Holiday locomotive

Why is this holiday locomotive "covered" with white spots?
http://www.railpictures.net/viewphoto.php?id=158363

If I'm not mistaken, those "spots" are actually lights that they use to illuminate the locomotive during the Christmas holiday season. (Need something a little more sturdy than strings of Christmas lights tacked to the side of the locomotive...)

Anyone wish to concour or contradict?

Got it in one. The whole locomotive is outlined in festively colored lights.

In talking to a guy I know at CP< they used christmas lights for a couple years, but by the time the train got to Binghamton, most were broken from hitting trees! Since then, CP has switched to LED cords. It looks pretty good, too.

That locomotive is designed to confuse the rivet counting modelers

whats up with the checkerboard on the doorway? I saw a similar setup on some late-model CP locos from Amtk #3 last night.

The reflective checkerboard tape is used to notify the crews at night about the height of the door enterance, knowing that a few have banged their heads on the door seems on the way in.