Re: K-27 Builder Numbers

There is no logical reason why the Mudhen builder's numbers were scattered, as there was no difference between them. I would be interesting to see if the builder's #'s are in order with the BLW class # or if the class # goes in roster order. As an example, 482 has the first builder's #, but the 3rd BLW class # as the BLW Class # went in roster order. I don't think we ever found a BLW Class # on any part of 463.
Only two K27's kept thier builders plates, 459 and 460. 460 was the only one to keep its long smokebox, so possibly 460 kept its odginal smokebox until it was scrapped. All the other engines appear to have had new smokeboxes applied at some point, some when they were superheated, some (like 450-1 & 457) were never superheated, but got new smokeboxes. 459 was the only K27 to get a new smokebox and keep it builder's plates. 459's conversion to superheat was in the midst of the other K27's, so it wasn't a case the first or last one done that allowed it to keep it's plates. Boilers have the shop # stamped into the steam dome as well as the # being displayed on the badge plate on the backhead. Why 459 was singled out is a mystery. My guess is the plates wound up in the scrap brass bin and were melted down.
This builder's plate situation is the same story for the 490's. When they got rebuilt, new smokeboxes were applied and the builder's plates removed. Most of the smaller engines lost their builder's plates when they got re-boilered or had new smokeboxers applied, but there were a few exceptions. A quick cruise through a few books comes up with the following short list of engines that kept builder's plates:
T12's - none
C-16 - 283 although it carried the builders plate (and boiler?) from another locomotive
C17 - 302, 304
C18 - 316, 319 (rt side only), 320
C19 - 344
C21 - none
C25 - 375
BTW - the builder's plates on 463 are replicas we cast up during its restoration. The original plates plates probably disappeared when it got superheated and a new smokebox applied in the 1920's.