Re: Crews and the 460

Following is from some interviews I did with Frank Wright. Frank was D&RGW engineer and fireman from 1915 to 1970. He was fireman on 318 on the last run to Ouray and was engineers on the last D&RGW run of 268 to Sapinero and return in 1954.

I did the interviews with him before 463 was running again.

I sure wish you could have seen and heard a mudhen, especially after they superheated them and gave them walschearts valve gear. When you had three of them on a train going up Cerro Hill they sure made music.

The mudhens, after they superheated them and gave them piston valves, Walchearts gear, they were best engines pound for pound that I ever worked on. Before they superheated them, you could put 9 tons of coal thru one from Gunnison to Sargents.

Jerry
How were the 470's?

Wright:
They were good engines. I didn't like them as well as a mudhen. The 480's, 490's were all good engines.
The 490s were wonderful engines in the snow. They were so heavy they didn't slip much. You could buck now!