464 Smokebox

Marty,

Your straight-ahead post regarding fastening the smokebox on 464 was refreshing among a series of rather heated messages. Over the past 40 years, I've done quite a bit of machine shop and metal fabricating work, both in the marine and steam railroad environments, and the method you described for fitting the smokebox/cylinder saddle bolts is exactly how I would have done it. It's nice to know the smokebox on 464 is secured in place to stay. In fact, should 464 ever find itself in the Durango area again, perhaps slugging its way up the Animas canyon with near-tonnage loads on a daily basis, I would guess that those tapered bolts would hold tight for many years. Straight bolts through torched holes...not so much.