2020 Chama Shop Work on 463

In early March, immediately following the rotary excursion, the Chama Shop dropped the pilot truck out of locomotive 463 to rebuild it. Then on Thursday, March 17th the shop closed down due to COVID 19 and did not reopen until Monday, May 18th. We worked 20 hour weeks from May until the week of September 6th when we began preparing to run trains out of Chama at which point select shop employees returned to working 40+ hour weeks.

During the summer myself and several others dedicated an effort to work on 463’s pilot truck, however other matters consumed our time because running repairs and 31 day inspection/boiler washes from the east end locomotives were conducted in Chama. Then, several mechanical matters that arose on the K-36s required our attention toward the end of the season and 463 was put on the backburner.

Since September much work has been completed on 463, however as of Monday, November 16th the shop has closed down again due to a New Mexico stay-at-home order. For those interested, the following is a brief summary of the work that has been completed since March. I figure since this progress is not readily apparent, folks are probably wondering, “What the heck have those guys been doing this whole time?” Enjoy!


It was quickly evident that the pilot truck was in poor condition and had not been reconditioned at any point in the recent past. The Baldwin spec sheet for the K-27s refers to this as a “swing link” lead truck but it is unlike the conventional design in that it uses two pear shaped rockers to center the truck through which four pins connect the truck frame to the Bissell post. The Bissell post has two arcs in which the upper pins ride and the rockers have two longer corresponding arcs in which the lower pins swing as the wheels lead the truck through a curve. All of the wear surfaces on this device were found to be in poor condition so we elected to renew as much of it as practicable (just about everything).


Here I have the first rocker on the rotary table getting prepared for machining. The arcs have been welded up to be renewed as per the drawings.


Here are both of the rockers having been very carefully renewed. Note the amount of weld required at the top where the pins ride- about 1/2" of wear in the one at the top.


Both rockers are interestingly punched "453"


The front rocker is even more interestingly stamped "450"


Here is the axle; Austin Goodwin has renewed its tread on our wheel lathe.

Dylan Hutson
Ex-Cumbres & Toltec Scenic
Mechanical Dept.