What color is #9's Boiler Jacket? After lining the north switch for the main, WW&F #9's Conductor scrambles aboard as Engineman James Patten takes her forward toward the Sheepscot platform to retrieve three coaches for put-away. One of the interesting aspects of this twilight image is the apparent color of #9's boiler jacket. Made of planished iron, it appears jet-black most of the time and you can confirm that by looking at some of my other, daytime photos of this engine. But in certain lighting conditions, the finish on her jacket will suddenly light up in what appears to be a distinct, metallic blue, which is really a reflection of blue light from the sky. When she was delivered by the Portland Company in 1891, this locomotive had a jacket of Russia Iron, the exact recipe for which seems to have been lost to history. The planished iron jacket that she wears now was an attempt on the part of the WW&F Volunteers to replicate the look of Russia Iron. Based on this image, I'd say they were rather successful. Incidentally, the crew oils this jacket on every service day, using some top-secret potion that keeps it in top shape.
