Re: CTSRR #489 on the ground 05-24-09

C&TS 19, its 47-tons built by GE in 1943 for the US Navy in Hawaii, did sugar-hauling duty On Oahu after WWII, ended up on the mainland, then on the C&TS in the early 70s.
After suffering from years of no maintenance, and looking like a mosquito fogger when at least one of its old engines ran, its electricals were rebuilt and its tired engines were replaced with Cat truck diesels, doubling its horsepower to 670.
With that extra oomph, care has to be taken not to over-rev its drive train, because reduction gears were stripped, tires spun half-off til the boys got the hang of running it again.
It lives in Antonito as a yard switcher, pulls work trains, does rescue work as shown at 489's derailment.
I thought that along with the new prime movers, 19 needed some ballsy horns instead of those 1943 bleaters. I bought it a set of Nathan K3LAs so the gasoline tankers and other unconscious drivers on NM/CO 17 will hopefully stop for it at the four no-lights/no gates crossings. They were mounted facing backwards, but, they work.
Sister 15, which at one time worked the C&TS, is at the Colorado RR Museum, last I heard.
That "ant" is a Rogers Hydramotive, International gas-engined, Clark Torcon converter, chain drive, 4-wheel, 5-tonner, is owned by the Friends of the C&TS, not the RR. It's a former industrial plant mule, can pull one passenger or a couple freight cars, will probably end up at the Friends car repair building/proposed covered storage yard in Antonito.
And if any C&TS loco is in need of a paint job, 19 is BEGGING for one.



Edited 9 time(s). Last edit at 05/28/2009 11:29AM by Abqfoamer.