be realistic to intentionally damage and weather a locomotive handrail to make it look like it was dented and/or bent?

 

Those handrails are there because of FRA safety rules and would be kept in a safe condition meaning any dent or bend would be fixed.