489 stubbs it toe

489 has always been a good runner. But it has a rather sick sence of humor. When it decides to break down , it usually does it quite spectacularly. Today's adventure started when 489 decided to launch its spark arrestor in the Narrows. It landed on the boiler top, but sheared off several mounting lugs rendering it useless. Nathaniel Miller, my fireman, was annoyed because he lovingly built a slug of new spark arrestors (out of STAINLESS STEEL no less) last winter and was pissed off what it launched itself. So.... we cooled out heels at Lobato for about 25 minutes while Ducky and Orlando fetched us a new one.
Onward..... 489 is having a failrly easy run with 7 cars - 200 tons. I traded with Nathaniel at Cresco. 489 is hot, full glass of water, everything is lovely. Above Hamilton Point at MP 334.1, 489 breaks loose a couple times. Nathaniel gets 489 back on her feet. I yell across the cab to him to drop the reverse lever a notch or two to help get his speed back. Before he can touch anything. There is a big BANG on the left side followed by a chug, BANG, chug, BANG, Nathaniel slams the throttle closed, and I dive across the cab and big hole the train.
After stopping, I get down to find the left piston rod snapped neatly off at the crosshead. The piston has busted the front head. In short, 489 is done for the day.
497 is sent out of Chama to the rescue. We back to Cresco to trade engines. We have about 45 minutes to kill before 497 shows, so we let the passengers out to stretch thier legs and investigate thier crippled engine. 497 shows, we swap the engines around, and we're off.
497 is still forbidden to run east of Cumbres because the curve and fill at MP 310 that tripped it up last fall is still under reconstruction. As luck would have it, 463 was headed west to Chama returning from a work train assignment. It was turned and relieved the 497 at Cumbres. 463 took the train to Osier and on to Antonito. 489 was eased back to Chama lite. Todays passengers got to ride behind 3 different classes of engines - we ought to charge extra for that.
Damage to 489 is as follows: piston rod broken, broken front cylinder head, all the head studs either broken or pulled out of the cylinder saddle. 488 will probably loan 489 a piston, rod , crosshead and cylinder head to get 489 back on the road. Most time consuming part will be making all the studs and rethreading the cylinder saddle.
I'll post more when I know more.
Weird coinsidence dept. : about 1984 or so 489 broke the same piston rod about 200 yards up grade from the same location.
Earl Knoob
Supt of Artifact Abuse