AT&SF 5000 Restoration Work - Episode 4 "Baldwin Locomotive Works Builder's Plate Duplication"

When Sam D. Teague, Founder and President of the Railroad Artifact Preservation Society began the cosmetic restoration of AT&SF Steam Locomotive 5000 in 2008, he discovered that only one of 5000's original Baldwin Locomotive Works Builder's Plates was still attached to the locomotive smokebox. The missing plate which was originally located on the fireman's side of the locomotive was missing.

To make sure that nothing happened to the last original builder's plate, Sam and his volunteers removed the plate from the side of the loco and stored it in a safe location so that the original could be placed in the Society's future museum.

One of the volunteers that worked with Sam on the 5000 restoration was Mr. Robb Gunter of New Mexico. Robb is a world-class blacksmith. Robb volunteered to take the original builder's plate and make two exact duplicates of the original. That way, the original could be kept in the museum and the duplicates could be displayed on the locomotive in their original locations mounted on both sides of the smokebox. If they were ever stolen or damaged, we would still have the original.

You will enjoy watching how Robb takes 5000's original builder's plate and creates two new exact copies from raw bronze.