"San Juan" power

All this talk about the old "San Juan" made me think of the power on that train ,and what was required for an engine to be capable of that service . An engine that was designated for this service had to have an air-powered signal system ,that consisted of a closed pot that had a bell or buzzer in it . It was installed above the engineer's head on the back wall of the cab .It may have been activated by a small air reduction from the back of the train .There were two air valves on the train .One was under the conductor's seat in the coach nd one was on the back of the parlor car . For winter service ,there had to be a steam heat line that came off the backhead near the fireman . Accvording to old timers ,the steam heat consumed a lot of steam , as t he line had to be opened in the back of the train to avoid water buildup and freezing . Steam heat was installed on the "San Jan" and "Shavano" cars during the 1936-37 rebuilds of the five basic train sets for the trains . The coach rebuilds included vestibules an d electric lights . NIne o f the ten Class K-28s were equipped for passenger service .Only #474 was exclusively a freight locomotive ,holding down assignments out of Gunnison . Early on #482 and #483 were equipped ,followed in later years by #484,485,488,and 489. #498 and 499 were sighted on the "Shavano" .#490s were otherwise not used in such service ,and I suspect it was because of their hard-to-adjust Chambers throttles ,that would degenerate to either the "on" or "off" position . Apparently #499 never developed a problem ,and was a perennial favorite ,operating on fan excursions into the 1960s . The 470s were capable of tracking at higher speeeds than the 480s ,hence they were favored in that service . Nevertheless , old warhorses #484 and 488 frequently were used on the "San Juan" , especially in winter .Crews noted that snow problems incresed after the end of service in 1951 ,as the passing of two trains a day with plows on the point kept the railroad fairly free of drifts , unless the wind was blowing the snow into heavy drifts .Then it was rotary time . An interesting note .Durango crews did not like to work the "San Juan" ,as it was a shorter work day than a freight .Alamosa crews loved working the train as the work rules were (then) that after getting off the train in Chama ,after four hours rest ,they could work the train back to Alamosa ! Running time from Chama to Antonito was only three and a half hours .