Graham Buxton Wrote:
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> Very nice, John!
>
>
> The #2 appears to have something like a tarp
> draped over its pilot/'cowcatcher', although the
> coupler pokes through. Can someone comment as to
> what the tarp is doing there?

The tarp is placed there for two reasons:

1) The owner of the locomotive made a natural wood pilot, just as would have been done, back in the old days. The tarp protects that wood.

2) Since the original design wood pilot is made of pretty light colors wood, the dark tarp covers up that "draw your eyes to" the light wood color. Many/most of the paying customers of that photo charter also wanted it that way.