train plates

[april]

hey guys im am very desprit and i need your help ok we bought  a house about 7 years ago and when we bought it we found a brass train plate with the numbers 2065 on it do any of ya know where it came from state wise or what train its from or posibly how mush its worth because we might sell it.   

[oltmannd]

Some more detail would help.

How big?

What shape?

Anything else on it except the number?

A picture?

[april]

well its about 18 inches diameter and about 2 inches thick its round and theres nothing but the number 2065 its very heavy and we think its cast iron or bronze but were not sure

[BaltACD]

well its about 18 inches diameter and about 2 inches thick its round and theres nothing but the number 2065 its very heavy and we think its cast iron or bronze but were not sure

Sounds like a locomotive number plate from a steam engine...it normally would have been displayed in the middle of the smoke box at the front of the locomotive.  Without further info it would be difficult to identify which particular engine it came from as a number of roads used circular number plates over the years.

[Awesome!]

Can you post a picture of the item?

[wjstix]

Normally a builder's plate would have the builder's name around the outside of the plate. It might be a numberboard that would go say under the front headlight of a steam engine. Are you sure there are no small initials or anything on the back, sides etc.???

[CShaveRR]

April, where are you located?  I suspect that this number plate isn't too far from home (I don't think a railfan who purchased such a thing would leave it behind so that it would be "found" later).

A photograph would be helpful, because the style of the numerals could lead to an answer.

[CShaveRR]

April, after seeing a photograph of the plate that your uncle sent, I'd be inclined to say that it came from Norfolk & Western 2065, a class Y-3a 2-8-8-2.  The shape of the plate (circular), the design of the numerals, and the relatively recent career of this type of locomotive (1923-1959) all lend to the plausibility of this choice.

Pennsylvania Railroad had some locomotives with round number plates, so that might be another possibility--but I'm pretty firm in my N&W conviction here, so I won't even attempt to dig into that complicated roster!