Re: 2020 Chama Shop Work on 463

The frame itself was badly bent and it took me a long while to indicate it in close to what one might call “centered” on the table of our boring mill. The pin holes for the rockers were bored way oversized because the front and rear frame plates were not aligned with each other. Rich Braden made new bushings for these holes.


All 12 of the pedestal jaw faces were worn and are now machined true.


Here I have tacked in place precision ground shims that will restore the pedestals to an appropriate clearance with the axle boxes.


Here is the radius bar having been straightened and being bored. The radius bar bolts had worked loose in the lead truck frame for years and destroyed the holes. The holes were welded up and reamed for new fitted bolts. The radius bar and the cross-member in the locomotive frame to which it attaches were badly bent. I suspect this is from when 463 fell through the bridge at Cimarron but perhaps it’s from another wreck.

Austin Goodwin and Anthony Padilla successfully straightened the cross-member and bored the hole for the radius bar pin (beneath the locomotive in the drop pit in shop bay 2, by the way!).


The original pins for the centering device were hardened but showing signs of wear so four brand new pins were manufactured to replace them.

Overall, the project is nearly complete. Pending our return to work date, the truck is nearly ready to reassemble and install. I’d like to thank Stathi Pappas and Russ Fischer for always doing their best to provide me with advice during the many times I’ve consulted with them for mechanical and machining advice. I do believe this locomotive will run next May!

Dylan Hutson
Ex-Cumbres & Toltec Scenic
Mechanical Dept.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 11/18/2020 09:39PM by dshutson.