@Doug N, so mine arrived today while I was still at work, looks like the box must have taken a slight header which is typical for any package traveling, but minor bump. I love this thing, even despite the silverish boiler. It looked darker while it was still wrapped up, so I am curious if the light really plays with it a bunch.
It looks dark only because like I said, it is undercover currently, with just the reflections of whatever is around it to light it up.
Spare traction tires, not sure what the little doodad next to it is, looked in the instructions, but didn't see anything(someone knows).
It is well packed save the wrench for the drive gear, that was a little loose(opposite end of where we currently are). I re-positioned it and wadded up a paper towel on it to keep it from moving, it was right by the drawbar for the tender, don't want it messing up the infrared sensor now do we.
The tender is really nice, had to brush off a piece of foam that stuck from the static when I took it out. It is very hard to open the hatch to access the sound and smoke effect, took me about seven tries. I had it open and went to get my thumb in a better position and it closed back down. The space between the rollers is 2 1/2" or so(if I measured right), not a good amount of space.
I took this close up because the color between these and the boiler was that these were only slightly darker.
Doesn't even look close. Drive is way darker.
Here is a close up of the boiler and builder's plates. It looks darker up close, so you got me there.
Just for another comparison to a different engine I shot the PRR B6 and then the Hudson. The B6 is much darker, and I even had more light on that. Either way, I love this engine, bits of Styrofoam sticking here and there with other bits that I brushed off the front of the boiler after seeing it in closeup shot.
