I too prefer the post-war look on Pennsy steam. The steel pilot added a touch of modern to what by all accounts were fairly ancient steam locomotives working past their normal service life. I never realized you worked on those Jack. Was this prior to going to EMD? What haven't you worked on? 
As to the topic? Hard for me to say. So many wonderful steam locomotives have been saved only to rot away due to lack of funding or skill to care for them properly. Maybe if anything some of the late high drivered American Standards of the 20th Century. Regardless of road, I always thought the later versions of that class to be attractive locomotives.
