Below, Jason asked for a critique of how the K37s operated and here it is. #497 was the only operable K-37 since the end of freight service in 1868. It had most of the attributes and problems of the other class members.I operated 497 on both the D&SNG and the C&TS, so I will start with it.
497. THis engine rode somewhat smoother than the 480s, which belied some serious tracking problems . It was very stiff, and was notorios for kicking curves out of alignment. On both roads it actually broke foot-long sections of rail out of the track! It steamed excellent. Unlike most other engines, the fire was banked in the front, which meant quite a wind-up on the old No.4 scoop! The injectors were quite problematic. After the water level in the tender dropped below 4000 gallons, they overheated and would not start. This might have been due to leaky check valves (470s and 480s had better check valves) and the high location of the injector. The good news was that 490s had low crown sheets, so you could get away with low water-for a while. Nevertheless, I never passed Cresco tank without taking water there. As it turned out, neither did D&RGW crews. The water capacity was high in those big boilers, popping off forever. Due to the low steam dome, they worked water easily. Lots of lazy firemen found that if you let the fire burn out going down grade, it was very hard to get the fire burning again! Could they pull? Oh yeah, they were good for one more car up Cumbres. Its trailing truck was poorly designed, and occaisonally the spring equalizer came apart on the road. Spring problems were common in general on this heavy engine.
The stiffness of the engine may have been due to the primitive lateral equalizer on the number one driver. Derspite sdome correction by John Bush and Mad Jack, it never worked right .Once on soggy track, I literally saw the curve start to kink 20 feet ahead of the engine!
In general these engines were decidedly home-made. The big boiler was cobbled into a frame, and the frames on most 490s cracked right over the trailing truck. The engines had a Chambers throttle. They had two valve surfaces . When they leaked, they were hard to open, and were on or off. Mark Yeamans designed a better one that worked well for the rest of the engine's operating life. The engine was comfortable to run after the throttle was rebuilt and the handle no long stuck right in your ear! Like the 480s , the 497 was a real dirty engine.
Some hearsay on other 490s...
490- a problem engine ,being experimental to begin with . It derailed frequently.
491. This engine was famous for its steaming ability. It was the only D&RGW narrow gauge engine with thermic syphons.
492. This engine had a relatively good reputation.It was fitted with a new boiler barrel in 1948, and would be a good candidate for rebuilding, better than 497.
493. This engine also had a good reputation . '
494 and 495. Both of these engines were notorious for their terrible throttles.
496. A cracked boiler or steam dome made this the first engine to be retired.
498. This was also a relatively good engine.
499. The favorite. Alamosa crews tried to keep this engine on their end of the narrow gauge. Old-timers liked the permamant plow, which could wing rocks off the track with no stopping! Nothing but good things are said of this engine. Perhaps it had fewer of the endemic problems of the other 490s. It also was one ofthe few 490s ever used on passenger trains.
The common problems associated with 490s were...1.Rough on track 2. Lots of mechanical problems especially with springs. 3. Some tenders would easily derail, especially when water was low and when backing up. Rearailing tenders was hard due to the standard-gauge trucks preventing the placement of rerailing frogs. 4. Terrible throttles 5. A continous problem with broken staybolts. The bottom line is Burnham was no Baldwin!
