Forgive me for being melodramatic in the subject heading but I have been avidly following this thread and I am concerned about the future of #463.
Some people are "dreaming" about K-28's in Chama, a K-27 in Durango and even a K-37 or two tossed in for good measure! (Works for me! Of course, if we're going to dream let's do it right and win the multi-state Powerball Lottery so we can get ALL of them back up and running!)
Seriously though, money is going to be tight from now on. Others have said it; why spend the money to refurbish and maintain a singular locomotive that will require special maintenance and will pull significantly less cars than another engine that is one of a group of engines that have interchangeable parts and are significantly larger and therefore better revenue generators? This is the argument against the C&T giving up a K-36 for a K-28. Unfortunately, it is also a viable argument for putting off refurbishment of K-27 #463!
My fear is that #463 will sit at Antonito waiting for the opportunity to be refurbished the same way that #483 is waiting in Chama! Strictly from a financial viewpoint it may even be more advisable to consider completing #483's refurbishment before starting #463!
We talk about dreams. Well, this is my nightmare; K-27 #463 sits forlornly by itself as year after year goes by with only lip service toward refurbishment (fast becoming restoration!) It eventually is decided that if it fiscally unfeasible to bring #463 back to operating service and it becomes just another static display.
As I understand it, one of the K-28's at Durango is now only a static display in their roundhouse museum. Does anybody know if this is because of a mechanical problem or just a decision from management and if a mechanical problem, how bad and is it fiscally reasonable to bring back into service?
There are always possibilities. Sometimes dreams are all you have at the beginning. Personally, my dream would be to see all nine of the K-36's, all three of the K-28's, K-27 #463 as well as at least two K-37's capable of operating all in the same year. Stranger things have happened!
