Re: C&S 70 Oil burner & Boiler Explosion

Chris poses some interesting questions.
Apparently the CB&Q did the heavy repairs on their narrow gauge locomotives at Havelock, Nebraska until the end, according to Hol Wagner's article on No. 537 in the BRHS Bulletin. My guess that is where the conversion to coal firing took place, and not in Denver, because the oil bunker was stored at Havelock following the rebuild in 1930. Wagner notes that the joint C&S / Burlington shops in Denver did not have narrow gauge rails to them, so only a few narrow gauge locomotives were shopped there. Most C&S narrow gauge power continued to be shopped at 7th Street. Exceptions include C&S 61 in 1923, CB&Q 537 in 1925, and D&RGW 346 following her wreck on Kenosha Pass.
CB&Q 537 went into service on the C&S in 1930. Photos show her in service by May, 1930.
C&S 70 was converted to oil firing in early 1931. At that time the tender swap took place. Photos of No. 537 in service with her original tender show the tender having the "T" section Bettendorf trucks in use on it from some time in the 1920's. The photos after the swap sho her with 70's tender, with arch bar trucks, and 70 as an oil burner has the Bettendorf tender trucks.
Charlie Mutschler
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