Several practical considerations have been pointed out regarding the restoration of #483, #492 and #497 that make a lot of sense. From a strictly operational point of view, I agree that putting #492's boiler on #497's running gear is probably the most cost-effective solution. But this compromises the historic integrity of
both locomotives, which - in theory, at least - the commission is prevented from doing by its own charter. And of course it would be great to have at least one K-37 running again, no matter how this is accomplished. (Since #498 pulled the last D&RGW revenue freight over Cumbres, on August 29, 1968, my personal preference would be to trade #497 to the D&S for #498, and restore the latter.)
My interest in #483 is mainly from a historical (and sentimental) perspective. In her D&RGW days, by all accounts I've read, she was a very good steamer, rode well, and was popular with the engine crews. For these reasons, she was one of the most-used engines in the last decade of Rio Grande's narrow-gauge operations. IIRC, she was one of only three K-36's equiped with a steam line for passenger service - which is probably why I have so many photos of her pulling at least one leg of each of the three-day Alamosa-Silverton round trips that I was lucky enough to ride in 1960, '62, '64 and '66. #483 was the helper on the last westbound D&RGW revenue freight, on August 28, 1968, and pulled the National Park Service Special eastbound from Durango to Alamosa in late November of that year. #483 also helped #473 pull #481 and the final load of equipment westbound from Alamosa in early December, 1968, and her light return from Chama to Alamosa on December 6, 1968, was the last D&RGW operation over Cumbres Pass.
Number 483 was also the first engine used on the C&TS, being fired up on September 2, 1970 by the early-day volunteers, and she pulled the first C&TS train into Chama four days later. She powered several work trains and extras during the next two or three months, including the "Governor's Special" on October 4th, and was the motive power for the first few revenue passenger trains the following year. In addition to her regular service in 1972, she pulled the first "Moonlight Special" dinner trains to Osier on 8/25, 9/22 and 10/21, and - with #484 as helper - pulled the C&TS' first photo freight, the "Toltec Rattler", on October 22. She was a mainstay of C&TS operations until the mid-1970's when, the victim of deferred maintenance and over-use, she was set aside and eventually cannibalized to keep her sisters running (including #482, when later traded to the D&S).
As you can see from the preceding two paragraphs, #483 had a special role in the transition years from the D&RGW to the C&TS, and IMHO deserves to be honored for her contributions by being fully restored to the peak of her operational status -
dark green boiler jacket and all!
- Russ
p.s. IMHO, #483 & #484 should
both be restored as examples of the height of narrow-gauge steam power - with
dark-green jackets, older-style lettering with tri-color logos, etc., and used as the road engines on passenger trains as often as possible. The other K-36's and the K-37's can represent various other eras of D&RGW / C&TS ownership, and be used - as in the 'olden days' - primarily as helpers and/or on photo freights, etc. (And I wouldn't cry too hard if #487 or #489 could be traded to the D&S for a FULLY RESTORED #473, to complete the C&TS roster of all of the K-series engines.)
