470's tender headlight has suffered as much abuse over the years as the rest of the locomotive. Since the entire tender body must be replaced in its entirety, we removed the damaged backup light in hopes it could be restored. The cast iron lens ring was snapped off, leaving just the hinge hangers and pins, with the can body was crushed and home for hornet nests. The paint was scrawled with graffiti. Forrest Autobody of Winterport, Maine, stepped up to the plate on this project and here are the spectacular results. The body was hammered out and back into shape, the dings were patched, and the entire piece was sand-blasted clean. Judd Moores, owner of Forrest Autobody, had the whole lamp primed and painted with a permanent outdoor finish. The missing side door and front ring still need to be cast, but in the meantime, 470's new tender has a beautiful example of restoration to ride above. Much of what we are doing will require a community response and recognition of Maine's history. NESCO wishes to thank Judd Moores and Forrest Autobody for being a significant piece of this effort!
