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Train at The Henry Ford Museum, Dearborn, MI

Where to start? Winters have usually been my rest period since I usually don't get a lot of work then. There aren't any art fairs, or car shows, not a lot of weddings, it's just basically an historically slow period for me. Not this winter! I was asked to do some restoration lettering and striping at The Henry Ford Museum at Greenfield Village in Dearborn Michigan on a tender tank that used to be owned by Henry Ford. What's a tender tank you ask? I didn't know what one was, either, until it was explained to me. It's the train car right behind the locomotive that holds water. In this case, 18,000 gallons of water. Apparently Henry Ford used to like to drive a real, full sized train around for fun. Now it's at the museum and after ten years of restoration work, it was ready to have the finishing touches put on it. I was lucky enough to have been in the right place at the right time, as well as having the necessary skills, to be asked to do this incredible job: I had been up on Woodward at the Shell gas station just north of 13 Mile road pinstriping cars when the owner of B&B Collision in Royal Oak saw my work. A few months later he asked me to paint his father's (who had passed) Lincoln with some tribute lettering. He liked my work and had me pinstripe some cars that came into his shop. When the museum was bidding on the train job, B&B was contacted, and they asked ME! wow! Of all the pinstripers and letterers out there, somehow I was the one who got to do it! How surreal and awesome! I painted "Detroit and Northern Lima Railway" on the tender tank's sides, as well as a filigree with oval around the letters. I also painted a LOT of 5/8" striping in red and gold all the way around the tank (see pictures). I went back a few weeks later to paint a number "7" and another oval with filigree on the rear of the tank. Yes, it was a lot of work and also a lot of fun. I loved all the guys at the Roundhouse where I painted the lettering, etc. on the tender tank - they were all very respectful and gave me everything I needed to work; it was one of the best working conditions I've ever had! I'm excited to go back when they're ready for me to paint the locomotive itself! The wheels on the engine need striping, and wow are they HUGE! There's also a bell house, a water house, cylinder covers and more that they want me to paint. I'll post pictures of those, too, when I finish them. In the meantime, here's the train. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did painting it! For more pictures, please visit my website, juliefournier.com

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