Boston and Maine Steam Markings

[sparkyjay31]

I have a question regarding the marking scheme for turn of the century B&M steam engines.  According to several online sources this is how my 1920 era engines should be marked:

Boston & Maine below cab window, with class and division assignment in smaller characters, engine number in large font on tender side and rear.

However in my never ending search to find these markings I've come up short.  I can easily find both the "block heald" and the "minuteman" designs.

Here's another wrench thrown into the works.  What I've been able to find for pictures both online and in books seem to contradict the lettering described above.  All the engines I can find have the "block heald" on them.  B&M#494 currently in VT is even wierder.  It has the road number under the window and "Boston and Maine" on the tender. 

Now I'm not necessarily looking to get an exact match, as I'm not that finicky, but I'm curious as to what is correct for this era.

[Anonymous]

Sparkyjay31 -- Are you familiar with any of the four books by Bruce D. Heald, published by Arcadia, part of their "Images of Rail" series? -- Arcadiapublishing.com --Each volume is titled (no suprise) Boston & Maine, and the subtitles are as follows: 1.Locomotives; 2. In the 19th Century; 3. In the 20th Century; and, 4. Trains and Services. I discovered one of these volumes in my state public library system, and aquired it and the rest off Amazon.

Each volume is packed solid with great photographs of locomotives, rolling stock, MOW equipment and wonderful historical scenes -- GREAT inspiration for modeling.

A quick flip through the pages shows a huge variety of markings for the B&M: Numbers on the cab, numbers on the tenders, earlier engines with names on the cabs (the"Adams," "Pride," Diana," etc.

I am sure that you would find some pictures of some locos that would answer your questions.

Also, although they are not easy to come by (and they are definately NOT cheap), try to hunt up some of the books about Boston & Maine by Robert Willoughby Jones. Maybe a couple of decades after the time period that you are looking for, but the color photgraphs of steam are superb.

Hope this is some help! Calfpasture

[jrbernier]

  I am not a NE rail expert, but I suspect the lettering went something like this:

• B&M lettering on cab/engine number on tender - 1911-1927?
• Numbers on cab/Block Logo on tender - 1928 - 1941
• Numbers on Cab/Stylized 'Boston & Maine' on the tender - 1941 to end of steam

If what you are looking for is very old, you may not see very many 'railfan' photos of the engines.  By the mid 20's, a lot of railroads were putting logo/heralds on the tenders.  It appears that the B&M took that even further with the 'Boston & Maine' graphics(with a red border, IIRC).

  I model the Milwaukee Road, and most of the 'old' steam pictures with the number on the tender are either 'builders' photos, or company promotional stuff.

Good Luck with your quest,

Jim Bernier

[MisterBeasley]

You might try contacting Gerry at Maine Trains in Chelmsford, MA.  The web site is www.mainetrains.com.  He does a lot of custom B&M work, and is a walking encyclopedia of New England rail lore.  I mentioned that I was going skiing at Sunday River, and we got off into a long discussion of the St. Lawrence and Atlantic Railroad, a line which runs up near there.  (Personally, I think he should get a liquor license and open a pub in the the shop.  It's that kind of atmosphere there some days.)

[sparkyjay31]

Cool, thanks for the leads.  I'll look for those books.  And those dates for the markings are in line with what I thought.  I already have a trip planned with my son to Maine Trains this Saturday.

[rogerhensley]

According to several online sources this is how my 1920 era engines should be marked:

Boston & Maine below cab window, with class and division assignment in smaller characters, engine number in large font on tender side and rear.

However in my never ending search to find these markings I've come up short.  I can easily find both the "block heald" and the "minuteman" designs.

There is a photo of what you describe on the Fallen Flags site. 

http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bm/bm.html

2-8-0 2650  - - bltd photo - {Jan Tepper Collection} 

 

[G Paine]

Have you checked Highball Graphics, they specialize in New England RR decals

http://www.mgdecals.com/

[sparkyjay31]

I have looked at Highball's decal sets.  But I was confused at to what dates the applicable decals were for.